Sinus Drainage: How a Few Answers to a Few Simple Questions Could Lead You to a Solution

“Why did I suddenly start sneezing when we were visiting your relatives? Now I have all this drainage running down the back of my throat. What’s going on?” Countless thousands of people who suffer from environmental allergies ask themselves similar questions every day, but they don’t realize it. These types of allergies irritate the nasal membranes and sinuses.’ The clear or pale yellow mucus that is produced, which is part of the body’s mechanism for removing irritants, travels to the back of the throat and ends in the stomach. There, the stomach acids and juices destroy any harmful bacteria and germs that are present in the mucus, whether it is green or yellow mucus. While all of this would make sense, the fact is that no one likes dealing with the tickles and other discomforts of PND.

I used to be very allergic to pet dander, especially cats and dogs. However, many people don’t seem to understand the connection between their environment and the drain. Often the reaction is: “I’m getting a cold”, or “I think I have a virus”, etc. Awareness of the environment as the proximal cause of drainage can be very helpful. So, here are some questions you can ask yourself that can help identify the environmental culprit, if an environmental element is causing PND: This article deals exclusively with allergic reaction from common sources in the non-plant environment:

If you’re experiencing a sinus drainage problem right now that came on suddenly, ask yourself:

• Where were you in the last 24 hours before the problem started? Was this a place she hadn’t been before?
• If you were in a house or other enclosed structure: Were there any pets present, especially with long hair? Was it close to that? Did I start sneezing, nose start running, eyes start itching when I got close?
• When you or someone else in your household vacuums the house: Do you notice any of the above symptoms or do you have PND soon after?
• If you were traveling: Was there a significant amount of smog in the area you were visiting?
• Was I exposed, over a long period of time, to cleaning or any other type of harsh chemicals or dust, or animal hair in the last 24 hours?
• Could there be something in the workplace – chemicals, special dust, houseplant, etc. – that is contributing to the problem?
• Is the discharge yellow mucus?
• Was there sinus pressure before the drain began?

Depending on how you would answer those questions and using your own common sense, you can figure out how much, if any, some of those things might affect you. If you suspect that he may be allergic to some of those things, you can go back and try re-exposure to them and see if he has the suspected reaction a second or third time.

We must remember that some nutrition authorities have seen the potential for some foods to be the cause of sinus drainage and other problems. Unfortunately, the medical profession, government health agencies, and government food testing entities have been somewhat reluctant to address this issue. Lack of sufficient research is often cited as the reason they don’t make strong statements. However, some nutritionally savvy would not hesitate to say that food does matter, especially if you have sinus problems. I know this to be true from my own experience when I had sinus problems for many years and also from the experience of others.