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Runny nose; Postnasal drip; Rhinorrhea
Nasal discharge is any mucous-like material that comes out of the nose.
Nasal discharge is common, but rarely serious. Drainage from swollen or infected sinuses may be thick or discolored.
Excess mucous may run down the back of your throat (postnasal drip) or cause a cough that is usually worse at night. A sore throat may also result from too much mucous drainage.
The mucous drainage may plug up the eustachian tube between the nose and the ear, causing an ear infection and pain. The mucous drip may also plug the sinus passages, causing sinus infection and pain.
Bachert C, Gevaert P, van Cauwenberge P. Nasal polyps and rhinosinusitis. In: Adkinson NF Jr., Yunginger JW, Busse WW, Bochner BS, Holgate ST, eds. Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa; Mosby Elsevier; 2003: chap 56.
Long SS. Respiratory tract symptom complexes. In: Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008: chap: 23.
Orban NT, Saleh H,Durham SR. Allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. In: Adkinson NF Jr., Yunginger JW, Busse WW, Bochner BS, Holgate ST, eds. Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa; Mosby Elsevier; 2003: chap 55.
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