Catarrh

Catarrh | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Lungs and airways Catarrh Catarrh About catarrh About catarrh Catarrh is a build-up of mucus in an airway or cavity of the body. It usually affects the back of the nose, the throat or the sinuses (air-filled cavities in the bones of the face). Its often temporary, but some people experience it for months or years. This is known as chronic catarrh. Catarrh can be a nuisance and may be difficult to get rid of, but its not harmful and there are treatments available. Symptoms associated with catarrh Catarrh can lead to a: constant need to clear your throat feelingthat your throat is blocked blockedor stuffy nose that you cant clear runny nose feeling of mucus running down the back of your throat persistent cough headache or facial pain reduced sense ofsmell and taste crackling sensation in your ear and some temporary hearing loss These problems can be frustrating to live with and mayaffect your sleep, making you feel tired. Treatments for catarrh Catarrh will often passin a few days or weeks as the condition that causes it improves. There are things you can try at home to relieve your symptoms, such as: avoiding things that trigger your symptoms, such as allergens or smokyplaces taking sips of cold water when you feel the need to clear your throat  constantly clearing your throat may make things worse using a saline nasal rinse several times a day  these can be bought from apharmacy or made at home with half a teaspoon of salt in a pint of boiledwater thats been left to cool avoiding warm, dry atmospheres, such asplaces with air conditioning and car heating systems  placing plants or bowls of water in a roommay help to keep theair humid staying well hydrated talking to a pharmacist about suitable over-the-counter medications  including decongestants ,antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays There are also several remedies, such as herbal medicines, available from health shops and pharmacies that claim to treat catarrh. Some people find these helpful, but theres generally little scientific evidence to suggest they work. When to see your GP Speak to your GP if your catarrh persists and is becoming difficult to live with. They may want to rule out conditions that could be causing it, such asnasal polypsor allergies . This may mean youneed to be referred to a specialist for tests. If youre diagnosed with a specific underlyingcondition, treating it may help relieve your catarrh. For example, nasal polypsmay be treated with a steroid nasal spray, or in some cases surgery. If a cause for you catarrh cannot be found, the self-help techniques above may be recommended.Unfortunately, however,chronic catarrh can be hard to treat and may last for a long time. What causes catarrh? Catarrh is usually caused by the immune system reacting to an infection or irritation, which causes the lining of your nose and throat to become swollen and produce mucus. Thiscan be triggered by: a cold or other infections hay fever or other types of allergic rhinitis non-allergic rhinitis nasal polyps Itsunclear what causes chronic catarrh, but its not thought to be the result of an allergy or infection. It may be related to an abnormality in the way mucustravels withinthe nose or an increasedsensitivity to mucus in the back of thenoseand throat. Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window Last updated: 10 February 2023 How can we improve this page? Help us improve NHS inform Thank You Your feedback has been received Dont include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions. Email Address e.g. you@example.com Message Maximum of 500 characters Send feedback Add this page to\n            Info For Me Also on NHS inform Allergic rhinitis Common cold Catarrh Decongestants Other health sites ENT UK: patient information Allergy UK NHS inform About NHS inform Editorial policy Contact us Webchat Give feedback about NHS inform Info for Me tool Terms and conditions Privacy and cookies policy Freedom of information (FOI) Accessibility Other languages and formats  2023 NHS 24  v1.1.1.17852