The key difference between catarrh and mucus is that catarrh is a medical condition that leads to the excess build-up of mucus in the back of the nose, throat, or sinuses, while mucus is the gelatinous material that lines the lungs, throat, mouth, nose, sinuses, digestive system, cervix, and urinary tract.
Catarrh and mucus are two associated terms. Mucus contains almost water. In addition, it also has special proteins, sugars, and molecules that help the human body to control harmful germs. Usually, people are unaware of the mucus that slowly flows through the body until they get medical sickness like catarrh. Catarrh is a condition that occurs due to the excess mucus build-up in the parts of the respiratory tract.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Mucus
3. What is Catarrh
4. Similarities – Catarrh and Mucus
5. Catarrh vs. Mucus in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Catarrh vs. Mucus
What is Mucus?
Mucus is a typical gelatinous material that lines the lungs, throat, mouth, nose, and sinuses. It is made up of water, proteins, and sugars. Membranes in the nose and sinuses produce mucus. The primary function of mucus is to trap bacteria, viruses, and allergens (dust or pollens) in the nose and prevent them from spreading through the human body. Later, these foreign agents will head to the stomach and pass out of the human body. This prevents people from getting sick.
Figure 01: Mucus
In addition to the respiratory tract, mucus is also made by the digestive system, the cervix, and the urinary tract. However, abnormal mucus production leads to diseases such as catarrh and cystic fibrosis.
What is Catarrh?
Catarrh, also known as postnasal drip, is described as the build-up of excess mucus in the back of the nose, throat, or sinuses. The symptoms of catarrh include a tricking feeling of mucus draining into the throat, gurgling when talking, feeling as if there is a lump in the throat, the need to clear the throat frequently, coughing, difficulty swallowing, a sore throat, blocked nose, headache, pain in the face, loss of taste or smell, and difficulty in sleeping. Moreover, the causes of catarrh include changes in the weather, eating spicy foods, hay fever, nonallergic rhinitis, common cold viruses, infection in the sinuses, nasal polyps, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hormonal changes in the pregnancy and certain medicines.
Figure 02: Catarrh
Catarrh is diagnosed through physical examinations, X-rays, or endoscopy. Furthermore, treatment options for catarrh may include over-the-counter medicines, oral decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine, mucus thinning medications such as guaifenesin, antihistamines, pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, home remedies (drinking plenty of water, using an indoor humidifier, inhaling the steam, gargling with salt water and sleeping on propped up pillows) and prescription medicines like ipratropium or beclomethasone and triamcinolone.
What are the Similarities Between Catarrh and Mucus?
- Catarrh and mucus are two associated terms.
- Excess mucus production leads to catarrh.
- Both are made up of water, protein, and sugars.
- They mainly occur in the respiratory tract.
What is the Difference Between Catarrh and Mucus?
Catarrh is a medical condition that leads to the excess build-up of mucus in the back of the nose, throat, or sinuses, while mucus is the gelatinous material that lines the lungs, throat, mouth, nose, sinuses, digestive system, cervix, and urinary tract. Thus, this is the key difference between catarrh and mucus.
Below is a summary of the difference between catarrh and mucus in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Catarrh vs. Mucus
Catarrh and mucus are two associated terms. Catarrh is a medical condition that needs to be treated, while mucus is a normal material in the body that helps in innate immune system defence. Mucus is a slippery aqueous secretion usually produced by the mucous glands covering the mucous membranes. It may also originate from mixed glands containing both serous and mucous cells. However, excessive mucus discharge in the nose or throat is associated with inflammation of the mucous membranes leading to catarrh. So, this summarizes the difference between catarrh and mucus.
Reference:
1. “Catarrh.” NHS Choices.
2.“Phlegm and Mucus: How to Get Rid of It.” Cleveland Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Fertile Cervical Mucus 2014-01-11 00-09” By User:Almondineverything – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Child Catarrh” (Public Domain) via PublicDomainPictures.net