Case of the day - postnasal drip

Postnasal drip, when patients have the sensation of fluid going down the back of the nose and into the throat, is quite a common symptom in the clinic. Often caused by allergy and/or sinus disease, the diagnosis is often one of exclusion since there is not much to be seen on examination. However, with the new High Definition digital endoscope we have, it is possible to directly inspect the postnasal space from below, revealing the posterior ends of the inferior turbinate far more clearly than if looking down the nose from the front. The picture below shows a swollen and inflamed posterior end of the inferior turbinate, at the posterior choana (the very back of the nose). With this diagnosis it was possible to immediately start the correct treatmernt.