Catarrh is a build-up of mucus in areas such as your nose, throat or sinuses (spaces behind your nose, cheeks and forehead).
Symptoms of catarrh include a blocked or runny nose, needing to clear your throat regularly and a reduced sense of smell.
Catarrh often gets better on its own. Avoiding things that trigger symptoms, drinking plenty of water and rinsing your nose with salty water can help.
Common triggers for catarrh include a cold, hay fever and growths in your nose (nasal polyps).
Symptoms of catarrh include a blocked or runny nose, needing to clear your throat regularly and a reduced sense of smell.
Catarrh can lead to a:
These problems can be frustrating to live with and may affect your sleep, making you feel tired.
Catarrh often gets better on its own. Avoiding things that trigger symptoms, drinking plenty of water and rinsing your nose with salty water can help.
Catarrh will often pass in 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:
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 there's generally little scientific evidence to suggest they work.
Common triggers for catarrh include a cold, hay fever and growths in your nose (nasal polyps).