When you ask, “what causes sinus drainage,” you probably don’t realize that you have sinus drainage every day, even when you are perfectly healthy. your body produces up to one-half gallon of saliva and mucus each day in the lungs, nose, throat and sinuses. where do you think most of the drainage from the nose and sinuses go? you swallow several times a minute, so extrapolate that out for an entire day and you get a lot of drainage swallowed down the throat!
The answer to what causes sinus drainage is that normal everyday body functions cause it. you don’t notice it when you are healthy because swallowing and occasional nose blowing is just a part of your every day activities. What you do notice however is when that drainage causes a sore throat or is so thick that it is hard to swallow. in some cases, an abnormal drainage of the sinuses even causes an upset stomach.
Answers to What Causes Sinus Drainage of the Abnormal Variety
When you complain about sinus drainage, there could be a number of health conditions and environmental factors that can cause it. some answers to what causes sinus drainage includes extreme temperature changes, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), exposure to allergens such as pollen or dust, and even colds and flu.
Because sinus drainage is normal, some of the conditions above answers what causes sinus drainage of the abnormal variety. when you develop a bacterial infection or even a viral infection like a cold, your normal sinus drainage areas become clogged or so gunked up with mucus discharge that the only thing coming out is thick, discolored and sometimes even foul-smelling.
Prevention of Sinus Drainage
As previously mentioned sinus drainage is a part of every day life and is considered normal if it is thin and watery, just like saliva. it is the illnesses and environmental factors like those listed above that are a part of what causes sinus drainage that is abnormal. therefore, in order to soothe the pain from this abnormal drainage, you have to treat the symptoms and sometimes even the causes.
A bad cold and flu are two in a long list of what causes sinus drainage and while these present viral infections that have to run its course, you can still treat the symptoms. Decongestants, a humidifier and even hot tea or soup are just a few of the things that can soothe the pain of drainage.
What causes sinus drainage due to allergies and environmental factors could be greatly aided by proper hydration. many times, you may not drink enough fluids to thin out your mucosal secretions which can cause abnormal sinus drainage. Just by getting plenty of fluids (barring the dehydrating alcohol and caffeine) you can greatly reduce the factor of what causes sinus drainage.