Catarrh: symptoms, causes and how to ease it

Catarrh is the NHS term for too much mucus in the nose, sinuses and throat. The lining in your nose, sinuses and throat becomes swollen and creates more mucus than normal, which is your body’s natural reaction to things like infection.

People often describe it as a constantly blocked nose, mucus dripping down the back of the throat, or a need to keep clearing the throat. It is a description of symptoms rather than a single disease.

The NHS lists the following. These symptoms usually only last a few days, but sometimes they can last longer.

• A constantly blocked or runny nose.

• A feeling like there is a lump or something stuck in your throat.

• A frequent need to swallow or cough to try to clear your throat.

• A feeling that mucus is slowly dripping down the back of your throat (postnasal drip).

• A crackling feeling in your ears.

You may get catarrh if you have an infection such as a cold, flu or sinusitis. The NHS lists the following causes.

The NHS says catarrh can be annoying but usually goes away by itself. There are things you can do to ease the symptoms.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Sip ice-cold water when you need to clear your throat, rather than coughing or swallowing.

• Use a humidifier, or sit in the bathroom with a hot shower running, to help loosen the mucus.

• Gargle with salt water.

• Rinse your nose with salt water.

The NHS gives a homemade solution: boil a pint of water and leave it to cool, then mix in 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Wash your hands, stand over a sink, cup the palm of one hand and pour a small amount of solution into it. Sniff it into one nostril at a time, breathing through your mouth and letting the water pour back into the sink, and try not to let it go down the back of your throat.

Repeat up to 3 times a day until your nose feels more comfortable. The NHS says unused solution keeps for the rest of the day in a clean, covered container, and a fresh solution should be made each day.

The NHS says a pharmacist can help with decongestants and other medicines to relieve catarrh, and with salt water nose rinses, available as specially designed bottles, nasal sprays and sachets.

A GP may suggest the same pharmacy treatments, and may want to rule out other conditions, such as nasal polyps, that could be causing the catarrh. The NHS describes nasal polyps as painless soft growths that can block the nose, treated with steroid drops or sprays and sometimes surgery.

The NHS says catarrh usually clears up by itself and the symptoms usually last only a few days, but sometimes longer. It advises seeing a GP if symptoms last for more than a few weeks.

If catarrh follows a cold, it is likely to settle as the infection clears. If it keeps returning, think about triggers such as smoke, allergies or pollution.

See a GP if you have the symptoms of catarrh for more than a few weeks, or you get new symptoms such as a sore throat, problems swallowing or loss of sense of smell.

The NHS page on sinusitis says to see a GP if you do not get better after 3 weeks of treating symptoms yourself, if you keep getting sinusitis, or if a child aged 11 or younger has symptoms. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if you are very unwell, painkillers do not help, symptoms get worse, or you have a weakened immune system.

Most catarrh is managed through self-care and a pharmacist. A GP is the next step if it persists. Persistent symptoms can lead to a referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist through the NHS or privately. Private ENT services may offer quicker appointments; the examination and tests available are broadly similar, so ask what is included.