Post nasal drip and asthma: what should you know?

Mucus draining from the nose can make you clear your throat or cough, especially when lying down. Asthma involves inflammation and tightening in the lower airways, which may cause wheezing, chest tightness, cough, or breathlessness. Allergic Rhinitis and House Dust Mite Allergy can contribute to nasal symptoms, but nasal drainage alone does not establish asthma. A clinician may listen to your chest, review triggers and timing, and use breathing tests when appropriate.

Keep taking asthma medicines exactly as prescribed and use your inhaler technique correctly. Follow your written asthma action plan if you have one. Reduce exposure to known nasal triggers, rinse the nose only with a suitable sterile or previously boiled and cooled solution, and drink fluids to ease throat irritation. Do not borrow inhalers or rely on cough treatment when breathing symptoms are present. Keep a note of triggers, night symptoms, and reliever use for your appointment.

Seek emergency help for severe breathlessness, blue or grey lips, difficulty speaking in full sentences, confusion, or rapidly worsening wheeze. Obtain prompt medical advice when your reliever is not helping as expected, symptoms repeatedly wake you, or cough and chest symptoms persist. Nebuliser Treatment may be used by clinicians in acute care, but it is not a substitute for assessment.

Are my symptoms mainly nasal, asthmatic, or both? Do I need breathing tests? Which triggers should I avoid? Can you check my inhaler technique and action plan? What warning signs should prompt emergency help?