Catarrh - Illnesses & Conditions - NHS Inform

Catarrh

Catarrh is a build-up of mucus (phlegm) in your airways. It usually affects the back of the nose, the throat or the sinuses.

It’s often temporary, but some people experience it for months or years. This is known as chronic catarrh.

Catarrh is not harmful and there are treatments available.

Symptoms of catarrh

Catarrh can lead to a:

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

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

When to get medical advice

Speak to your GP practice if:

• your catarrh is affecting your daily life
• you have symptoms of catarrh for more than a few weeks

Diagnosing catarrh

Your GP may check if there’s a condition causing it like nasal polyps or allergies.

You may be referred to a specialist for tests.

Treatment for catarrh

Catarrh will often pass in a few days or weeks.

Treatment from your pharmacist

You can ask a pharmacist for:

• advice about catarrh
• over-the-counter medications such as decongestants, antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays

Find your nearest pharmacy

Things you can do to help your symptoms

Do

• stay well hydrated
• use a saline nasal rinse several times a day – these can be bought from a pharmacy or made at home with half a teaspoon of salt in a pint of boiled water that’s been left to cool
• avoid things that trigger your symptoms, such as allergens or smoky places
• avoid warm, dry atmospheres, such as places with air conditioning and car heating systems – placing plants or bowls of water in a room may help to keep the air humid

What causes catarrh?

Catarrh is usually caused by the immune system reacting to an infection or irritation. This causes the lining of your nose and throat to become swollen and produce mucus.

This can be triggered by:

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

Treating the underlying condition, if you have one, may help your catarrh.

It’s unclear what causes chronic catarrh, but it’s often the result of an allergy or infection. It may be linked to an:

• abnormality in the way mucus travels within the nose
• increased sensitivity to mucus in the back of the nose and throat