when you ask, "what causes sinus drainage," you almost certainly don't realize that you have sinus drainage every day, even when you are perfectly healthy. Your body produces up to one-half gallon of saliva and mucus every day in the lungs, nose, throat and sinuses. You swallow several times in a minute, so extrapolate that out for an entire day and you get a lot of drainage swallowed down the throat!

The reply to what causes sinus drainage is that normal everyday body functions cause it. You don't notice it when you are healthy for the reason that swallowing and occasional nose blowing is just a part of your every day activities. What you do notice though is when that drainage causes a sore throat or is so thick that it is hard to swallow. In some cases, an abnormal drainage of the sinuses might even cause an upset stomach.

When you grumble with reference to sinus drainage, there could be a number of health conditions and environmental factors that can cause it. Some of the answers to what causes sinus drainage includes extreme temperature changes, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), exposure to allergens such as pollen or dust, and even colds and flu.

Because sinus drainage is part of our daily life and it is normal, some of the conditions above answers what causes sinus drainage of the abnormal variety. When you contract a bacterial infection or even a viral infection like a cold, your normal sinus drainage areas become clogged or so gunned up with mucus discharge that the only thing coming out is thick, discolored and sometimes even foul-smelling.

There are a number of choices in over the counter medications that can be taken and the best option is a decongestant, and you can find these in combination with a pain reliever or alone. The best decongestant is known as pseudoephedrine, but it is important to read the label warning carefully and talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns about medical conditions your might have or medications that you are currently taking. If these decongestants do not offer adequate sinus drainage, you can add a decongestant nasal spray like Afrin. Just be sure that you do not use a spray for longer than four days, since long term use can result in a rebounding of your nasal congestion.

While antihistamines are an efficient means of treating seasonal or chronic allergy symptoms, they are not necessarily the best choice in dealing with sinus drainage from a cold or flu. The explanation is that these medications can actually thicken the mucus, inhibiting sinus drainage and possibly leading to an infection. Some of the newer antihistamines on the market today, like Claritin, although it will not thicken the mucus but it will also not effectively promote sinus drainage.

There is also such a thing as massage to help stop sinus drainage. You can try giving yourself a sinus relief massage, Ensure that your hands are at least room temperature. Starting at the center of your forehead and move your fingertips in tiny circles to the temples. Move to the bridge of your nose and massage the same way across your cheeks. Use the same method to massage your jaw line from your ears to your chin.

You can also incorporate acupressure into your facial massage to help stop sinus drainage. This is where you push specific parts of your face for a certain length of time. Acupressure techniques to stop sinus drainage are difficult to accurately explain with just words. Luckily, there are many acupressure techniques to help you stop sinus drainage in books, web sites and instructional DVDs. You can also get it done professionally if you prefer, usually by practitioners of Chinese Medicine or acupuncturists.

What causes sinus drainage owing to allergies and environmental factors could be greatly aided by proper hydration. Many times, you may not be drinking enough fluids to thin out your mucosal secretions which can cause abnormal sinus drainage. Just by drinking plenty of fluids (barring the dehydrating alcohol and caffeine) you can greatly reduce the factor of what causes sinus drainage.

A Link between Sinus Drainage and Diarrhea

There are two different ends in this equation, literally, and both typically deal with bacteria and medication. Diarrhea can be responsible on a number of culprits such as viruses, food intolerances, parasites, intestinal problems, medicine interactions and of course, bacterial infections usually due to contaminated food or water.

Sinus drainage normally occurs in the back of the throat and is the result of some type of infection like bacteria preventing normal drainage from the sinus cavities. When an infection occurs, the drainage makes your throat painful. When there is a difficulty with normal sinus drainage, a medication like antibiotics typically is prescribed to combat the bacterial infection.

Microorganisms causes diarrhea and also causes sinus infections which affect sinus drainage. In conditions of medication, not following the prescribed directions can cause diarrhea. In addition, too much sinus drainage has been known to cause upset stomach and diarrhea as well.

When antibiotics are given for a sinus infection caused by bacteria, the antibiotics do clear up the infection in the sinuses but they also rob your intestinal tract of the "good bacteria" that is essential for digestion. As a result, diarrhea can occur. BAM - it's another sinus drainage and diarrhea tie-in between these two seemingly dissimilar health issues.