Catarrh

Catarrh is excessive development of mucus in the cavities or airways of the body. It is associated with blocked nasal passages though it could occur in the throat, chest, and ears. It is a symptom of an underlying condition like an infection or in response to allergic infections.

Most cases are acute, meaning it passes once the body battles the infection. Chronic catarrh is either the result of allergic reactions or nasal structural abnormalities. Acute catarrh can usually be treated with decongestants. Treating chronic catarrh depends on underlying causes.

Symptoms include:
A stuffy nose.
Excessive mucous discharge from the nose or down the rear end of the throat.
A persistent and irritating cough as a result of excess mucus.
Headache.
Blocked sinus and associated facial pain.
Loss of taste and smell.
Tiredness.

Cause

Catarrh is triggered by
Infections like cold.
Allergic reaction to substances like pollen and dust mites.

Some people are highly sensitive to environmental triggers and develop non-allergic rhinitis or vasomotor rhinitis. The airway passages get blocked with excess mucus. Triggers include:
Chemical irritants like perfumes, chemicals, paint fumes, or cleaning detergents.
Weather changes.
Spicy food.
Alcohol.
Stress.

Nasal passage abnormalities could cause catarrh like non-cancerous tissue growth called nasal polyps which prevent mucus from draining properly.

Diagnosis

Acute catarrhs do not need a diagnosis because underlying infection will be fought off quickly without treatment.

To diagnose chronic catarrh:
Varied methods are used to detect the cause of chronic catarrh.
A physical examination to look for nasal polyps. A CT scan may also be done to look for polyps not visible to the naked eye.
Check to see if the condition is not caused by an allergic reaction. Your general practitioner will enquire into the symptoms to find out if it is allergic, like when the symptoms are worse, in which environment, which part of the day or year. This enables them to detect allergens.
Allergy testing or the skin prick test. This is a test where allergens are placed are pricked into the arm and the reaction noted. If a person is allergic to a particular allergen, then the area becomes swollen, red, and itchy.

Non-allergic Rhinitis
There are no specific tests for this condition. Nevertheless, a course known as “diagnosis of exclusion” is undertaken where allergens are ruled out. If tests results are negative, non-allergic rhinitis can be diagnosed.

Treatment

Decongestants will help relieve acute catarrh. There are oral decongestions and topical decongestions. Oral decongestions usually take longer to work, but last longer as opposed to the topical or nasal decongestants or sprays.

Treatment of chronic catarrh is based on the underlying cause.
Allergic rhinitis is mostly treated using antihistamine nasal sprays. These block the immune system’s response to allergen.
To treat a non-allergic rhinitis, one must avoid the allergen like cigarette smoke and environmental triggers. Symptoms may also be relieved by corticosteroid nasal sprays.