What causes catarrh?

Catarrh is usually caused by the immune system reacting to an infection or irritation, which causes the lining of your nose and throat to become swollen and produce mucus.

Thiscan be triggered by:

  • a cold or other infections
  • hay fever or other types of allergic rhinitis
  • non-allergic rhinitis
  • nasal polyps

It'sunclear what causes chronic catarrh, but it's not thought to be the result of an allergy or infection.

It may be related to an abnormality in the way mucustravels withinthe nose or an increasedsensitivity to mucus in the back of thenoseand throat.


Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018