If you have small nasal polyps (fleshy growths in your nose) it may be possible to shrink them using a nasal spray that contains steroids, but larger polyps may need to be removed with surgery. Catarrh is not even well defined in the medical textbooks – except to say that the term comes from ancient Greek times and literally means ‘to flow down’. 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Catarrh is caused by the body’s natural defences – the immune system – reacting to an infection or irritation. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses.

This most commonly occurs in the sinuses at the front of the face either side of the nose, but can also occur in the throat, ears or chest. They may ask whether your symptoms are worse in particular environments or at certain times of the day or year. These include: a sensation of nasal congestion, ineffective nose blowing, throat discomfort, crackling or dragging sensation in the ears, a sensation of choking or something stuck in the throat, a …

Those who do not have a runny nose do not usually find such sprays helpful. If you experience new symptoms, such as blocked nose, runny nose, impairment of smell, sinus pain, sore throat, change in your voice or difficulty with swallowing, you should inform your doctor about it. Try the following: These can help relieve a blocked nose by reducing swelling of the blood vessels in your nose. Disclaimer: The details in this section are for general information only. These need to be used regularly (3 or 4 times per day) and over a long period of time, for as long as it provides benefit. Research suggests that catarrh is not related to allergy, nor is it due to any abnormality of the way mucus is transported within the nose. Over-the-counter catarrh cures are okay to try but many people find these unhelpful. It is therefore worth finding ways to adapt to your symptoms and ways to lessen them, rather than looking for a fix or a cure. For reasons that are unknown, some people have abnormally sensitive blood vessels that react to environmental triggers, such as cigarette smoke and pollution. It is possible that the catarrh may be due more to an abnormality of the feeling in the lining of the back of the nose and the throat. • Some patients report an improvement in their symptoms from avoiding dairy products in their diet although there is no research at the moment to say whether or not this is truly beneficial.

Steam inhalation treatment may also help. It is important to take account of this when looking for treatment or cures on the internet – a great of variety of internet sites claim to be able to cure catarrh by various means but with very little evidence to back up these claims. When this occurs, it sends white blood cells to the source of the infection or irritation, which then releases molecules that cause the mucous membranes to swell and produce mucus.