Post Nasal Drip and SDB

Can chronic post nasal drip cause sleep disordered breathing?

Likely not full blown apnea but perhaps UARS? I've received a diagnosis of UARS on my sleep studies. My issues with sleep started around the same time my PND began. I am basically constantly swallowing mucous all day and have been for 3-4 years.

RERAS weren't on my PSG but I do have snoring, spontaneous arousals and stage shifts along with decreased NREM sleep.

Strangely enough, the PND does not respond to any conventional treatment (antihistamines, nasal steroids, nasal ipratropium, PPIs, Gaviscon etc.). Afrin gives me some temporary relief but the PND is otherwise unrelenting. I'm beginning to think I have laryngeal sensory neuropathy, which can be a cause of refractory PND. I might try Gabapentin or Amitriptyline and see if that clears up the PND and my sleep issues.

In the mean time I just wanted to throw the question on there (again):

Can chronic post nasal drip cause sleep disordered breathing? If the mucous constantly drips and accumulates from the back of my nose down my soft palate... I can see how it might reduce available space for airflow. If I'm constantly swallowing mucous while awake, wouldn't I be constantly swallowing when asleep? Would that trigger an awakening/arousal?

Thanks
Mangos21

The answer to your question is no. Unequivocally no. I do suggest you talk to your ENT doctor, or get a 2nd ENT opinion. I also suggest you learn more about what apneas are and why they occur. While blockage is involved to an extent it's not necessarily the cause and e.g. central apneas are certainly not caused by it - they're neuro. based.

Julie wrote:The answer to your question is no. Unequivocally no. I do suggest you talk to your ENT doctor, or get a 2nd ENT opinion. I also suggest you learn more about what apneas are and why they occur. While blockage is involved to an extent it's not necessarily the cause and e.g. central apneas are certainly not caused by it - they're neuro. based.

Thanks Julie. I don't actually have any apnea or desaturation on my studies. My AHI on both studies were 'negligible', according to my sleep doc.

I would use a Netipot Nasal Rinse before bed and consult an ENT. Stay away from surgery if at all possible, esp. if the nasal rinse provides any relief.

xxyzx wrote:

mangos21 wrote:Can chronic post nasal drip cause sleep disordered breathing?

Likely not full blown apnea but perhaps UARS? I've received a diagnosis of UARS on my sleep studies. My issues with sleep started around the same time my PND began. I am basically constantly swallowing mucous all day and have been for 3-4 years.

RERAS weren't on my PSG but I do have snoring, spontaneous arousals and stage shifts along with decreased NREM sleep.

Strangely enough, the PND does not respond to any conventional treatment (antihistamines, nasal steroids, nasal ipratropium, PPIs, Gaviscon etc.). Afrin gives me some temporary relief but the PND is otherwise unrelenting. I'm beginning to think I have laryngeal sensory neuropathy, which can be a cause of refractory PND. I might try Gabapentin or Amitriptyline and see if that clears up the PND and my sleep issues.

In the mean time I just wanted to throw the question on there (again):

Can chronic post nasal drip cause sleep disordered breathing? If the mucous constantly drips and accumulates from the back of my nose down my soft palate... I can see how it might reduce available space for airflow. If I'm constantly swallowing mucous while awake, wouldn't I be constantly swallowing when asleep? Would that trigger an awakening/arousal?

Thanks
Mangos21

===============
yes

triggers snores as you try to clear it
not sure about arousal

medicine worked a few years but then stopped working
i found that gargling with salt water every day helped a lot

Thanks. Yes I notice that in the early morning when my sleep is light, I can "snore myself" awake, and it is obvious that the snore is coming from the mucous in my nasal passages.

Guest wrote:I would use a Netipot Nasal Rinse before bed and consult an ENT. Stay away from surgery if at all possible, esp. if the nasal rinse provides any relief.

Thanks. I've tried neilmed sinus rinses, with and without a small amount of baby shampoo. Does not affect the PND in anyway. Do you have UARS and/or PND and if so what have you tried? Has anything worked?

mangos21 wrote:Mangos21

What position(s) do you sleep in? Here is something that might be of interest - http://www.uarsrelief.com/sleeppositions.html

ChicagoGranny wrote:

mangos21 wrote:Mangos21

What position(s) do you sleep in? Here is something that might be of interest - https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/73 ... attoos.jpg

I sleep on my right side. I've tried sleeping elevated on a wedge pillow without success. I don't see how a neck tattoo will help me

I was Dx'd w/PND 17 yrs before being dx'd w/SDB. I doubt the 2 are related but I also think most people who have PND have no idea they have it. I know I didn't.

I have chronic post nasal drip as a result of acid reflux. The PPI works for me. I had to go a couple of weeks without the PPI and the mucus and stuff increased. It made it harder to breathe, but did not change my AHI. However, you may find that a slight increase in your lower pressure can help you breathe better at night. I went from 8 to 9 and it made a big difference during that time. Without any other information, I can't recommend going any higher.

FWIW- seasonal allergies actually increase my AHI, so clearly those work differently.

mangos21 wrote:

ChicagoGranny wrote:

mangos21 wrote:Mangos21

What position(s) do you sleep in? Here is something that might be of interest - https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/73 ... attoos.jpg

I sleep on my right side. I've tried sleeping elevated on a wedge pillow without success. I don't see how a neck tattoo will help me

Wrong link. Try this one - http://www.uarsrelief.com/sleeppositions.html

Hi, I'm wondering if you ever ended up figuring out what was causing your Post Nasal Drip. I have been diagnosed with UARS and have been having continuous PND for 2 years now. I've also tried the conventional treatment (antihistamines, nasal steroids, nasal ipratropium, PPIs) with little success. An aromatic nasal spray called Sinu Orega with wild oregano oil gives me very good temporary relief, but otherwise I am having to take mucus expectorants (I use a Chinese herbal remedy called Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa) every day. My best guess so far is that my excess throat mucus is caused by Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) which is worsened by sleep disordered breathing, and that if I work on addressing the root causes of my airway obstruction, the LPR will be lessened, and the excess clear, sticky mucus in the throat will go away. It's an assumption for now that I want to run by an ENT, but so far the ENT's haven't been very helpful for me.