Do I actually have a cold, or is it some other (weird) problem?

January 4, 2015 6:10 AM

I have no other cold symptoms, but my phlegm factory won't stop cranking out this gunk that coats my throat and gives me a terrible sore throat every night. But: no coughing, no fever, no sneezing . . . I'm totally fine except for this crud oozing into my throat. First of all: eew! Second, why is this happening without any other symptoms, and how do I stop it? (Yep, I'm calling the doc tomorrow, but today is Sunday, so I thought I'd ask in the meantime.)
posted by jackypaper to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)

post nasal drip...? could be caused by a number of things.

If this has only been a couple/few days, I would wait it out a bit longer (to see if it goes away) before I pay a Dr. to look at it, if this has been going on for a while it's probably worth getting it checked out.
posted by HuronBob at 6:29 AM on January 4, 2015

I went to the doctor in November after the cough and post nasal drip associated with my cold seems to be lingering. The doctor told me that they are seeing those symptoms in particular linger 4-8 weeks with a lot of people this year. So it very well may be just the cold. Muciniex and a lot of water helped me get through the day, and another Mucinex and a humidifier got me through the night.
posted by COD at 6:38 AM on January 4, 2015

How dry is the air? I would get that happening a lot in winter, and finally figured it that it was because my sinuses were reacting to the dry winter air by cranking up the mucus production to compensate. Running a vaporizer in my bedroom at night and sipping a LOT of water at work helps. Vaporizers are like twelve bucks or so, it's worth a shot.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:01 AM on January 4, 2015

Do you get tonsil stones by any chance? If I go too long without extracting mine (sorry, guys) my post-nasal drip tends to get worse. Also, nthing the humidifier in winter, that makes a big difference for me. I would also suggest gargling with warm salt water a few times a day.
posted by telegraph at 7:18 AM on January 4, 2015

I have a similar issue. I'm getting through it with:

1) Drinking lots of fluids. Spicy, brothy soups are great.
2) Humidifier
3) Nasal spray. You can also snort salt water, just bring the water to a boil and let it cool before you add the salt.
4) I hate gargling salt water, but it helps.
posted by bunderful at 7:54 AM on January 4, 2015

Just anecdata, but: both my husband and I caught a "cold" about 2 weeks ago that didn't produce any sneezing or sniffling, but has caused continuing sinus congestion, postnasal drip and sore throat (worst in the morning) for weeks. Plus exhaustion. Our toddler had it too. My husband got a sinus infection on top of it all and THAT led to fever, but the baseline infection is HANGING THE HELL ON. A doctor at urgent care told us that really lengthy low-level colds are apparently quite common right now.
posted by Cygnet at 8:12 AM on January 4, 2015

Everyone I know has this, including the two humans in this house. I actually bottomed out for several days in maybe a borderline sinus infection or mild flu, but I'd had snottiness and the sore throat for weeks beforehand (oddly, no sore throat since, but constant congestion and drippy nose).

I'm taking my daily Zyrtec (it's been windy here, and extra green since we got a hard rain in December), and Mucinex when the congestion gets especially annoying. I'm using the neti pot a couple times a week and running the humidifier on dry nights. Ibuprofen when my head/ears start to threaten to close up. The week I was very, very sick I slept sitting up because it was trying to settle in my chest.

I *am* getting better, it's just very slow. It doesn't sound like you have anything that you need prescription drugs for - you should be able to handle it with OTC solutions. Treat the symptoms, rest as best you can, hydrate and keep your air moist. Buy the good tissues, and use aquaphor/vaseline/cold cream on your nose between blows if you have to.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:21 AM on January 4, 2015

I rarely get sick and I had this right after Christmas. No other cold symptoms, but a really bad sore throat from post nasal drip. The whole time I could breathe through my nose, which is not normally the case with my colds. Now more than a week later, the sore throat is gone, but the drip remains. Yuck. I think this is just the virus du jour. Ride it out. You can get mucus reducing over the counter meds at the drugstore, but there is nothing special the doctor can give you.
posted by cecic at 9:39 AM on January 4, 2015

How long has this been going on? Most of my colds start this way, for a day or so, and then the rest of the symptoms arrive.

If it's been a week or more, yeah, post nasal drip probably.
posted by Sara C. at 10:12 AM on January 4, 2015

Any changes in diet recently? I knew a guy who reacted this way to eating dairy products-- might be some kind of low-grade allergy?
posted by The otter lady at 10:28 AM on January 4, 2015

Just here to echo COD's account. I am on week seven of phlegminess. The sore throat, the cough - gone - but the mucous production continues apace. I was sure I had something bacterial, or serious - I thought I was somehow continuously reinfecting myself - but my doctor didn't even bat an eye. She suggested muciniex, a humidifier, water to break up the mucous, sleeping slightly elevated and time.

I find it shocking that the body can produce so much sticky stuff, but the viral stuff going around this year just seems to have this odd, long-lingering, post nasal drip ickiness that you just have to wait out until your body overcomes it.
posted by anitanita at 10:42 AM on January 4, 2015

My whole family has the same thing. Yep, it's an upper respiratory infection, and I sure do hope it goes away soon. Using gargles or a neti pot might be helpful as well, or just drinking some tea with honey.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 10:50 AM on January 4, 2015

Check out non allergic or vasomotor rhinitis as possibilities, too. That turns out to be what causes similar issues for me. Nasacort and generic Zyrtec were the suggestions of an ENT and an allergist, and help to some degree.
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 7:20 PM on January 4, 2015

My postnasal drip was caused by allergies, but that was back in a climate where pollen and spore-producing organic matter wasn't covered by a protective sheath of ice.
posted by sebastienbailard at 9:49 PM on January 4, 2015

As someone who once had a similar thing I recommend doing whatever you have to do to optimize your health...like
Lots of extra actual do-nothing rest, Improve your food intake --no sugar, cut out all citrus, dairy products, sticky white flour stuff, fried food, etc. Increase vegetables, soups, high fiber things. Do not over eat. Stretch. Be as happy as you can be--even if you have to watch funny movies and pretend to smile and laugh, it still works. All of these things will strengthen the immune system and help get rid of the underlying issues causing the phlegm. Even if it's allergies, these practices should help.
Of course you also want to make sure your bedroom/house is as dust free as possible.
Be patient and diligent....phlegm is sticky.
posted by Otterone at 7:30 AM on January 5, 2015

I have had a nearly 4-5 week sore throat, which lingered on one side of the throat, almost like a "sore" and flared up to be very painful in week 3, but is finally subsiding. Pain, like a mild infection, in the ears and enlarged glands in the neck. Some fatigue, one or two days that felt like fever, but mostly no other symptoms. My doctors have been stumped. Now I'm thinking this infection might be what's up...?
posted by amoeba at 6:54 PM on March 31, 2015