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You may get catarrh if you have an infection like a cold, flu or sinusitis.
Symptoms of catarrh include:
These symptoms usually only last a few days, but sometimes they can last longer.
Although catarrh can be annoying, phlegm and mucus are not harmful and are the body's way of clearing infection.
It usually goes away by itself, but there are some things you can do to help ease the symptoms.
drink plenty of water
sip ice-cold water when you need to clear your throat, rather than coughing or swallowing
try using a humidifier, or sitting in the bathroom with a hot shower running, to help loosen the mucus in your nose and throat
try gargling with salt water
try rinsing your nose with salt water
Any unused solution will keep for the rest of the day in a clean, covered container. But make a fresh solution at the start of each day.
You could ask a pharmacist about:
The GP may want to rule out other conditions that could be causing your catarrh, such as nasal polyps.
A GP may suggest trying treatments for catarrh that you can get from a pharmacist, like decongestant medicines and salt water nose rinses.
Catarrh is your body's natural reaction to things like infection.
The lining in your nose, sinuses and throat becomes swollen and creates more mucus than normal.
Causes of catarrh include:
