Catarrh

Catarrh is a build-up of mucus in an airway or cavity of the body.

It usually affects the:

• back of the nose
• throat
• sinuses (air-filled cavities in the bones of the face)

Catarrh is often temporary, but some people may have it for months or years. This is called chronic catarrh.

Catarrh can be annoying and difficult to get rid of. But it's not harmful and there are treatments available.

Symptoms of catarrh

Catarrh can cause a:

• constant need to clear your throat
• feeling that your throat is blocked
• blocked or stuffy nose that you cannot clear
• runny nose
• feeling of mucus running down the back of your throat
• persistent cough
• headache or facial pain
• reduced sense of smell and taste
• crackling sensation in your ear
• temporary loss of hearing

These problems can be frustrating to live with. They may affect your sleep, making you feel tired.

Treatments for catarrh

Catarrh often passes in a few days or weeks as the condition that causes it improves.

To relieve your symptoms:

• avoid things that trigger your symptoms, such as allergens or smoky places
• sip cold water when you need to clear your throat
• use a saline nasal rinse - you can buy this from a pharmacy
• avoid warm, dry places (for example, air conditioning and car heating systems)
• place plants or bowls of water in a room to help to keep the air humid
• stay hydrated
• talk to a pharmacist about medicines such as decongestants, antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays

There are lots of products in health shops and pharmacies that claim to treat catarrh. For example, herbal medicines.

Some people find these helpful. But there's little evidence to suggest they work.

When to see your GP

Talk to your GP if catarrh persists and is becoming difficult to live with.

They may want to rule out conditions that could be causing it, such as allergies or nasal polyps. They may refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist.

You may need treatment for an underlying condition to help relieve catarrh. For example, nasal polyps can be treated with a steroid nasal spray or surgery.

Chronic catarrh can be hard to treat and may last a long time.

Causes of catarrh

Catarrh usually happens when the immune system reacts to an infection or irritation. This causes the lining of your nose and throat to become swollen and produce mucus.

Triggers include:

• a cold or other infection
• hay fever or other types of allergic rhinitis
• non-allergic rhinitis
• nasal polyps

It's unclear what causes chronic catarrh, but it's not thought to be the result of an allergy or infection.

It could be caused by a sensitivity to mucus in the back of the nose and throat.