A raspy voice and a constant urge to clear your throat can come with postnasal drip. When mucus keeps collecting at the back of your throat, it can leave that area irritated. Clearing the nasal mucus and giving your voice a break address different parts of the problem.
Key takeaways
- Postnasal drip can come with hoarseness and frequent throat clearing.
- Sip water and rest your voice instead of repeatedly clearing your throat.
- A saline nasal rinse can loosen and wash out thick mucus inside your nose.
Can postnasal drip make your voice hoarse?
Yes, postnasal drip can come with a hoarse or gurgly voice. Extra mucus collecting at the back of your throat can irritate it and make you want to clear it repeatedly. That frequent throat clearing can add more irritation, keeping your throat uncomfortable while you’re trying to get rid of the mucus.
The symptoms of postnasal drip include a feeling of drainage, frequent swallowing and the urge to clear your throat. Allergies and infections are among its possible causes.
Your voice comes from two small bands of tissue that vibrate in your voice box. A cold, too much talking or acid reflux can also leave your voice hoarse; reflux can reach the voice box without causing heartburn. Mucus and a raspy voice alone don’t establish the cause.
Give your voice a break from repeated throat clearing
Try a sip of water when you feel the urge to clear your throat, and reduce long or loud conversations while your voice is hoarse. These voice-care steps help you avoid adding strain while your throat is already irritated.
For example, if you keep clearing your throat between work calls, take a short speaking break and keep water nearby for small sips.
If hoarseness lasts more than three weeks, make an appointment with your doctor, especially if you haven’t had a cold. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders also advises getting checked sooner for trouble swallowing, pain when speaking or swallowing, or complete voice loss lasting more than a few days; difficulty breathing needs urgent help.
Clear nasal mucus as part of your home routine
A saline nasal rinse can loosen thick mucus and wash it out of your nasal passages. That tackles the nasal buildup that can drain toward your throat, while voice rest addresses the strain from talking and repeated throat clearing.
Mix the saline according to its directions using distilled, sterile or previously boiled and cooled water. Tap water can contain germs that are safe to swallow but can cause an infection inside your nose. Follow your irrigator’s directions for use, cleaning and drying between rinses.
For thick nasal mucus that keeps you swallowing and clearing your throat, explore SinuPulse Elite for a pulsating rinse with pressure you can adjust to a comfortable level.
