Nasal snot reveals if you have health problems

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It’s snot a laughing matter.

The color of nasal mucus can help show what state of health a person is in, according to ear, nose and throat specialist Dr. Raj Sindwani of the Cleveland Clinic.

“If your snot is changing color, you need to see what else is going on,” Sindwani explained, adding that reasons can span from allergies to infections.

He added, “It’s the idea that you were doing fine, nothing was bothering you and then something changed. You’ll want to look more holistically at what else might have changed. Are you feeling unwell? Did you get a new pet or other significant change in your environment?” 

This is the snot spectrum to be mindful of, according to the doctor.

Clear mucus 

Billed by the clinic as the “normal range,” in most cases clear mucus comprises a mixture of dissolved salts, water, proteins and antibodies. It’s common for it to flow back down the throat to be safely dissolved in the stomach.

White mucus  

This is often an indication of a nasal infection or cold by way of congestion and a swollen nose. Tissue inflammation results in a slowed flow of mucus, which exhibits a much thicker and cloudier texture.

Yellow mucus 

Mucus that begins changing color is a sign that a cold or some other infection is worsening. White blood cells cause a yellow tint as they fight an infection.

“But remember that there are other things that go along with that color, of course — including how you’re feeling overall or if you have a fever,” Sindwani said.

Green mucus 

When mucus turns green it’s often because of dead white blood cells thickening things up. It is advised for those sick more than 10 to 12 days to contact a doctor, as the bacterial infection sinusitis — which is treated by antibiotics — might be at play.

“You can also get something called chronic sinusitis, which is a longer-term inflammatory illness, where you’ll have some symptoms of a sinus infection for months,” Sindwani said.

According to the doctor, “This isn’t just discolored mucus. It can be post-nasal drip. It could be facial pain, pressure, congestion or difficulty breathing, or a change to your sense of smell, and feeling unwell.”

Pink or red mucus 

When mucus turns into a hot color like pink or red, it is because nasal tissue has become broken within the nose. Some cases might just be from dryness or irritation, but others are more severe.

“Full-on red could be a nosebleed related most likely to trauma, or possibly infection,” said Sindwani. 

But it isn’t always so much of a fright.

“A few specks of blood or a pinkish hue mucus may not be a big deal. That could be just damage or irritation of the lining.”

Black mucus 

This is quite a concern, according to the doctor.

“If you see black snot you could be breathing in something like debris at a workplace and that might be collected in the mucus of your nose,” Sindwani said. 

“Not to be overly alarmist, but there are some fungal infections that can show black snot that can be very, very serious,” he added, noting that “luckily they’re exceedingly rare.”  

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