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What Your Snot Color Says About Your Health?
Credits: Canva
Summaryonfused by your snot's color? From clear to black, here’s what your nasal discharge reveals about your health and when it’s time to see a doctor.
Seasonal changes are common, so is changes in the color of your snot, or nasal discharge. The color can tell a lot about your health. If you are confused about what it means, here's a quick guide that can help you see if you should go see a doctor.
How does it work?
The mucus in your nose protects your nose and sinuses from dust, bacteria and other environmental dangers. If you are in a heavily polluted environment, your snot may look green. If you have hay fever, it may be clear. In fact, a common cold may also cause your snot to look yellow or green. If your snot is red, brown or black, it may mean you have a nose injury, or are smoking.
What are the different color of snots?
The color varies between clear, white, shades of green and yellow, red and pink, shades of brown and orange and lastly black.
What is considered normal?
A clear snot is considered "normal" or healthy. Rhinitis or swelling of the mucosal membrane in the nose is a common cause of increased snot production , which could be clear.
There are various types of rhinitis, for instance allergic rhinitis or hay fever could also cause a clear snot. But how to know if it is a sign of hay fever if the color does not differ? You will notice that you have a runny nasal discharge and may feel a bit ill. However, there is nothing to worry as allergies are not caused by a virus. They are rather symptoms in your body's response to irritants like pollen, or animal fur, or dust mites.
Some can experience rhinitis without allergen exposure, which is what is known as the nonallergic rhinitis.
What does white snot mean?
If your nose feels stuffy, congested, then you may notice white snot. This can cause snot to lose its watery content, making it look white from a clear snot. This can sometimes be thick and cloudy too and may sign towards having a cold or an infection.
The common cold is also a frequent cause of white-colored snot. Your symptoms will usually develop a few days, usually two to three days after the exposure to virus.
What does yellow snot mean?
It indicates that your body is fighting an infection. The color yellow comes from the white blood cells which rush to kill the germs. Once the cells have done their, these cells are discarded in snot, which gives it a yellow shade.
What does green snot mean?
It means that your immune system has kicked in high gear to fight infection. The same white blood cells that fight the infection also includes other waste products, which gives it a green color.
Should you see a doctor? Sometimes it may not be a risky thing, and could just be a common virus and other foreign bodies present in the nasal passage.
What to do if you have red or pink snot?
It means that there is a sign of blood in your snot. This could happen because you have blown your nose too hard, or picked it too hard, scratching the surface, or had a hit to the nose.
What can be done?
- Apply Vaseline or another ointment to the nasal passages
- Using saline nose spray or gel to add moisture to your nasal tissues
- Trimming fingernails to prevent scratching your nose
- Adding moisture to the air with a humidifier
- Blowing nose gently
Brown or black snot and what it means?
Brown may indicate that the blood is exiting the body or is the old blood. It could also mean that you have accidentally inhaled something hot like paprika, or dust. However, if it persists, it is best to go see a doctor.
However, if you have black snot, you should definitely go see a doctor. This means that you are either a smoker, or using drugs. It could also be a fungal infection.
There are four types of fungal infection that can cause black snot:
Mycetoma fungal sinusitis: this happens from clumps of spores invading the sinus cavities
Allergic fungal sinusitis: this happens to people with a history of allergic rhinitis
Chronic indolent sinusitis: mostly found outside the US
Fulminant sinusitis: this could cause damage to the sinuses and the bony area that contains eyeballs and brain
When to see a doctor?
- If you have yellow snot with a fever that lasts for than 3 days
- a discolored snot with headache and burning eyes
- a discolored snot and swelling around the eyes
- black snot
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