Why Does Sinus Drainage Make You Cough? - Nurse's Guide

Here Is Why Sinus Drainage Makes You Cough

People often think if they have a cough they must have a lung problem. In many cases it may be simply sinus drainage. If you have a non-productive cough and congestion, chances are you have a sinus irritation, sinus infection, acute sinusitis or other sinus problem or condition and not a lung problem.

The sinuses are small cavities in the bones of the skull that are filled with air. Their main purpose is to help with secretion of mucus and with voice resonance. There are four pairs of sinus cavities behind the forehead, cheek bones and nasal area.

The job of the sinuses is to secrete mucus to provide proper lubrication and help the nose prevent dust, particles and harmful organisms from entering and infecting the respiratory tract.

With an acute sinus infection you will have excess amounts of mucus that will trickle down the back of your throat and cause you to cough.

So when the sinuses secrete mucus it is carried down to the throat area where it gets swallowed. You usually do not notice this small amount of mucus. But if you have a lot of mucus from a sinus infection you will have thicker more irritating mucus, often yellowish, and it may cause you to cough.

This cough is the body's voluntary reaction to protect its airways.

At the same time the mucus backs up in your sinus cavities and gets inflamed and hardens and starts a sinus infection because it can't move through the sinuses properly. One quart of mucus needs to move through the sinuses every day.

When the sinuses secrete this irritating mucus from an infection it may also cause a slight sore throat. This is called post-nasal drip. Often people think this sore throat is from other causes.

Usually the cough is not severe in the early stages and is a signal to you that something is wrong or is starting up.

To cure the cough and stop the excess sinus drainage you want to cure the sinus infection, sinusitis or other sinus problem right away before it gets worse.  You don't have to suffer with acute or chronic sinusitis anymore. And antibiotics are not the way to go. Most sinus infections are caused by a fungus and not bacteria. Plus the antibiotics have a difficult time reaching the sinus cavities. The best way to cure your sinus problem or sinus infection is to do it naturally. There are many ways to do that.

copyright©2008 Helen Hecker All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy or reproduce this article in any way or in any form.