# Disgusting post-nasal crud (TMI warning) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 26, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522 "2005-09-26T17:20:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/1 "2005-09-26T17:20:38Z")
In [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=330877) thread last month, I was bitching about congestion, throat irritation, not being able to sleep well at night, and a few other annoyances. Since then, I have happily been taking Claritin-D, 24 hour sustained-release decongestant and allergy medicine. With many of the symptoms I was suffering taken out of the picture, I am now able to concentrate my wrath of whining and disgust on the one that remains. Every day or two, I confront what can only be described as a “plug” of thick, hardened mucous that seems to collect in my post nasal area. It always has the same size (1/2" x 1/4"), shape (rectangular), color (horrid brown/green and what I think is somewhat bloody pink), consistency (the gummy chunky stuff in tapioca pudding), nasty-ass-foul taste/smell (it seems to indicate a bacterial infection to me, nasty, musky, dank, and downright vile) and physical discomfort required to dislodge and expel it. Sometimes it is loosened with a sneeze, sometimes a cough or a snort, sometimes by just drinking a beverage. Regardless, the “loosening” is only the first in a series of gagging, snorting, sniffing, loogie-inducing, burning-sensation-in-my-nose-and-throat-like-I’ve-snorted-pool-water acrobatics I have to endure in order to get the damn thing out and spit it somewhere with a spitefull vengence. I’m not a stranger to sinus infections and I do have a little bit of tinnitus right now in my right ear, but I really don’t _feel_ like I have an S. I. and I have no other symptoms to speak of, now that I’m on the allergy meds. As unpleasant as the whole process is, it takes up maybe 10 minutes of my day, every other day or so. I loathe the idea of going into the Dr. and doing a round of antibiotics and prescription decongestants just to get rid of it. Has anyone else had a similar situation? ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/2 "2005-09-26T17:24:52Z")
Great lunch-time post. Please go to a doctor ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/3 "2005-09-26T19:04:34Z")
I’d believe you that you know what an infection feels like. One thing you could try, which my doctor recommended to me, is a saline nasal spray. Note: SALINE, not medicated. Can’t really hurt; for me it helps keep the area moist and keeps the goop from getting all thick and, well, goopy. Also be sure you are drinking plenty of water. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/4 "2005-09-26T19:13:26Z")
> [@honeydewgrrl](#): > > In [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=330877) thread last month, I was bitching about congestion, throat irritation, not being able to sleep well at night, and a few other annoyances. > > Since then, I have happily been taking Claritin-D, 24 hour sustained-release decongestant and allergy medicine. > > With many of the symptoms I was suffering taken out of the picture, I am now able to concentrate my wrath of whining and disgust on the one that remains. > > Every day or two, I confront what can only be described as a “plug” of thick, hardened mucous that seems to collect in my post nasal area. It always has the same size (1/2" x 1/4"), shape (rectangular), color (horrid brown/green and what I think is somewhat bloody pink), consistency (the gummy chunky stuff in tapioca pudding), nasty-ass-foul taste/smell (it seems to indicate a bacterial infection to me, nasty, musky, dank, and downright vile) and physical discomfort required to dislodge and expel it. It sounds to me like you have a sinus infection. (My general practicioner once told me that while she was in med school, her ENT teacher told her that anything green in the sinuses = infection.) The symptoms you describe are exactly what I had when I would get them regularly. I predict that if you continue with your current treatment, you will find that the frequency of your plug removal will increase, as well as it’s size. It will become more difficult to dislodge. Eventually all of the congestion, pressure, and drainage will come back and you will be back where you were. See a doctor, get on the antibiotics, and get out of this cycle now before you really get miserable. After you do, then the Clariton-D and other allergy meds will really work for you. Also, consider using a sinus rinse. I’ve used the one by [NeilMed](http://www.neilmed.com/) but I’ve also heard that there are other ones you can use as well. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/5 "2005-09-26T21:24:57Z")
Another vote for saline nasal spray. It’s a lifesaver. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/6 "2005-09-26T21:46:13Z")
Most superfluous “TMI Warning” ever. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/7 "2005-09-26T23:19:18Z")
