Catarrh

Catarrh
Classification and external resources
ICD-9-CM 460
DiseasesDB 26380 1589

Catarrh /kəˈtɑːr/, or catarrhal inflammation, is a disorder of inflammation of the mucous membranes in one of the airways or cavities of the body.[1][2] It can result in a thick exudate of mucus and white blood cells caused by the swelling of the mucous membranes in the head in response to an infection. It is a symptom usually associated with the common cold and chesty coughs, but can also be found in patients with infections of the adenoids, middle ear, sinus or tonsils. The phlegm produced by catarrh may either discharge or cause a blockage which may become chronic.

The word "catarrh" is common to Appalachia where medicinal plants have been used to treat the inflammation and drainage associated with the condition.[3]

Clinical relevance

Due to the human ear's function of regulating the pressure within the head region, catarrh blockage may cause discomfort during changes in atmospheric pressure.

Etymology

The word "catarrh" comes from 15th century French catarrhe, Latin catarrhus, and Greek Ancient Greek: καταρρεῖν[4] (katarrhein): kata- meaning "down" and rhein meaning "to flow." The Oxford English Dictionary quotes Thomas Bowes' translation of Pierre de la Primaudaye's The [second part of the] French academie (1594) "Sodainely choked by catarrhes, which like to floods of waters, runne downewards."[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Catarrh - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". Merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  2. ↑ "Chronic Catarrh — Its Symptoms, Causes and Effects. — A Few Practical Remarks by Dr. Lighthill, Author of "A Popular Treatise on Deafness", "Letters on Catarrh." No. 34 St. Mark's-Place, New-York. Symptoms of Catarrh. Causes of Catarrh. Treatment of Catarrh. From J.S. Beecher, Esq., firm of Ives, Beecher and Co., No. 98 Front-St. From Maj. Alvin Walker, Paymaster, U.S.A. From W. Larrabee, Esq. - Article". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  3. ↑ "A Guide to Medicinal Plants of Appalachia" (PDF). 1969. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  4. ↑  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Catarrh". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  5. ↑ "catarrh". OED Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved May 12, 2015.

External links

Look up catarrh in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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