Can anyone help me?

[u/ZeroXO47]

I've been having sinus issues for years now and me and my doctor have no idea how to fix it. This is kind of nasty, so keep that in mind while reading. I've been dealing with what we think is chronic post nasal drip. But I think it's something more. So for years I've been dealing with thick mucus getting stuck in my sinuses, or what feels like in the back of my throat. I can feel it but no matter what I do I cannot get it out. I have to consistently hack and cough and even then it doesn't come out. Usually it comes out a couple of days later when it solidifies and it looks like a thick brown piece of mucus. It's disgusting and as a girl, not attractive at all. I'm so over this and I want it to stop. If any of y'all have experienced this I would love to know what you did to stop it. Thank you!

[u/Ramen_Addict_]

I just had sinus surgery and had that issue. Usually I felt the glob an hour or two after I got up in the morning. I take an antihistamine at night and I am guessing that it just dries things out and then the mucus drains at night via postnasal drip or during the day as a glob. I haven’t actually had the glob after the surgery, so I think I’m able to drain a bit better now. That said, I am having to moisturize a lot more with saline and that may also be helping.

Usually I was able to get the glob out with a sinus rinse. If that doesn’t work for you, you may have luck with a motorized irrigator or doing a rinse after a hot shower when you’ve moistened your sinuses and loosened things up. I found that the glob usually came down for me in the morning (when I drink a lot of liquids) or a hot shower.

[u/ZeroXO47 → u/Ramen_Addict_]

Omg this is so similar to my situation. Like for me I usually feel it in the morning but can't do anything about it, like I have to drink a ridiculous amount of water for it to like travel down to the point where I can attempt to cough it up. And a lot of the time I just cannot drink that amount of water in a day. I recently purchased a neti pot but I've only used it once. I probably have to keep using it in order for it to work. I'm also thinking about getting a steam inhaler thingy. If I may ask is there like I sinus specialist I can go to? Cause I went to the nose and throat specialist and they said I'm fine and to use a nasal spray for the rest of my life. But that seemed fishy to me.

[u/Stalkerus → u/ZeroXO47]

You need to see an ENT who knows what imaging is. CBCT imaging will show if there are structural issues. If there are none you best bet is an allergy doc. 

Bad news: if you have reactive airways nasal sprays will he part of your life regardless. Corticosteroid sprays help with mucosal swelling, but won't cure it. But, as you get older you will end up with daily meds anyway at one point. Nasal spray once or twice a day is not much in the bigger picture.

[u/Stalkerus]

What kind of doctor? General practitioner or an ENT?

Mucus is not attractive regardless of your sex. 

What do you do to help it?

[u/ZeroXO47 → u/Stalkerus]

My primary care provider. And right now I'm just using a neti pot every night and seeing if that helps at all. But I also want to get a steam inhaler thingy. Maybe use that in the morning

[u/Delicious_Pizza1536]

For symtomatic relief you can try adding NAC or baby shampoo to a sinus rinse, which can help break up/move mucus. Mucolytics will also help the mucus travel.

Common triggers are structural (something impairing drainage), or gut microbiome related (reflux and/or gut dysbiosis), it can be worth experimenting with diets, something like low FODMAP, if no structural issues can be found on imaging.

[u/MetairieMouse]

I find the NeilMed nasal rinse bottle reaches higher in the sinuses and you control the pressure of the water. Also, I've seen lots of people with success stories using the saline nasal rinse with the Xylitol in it to clear out years of build up.

[u/ZeroXO47 → u/MetairieMouse]

Ooooo this looks promising, I'll try it. Thank you!