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It may not be the cleanest topic, but bodily fluids can be a key indicator of developing or lingering health issues. This is especially true when it comes to your nose and sinuses.
Whether you call it mucus, phlegm, or snot, even the smallest changes can lead to some of the biggest hints.
As Isaac Dingle, MD, from CEENTA Pineville explains, "Your nose has a mucous membrane that lines the nasal and sinus passages. This membrane has specialized cells, called goblet cells, that create mucus from water, lipids, and the protein mucin."
A few key roles of mucus include:
While a normal amount of mucus is necessary for nasal health, too much can lead to a stuffy or runny nose. This may indicate allergies, sinus infection, or irritation.
When you blow your nose, have you ever noticed what your mucus looks like? Much like an air filter can give you an idea of your HVAC system’s condition, the color of your mucus can provide insight into your health.
Healthy mucus should be clear. On the other hand, the following colors could represent a condition or symptom:
When your mucus loses water, it can turn white. This could be a sign of dehydration or a developing viral infection, such as the common cold.
Acute viral and bacterial infection can cause this. Some people can also develop chronic sinusitis and have constant shades of yellow or green in their mucus.
If you manipulate the inside of your nose too often (i.e. picking or tissues or q-tips) or are recovering from a nasal injury, blood can mix with mucus, causing it to appear red.
As mentioned, mucus filters foreign particles from the air. Smoking (either directly or indirectly through secondhand exposure) and air pollutants such as pollen or dust or dirt can cause mucus to turn black.
This can also be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as chronic lung disease, tuberculosis, or fungal infection.
"Being aware of how much mucus your body produces, along with its color, is the first step in identifying potential issues," says Dr. Dingle. "Your best course of action is to have a qualified ENT physician examine your nasal passages to determine severity and come up with a treatment plan to get your nose back to normal." These treatments may include allergy medication, nasal sprays, and/or nasal surgeries.
At CEENTA, our board-certified otolaryngologists are available at nearly twenty offices across the Carolinas to treat allergies, sinus infections, and other nasal concerns.
To get started, schedule your same-day ENT appointment with Dr. Dingle at CEENTA Pineville online or through myCEENTAchart.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor.
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