Ahem! Ahem! Ever feel the need to move the mucus that annoyingly sits all the way at the back of your mouth? Most of us do at one time or another. The sensation usually lasts for just a few days when dealing with symptoms of a common cold.

But what happens if throat clearing lingers for weeks or months? That nagging feeling may be uncomfortable for the person who has the problem, and might also bother friends and family who hear the characteristic growling sound.

So what causes all that throat clearing? There are many causes, but I’ll focus here on four of the most common culprits. It’s important to know that throat clearing lasting more than two to three weeks deserves an evaluation from a medical professional.

Post-nasal drip

Post-nasal drip is probably the most common cause of throat clearing.

Your nose makes nasal mucus to help clear infections and allergens, or in response to irritants such as cold weather. A frequently runny nose can be quite disturbing. Just as mucus can drip toward the front of the nose, some mucus may also drip from the back of the nose toward the throat, sometimes getting close to the vocal cords. If the mucus is too thick to swallow, we try to force it out with a loud AHEM!

Solutions: The best solution to this problem is to treat the cause of post-nasal drip. An easy way to do it without medications is to try nasal irrigation with a neti pot. If you notice no improvement, different types of nasal sprays may help. It is best to discuss these options with a health professional, because some sprays may cause your symptoms to worsen. The key is to understand what is causing excess mucus production.

Reflux

Another common cause of throat clearing is laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). Acid in your stomach helps digest food. But excess stomach acid sometimes flows backward up the tube called the esophagus that links throat to stomach. This may splash on the vocal cords or throat, causing irritation and throat clearing.

Not everyone with acid reflux experiences a burning sensation in the throat. Nor does everyone have heartburn, which is a classic sign of a related condition called gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GERD). Some people merely feel an urge to clear their throat or have a persistent cough.

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