Catarrh

Many people experience catarrh in the following ways:  

• the feeling of mucus at the back of your nose

• a build-up of phlegm in your throat that might feel like a lump, or having something stuck

• a continuous desire to swallow and clear your throat

• a reduced sense of smell or taste

Aside from the feeling of mucus in the back of the nose or throat, there are a number of other symptoms of catarrh, including:

• catarrh cough: you can have an ongoing cough caused by excessive mucus production, irritation of the throat, or mucus dripping down the back of your throat (post-nasal drip). This can be caused or made worse by allergies, infections, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), environmental factors like smoke or pollution particles, and certain medications

• catarrh ears:  this is when your ears are blocked due to the build-up of mucus in tubes (Eustachian tubes) that connect your middle ear to the back of your throat. When these tubes get blocked, it can create a vacuum effect in your middle ear, causing pressure and discomfort. This can give you muffled hearing, a feeling of fullness, crackling or dragging sensations in the ears and in some cases, temporary hearing loss 

• catarrh nose: when you have a blocked, stuffy, and runny nose, and it doesn’t seem to get better when you blow it. If mucus builds up in your nasal passages, it can give you a feeling of congestion or blockage, alongside excess mucus causing a runny nose, leading to frequent sneezing and discomfort

• catarrh phlegm: this is a thick, mucus-like substance that your body produces too much of during episodes of catarrh. It can be clear, white, yellow, or green, depending on the underlying cause. This phlegm often builds up in the back of the throat and can be difficult to clear, leading to an ongoing cough and discomfort. In some cases, the phlegm may be tinged with blood, especially if there’s underlying inflammation or irritation in the nasal passages or sinuses. It can make you feel like you’re choking or that you’ve got something stuck in your throat

• catarrh eating and nausea issues: this is when congestion and discomfort make swallowing difficult, leading to a reduced appetite and potential weight loss. The constant throat irritation and sensitivity in your nasal passages can also cause.

There are many different factors that can cause catarrh – and your consultant will help you work out which ones are causing yours.

Chronic inflammation

Low-grade inflammation: if your nasal passages are chronically inflamed, it can contribute to catarrh due to increased mucus production and a feeling of congestion.

Environmental factors: if you breathe in irritants like pollutants or allergens, or you need certain medications, you can trigger or worsen chronic inflammation.

Sensory difficulties

Nerve dysfunction: when abnormalities in the nerves that sense the presence of mucus in the back of the nose and throat make you feel there’s excess mucus, even when there's only a normal amount.

Misinterpretation of sensations: when your brain might misinterpret nerve signals, leading to a feeling of congestion or a need to clear the throat, even though the nasal passages are clear.

Psychological factors

Anxiety and stress: increased tension in your facial muscles when you’re under stress can affect the way you breathe through your nose and mouth, and contribute to a feeling of congestion.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Acid reflux: when this irritates the back of your throat and nasal passages, it can lead to symptoms similar to catarrh.

Diagnosing your catarrh usually involves an initial consultation where our ear, nose and throat specialist will:  

1. Take a medical history to understand your health and any potential links.

2. Get a full understanding of your symptoms and how they affect you – for example, what makes it worse or better, and how it affects your daily life, such as sleeping and eating. They will want as much detail from you as possible because this can help narrow down the cause.

3. Do a physical examination of your nose and throat.

4. Review any previous notes or scans.

5. Talk through their initial findings and what will happen next.

You can reduce the likelihood of developing catarrh by trying these basic steps – they may help protect you from infections and reduce inflammation in your nasal passages:

• practicing good hygiene

• staying up-to-date with vaccinations

• managing allergies

• strengthening your immune system

• avoiding irritants

• staying hydrated

• avoiding dry air in air-conditioned places or central heating – use a humidifier or put bowls of water on top of radiators

Over time, chronic catarrh can contribute to the development of nasal polyps - small, non-cancerous growths in the lining of your nasal passages. The polyps can block airflow, making the symptoms of catarrh worse, sometimes reducing your sense of smell and taste, and making it harder to breathe through your nose. The chance of developing nasal polyps is between 1 and 20 in every 1,000 people.

There’s no cure for chronic catarrh, but there are treatment options, depending on the underlying cause. Once your consultant has a view on what that cause might be, they can recommend treatments for you. Over-the-counter medications can provide temporary relief, but severe or persistent catarrh may require prescription medications.

Treatment options include:

• working to resolve underlying triggers for your catarrh, such as identifying allergies or exposure to irritants, or a condition such as GERD

• using saline nasal rinses, 3 to 4 times a day consistently over time

• a steroid nasal spray for a runny nose and inflammation, to help improve airflow

• decongestants to help reduce nasal congestion and swelling

• antihistamines, if your catarrh is caused by allergies

• cough suppressants to help reduce a long-term cough

• expectorants to help thin mucus and make it easier to cough up

At Welbeck, our ear, nose and throat specialists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.