I’m going to continue my long-standing project of dusting and cleaning my house from top to bottom, and keep taking my Claratin. I’m going to drink more water, and I’m going to give saline spray a try. If I don’t see any improvement after a week, I’ll go in for an exam and antibiotics. I really don’t think it is an S.I. though, or if it is one, it is very mild. No headaches, full and clear breathing through my nose (as long as I’m on the Claratin, and even without it, I only get clogged up at night and first thing in the morning). Whenever I sneeze or blow my nose, everything is clear. The only sign of trouble is in the post-nasal area, and I’m thinking that whatever collects there gets stuck in some soft tissue and just dries out during respiration. ---
**Author:** ![Carm6773](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@Carm6773](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carm6773)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/8 "2005-09-27T01:51:02Z")
> [@honeydewgrrl](#): > > I’m not a stranger to sinus infections and I do have a little bit of tinnitus right now in my right ear, but I really don’t _feel_ like I have an S. I. and I have no other symptoms to speak of, now that I’m on the allergy meds. About a month ago, I had this sensation like I had water (or at least wetness) in my left ear. It also was ringing (think field of cicadas) as well as something that can only be described as a distortion (like if the volume is up too high). Dr. said I had a LOT of fluid behind both drums and prescribed a different allergy med. It worked great-the wet feeling is gone. However, that darn ear still has the field full of cicadas, as well as that distorted “blown speaker” feeling. It also feels like I’m trying to hear through a cottonball shoved in the ear. I have dried the swim ear drops, cleaning my ears, irrigating the ears… nothing helps. I’m not plugged up at all, nor do I have pain. What the heck is going on, and should I go back to the Dr? ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/9 "2005-09-27T02:43:05Z")
> [@Carm6773](#): > > About a month ago, I had this sensation like I had water (or at least wetness) in my left ear. It also was ringing (think field of cicadas) as well as something that can only be described as a distortion (like if the volume is up too high). Dr. said I had a LOT of fluid behind both drums and prescribed a different allergy med. It worked great-the wet feeling is gone. However, that darn ear still has the field full of cicadas, as well as that distorted “blown speaker” feeling. It also feels like I’m trying to hear through a cottonball shoved in the ear. I have dried the swim ear drops, cleaning my ears, irrigating the ears… nothing helps. I’m not plugged up at all, nor do I have pain. > > What the heck is going on, and should I go back to the Dr? My uncle had that sensation once. It was a tick. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/10 "2005-09-27T05:53:26Z")
I have been on the Dope too long. Today I had a dream that an evil overlord had taken Jay and Silent Bob hostage, and they were about to be killed in a creative and messy way by some kind of gear-driven Death Machine, and the only way that the Death Machine could be stopped was if **honeydewgrrl** fired her nose plug into the gears and gummed them up. There was a spectacular explosion and then I woke up. I don’t even like Jay and Silent Bob. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/11 "2005-09-27T07:55:21Z")
> [@honeydewgrrl](#): > > I’m going to continue my long-standing project of dusting and cleaning my house from top to bottom, and keep taking my Claratin. I’m going to drink more water, and I’m going to give saline spray a try. If I don’t see any improvement after a week, I’ll go in for an exam and antibiotics. I really don’t think it is an S.I. though, or if it is one, it is very mild. No headaches, full and clear breathing through my nose (as long as I’m on the Claratin, and even without it, I only get clogged up at night and first thing in the morning). Whenever I sneeze or blow my nose, everything is clear. The only sign of trouble is in the post-nasal area, and I’m thinking that whatever collects there gets stuck in some soft tissue and just dries out during respiration. You might want to use dust masks while you do your cleaning. Yeah, yeah, it’s YOUR house and YOUR dust, but I find that dust masks (you can buy them at a drugstore) help a lot when doing a deep cleaning. I also drink a lot of hot tea when I’m really clogged up, it helps loosen things up so I can get rid of the gunk more easily. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/12 "2005-09-27T12:44:19Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > I have been on the Dope too long. Today I had a dream that an evil overlord had taken Jay and Silent Bob hostage, and they were about to be killed in a creative and messy way by some kind of gear-driven Death Machine, and the only way that the Death Machine could be stopped was if **honeydewgrrl** fired her nose plug into the gears and gummed them up. There was a spectacular explosion and then I woke up. > > I don’t even like Jay and Silent Bob. That is by far the most unique and bizarre reference I have ever been the object of…um…thanks? ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-post-nasal-crud-tmi-warning/323522/13 "2005-09-27T21:38:07Z")
Anytime. 🆒