Snot and Mucus Decoded: The Meaning of Snot Colors

Snot and Mucus Decoded: The Meaning of Snot Colors 

Ever wondered what the color of your mucus means?

Source: Gohnarch, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Snot, booger, mucus, runny nose—whatever you call it, it is still gross. But did you know the color of your snot can tell you a lot about what is going on inside your body?
That’s why doctors ask extensive questions about your mucus color and texture. Snot color can be a clue to what is causing your runny nose or that gunk you’re coughing up.
If the trail of clues your mucus is leaving behind indicates that you just have a common cold, hydrate and rest, and with time it will go away. But other types of mucus mean you might need to see a doctor.
Clear, white, yellow, green, brown, red, or gray—what does your snot say about you?

Do you know what boogers are?

Boogers are made of dirt and dust that have gotten stuck inside your nose. The mucus covers it, and it eventually dries up inside your nose.

What Is Mucus Anyway?

Mucus lines the nose, as well as other organs of the body, acting as a guard against bad stuff that might enter the body, such as dirt and germs. It is made of water, cells, salts, and mucin, which is a glycoprotein.
Mucus goes by different names depending on it location in the body. Here are some terms you may here, all referring to mucus found in the upper respiratory system:

• Snot—the mucus coming from the nose.
• Phlegm—the mucus in your throat and anything that you might cough up.
• Sputum—a coughed up mixture of mucus and saliva.
• Postnasal drip—the mucus that flows from the nasal cavity down the throat.

Mucus Decoded: At a Glance

Color of Mucus	Cause	Treatment
Clear	This is normal, though excess clear mucus could be allergies.	If caused by allergies, take antihistamines.
White	Dairy	Avoid dairy.
Yellow	Your body fighting off a virus or cold	See your doctor if it lasts more than a week or you develop a fever.
Green	Bacterial or fungal infection	See your doctor if it lasts more than a week or you develop a fever.
Blue	The bacteria Pseudomonas pyocyanea	See your doctor if it lasts several days.
Orange, red, or reddish-brown	Blood	See your doctor if it lasts several days.
Brown	Smoking	Smoke less.
Black or gray	Pollution	Stay indoors when pollution is bad.

Mucus Decoded: In Depth

The color and texture of mucus can indicate what is going on in the body and can be signs of a virus, infection, or other problems. Read below to find out what the color of your mucus may mean.

Clear Mucus

Clear mucus with the consistency of glue is normal, although excessive amounts could be due to allergies.

Source: Flickr

Normal mucus is a clear color and is a thick, viscous liquid similar to the texture of glue. You probably don’t have any infection or virus if your snot is still clear. As long as your body isn’t producing too much or too little mucus, and as long your mucus is the right texture, you should be in good health snot-wise.
If your body is producing an excess of mucus, the likely cause is allergies. Talk to your doctor about appropriate treatment.

White Mucus

White mucus can be caused by dairy products.

Source: condesign, Public Domain, Pixabay

Snot that is a white color typically comes from eating and drinking dairy products. Fat in dairy products can make the mucus thicker. The mucus will feel stickier, making it difficult to breathe. If you have a cold or sinus infection, avoid dairy to reduce congestion and breathe more easily. Otherwise, the presence of white mucus alone is no cause for alarm and is considered normal. 

Did you know that the body produces about a liter of mucus a day?

Talk about being snotty.

Yellow Mucus

Yellow snot means that your body is fighting off a cold or virus.

Source: Flickr

If you have yellow snot, it can mean that you have a virus or a sinus infection. Light or bright yellow mucus typically means that your body is fighting off something, most likely a cold. The mucus color is usually brighter at first, possibly even appearing neon yellow. It typically darkens over a few days. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria typically produce a golden-yellow mucus. Dark yellow phlegm could mean bronchitis or another type of infection in the chest.
Yellow mucus does not necessarily mean that you need to go to the doctor. It just means your body is fighting against something. Remember, as of yet, there is no cure for the common cold yet, and antibiotics will only clear up bacterial infections. Viral infections just have to run their course. The best cure is your body’s own defenses.
See a doctor if the symptoms worsen or last longer than a week. You should also see a doctor if the mucus is accompanied by a fever, headache, or phlegmy cough for more than a few days.

Green Mucus

Green mucus is caused by a type of white blood cell that responds to infections and inflammations.

Source: William Brawley, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

Green mucus can signify a bacterial or fungal infection. The green color is produced by a type of white blood cell that responds to infections and inflammations. When the white blood cells die, they burst, releasing a green pigment. The green pigment mixes with the mucus, giving it the green color. The color is usually brighter at first and darkens over a few days.
When your sinuses become inflamed, they swell. This causes mucus to become trapped in your nasal passages. Over time bacteria and fungi can begin to grow in the mucus, in which case you might need antibiotics.
If the symptoms have lasted more than a week or seem to be getting worse, see a doctor, especially if you are experiencing fever, cough with mucus, headache, and sinus pressure.

Blue Mucus

Blue mucus is caused by Pseudomonas pyocyanea, also known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Source: Paulo Henrique Orlandi Mourao, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mucus can turn blue because of a certain bacteria called Pseudomonas pyocyanea, also known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It's fairly rare—about one in 10,000 people experiencing excess mucus at any given time will have blue snot. If your mucus has changed to a thick blue color that has lasted several days, it is probably time to see a doctor.
Blue mucus can also happen if you have inhaled blue powder or something else blue in the air. If this is the case, it should clear up within a day or two.

Did you know that you can have different colored mucus in each nostril?

There could be an infection or sore in one side that is not in the other. Now that's a nose of a different color.

Orange/Red/Reddish-Brown Mucus

Orange, red, or brown mucus can be a sign of blood. This is a common asthma symptom.

Source: NIAID, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

If your mucus is tinged red or reddish brown, it is usually a sign of blood. The blood mixes with the mucus, giving it the red tone.
The presence of blood is not necessarily a cause for alarm. The blood can come from a variety of causes. For example:

• When the sinuses become inflamed, they can begin to bleed.
• Frequent nose-blowing can cause sores to form at the base of the nose. Taking care to gently blow and wipe the nose can prevent this.
• The tiny blood vessels in the nasal passages can break easily, causing blood-tinged mucus. This can happen if the air is too dry, in which case using a saline spray to moisten the nasal passages will help.
• Asthmatics often have reddish/pink mucus.
• If you are coughing up red or brown phlegm, it could be a sign of bronchitis.
• Smoking can also irritate nasal passages, leading to slight bleeding. This, combined with the tobacco particles trapped in the mucus, will lead to a reddish-brown mucus.

If there is a significant amount of blood that has lasted several days, you should see a doctor to determine the cause of the blood and whether treatment is necessary.

Brown Mucus

Brown mucus usually stems from smoking.

Source: Paolo Neo, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Brown or brownish-red mucus is typically associated with smokers. The mucus is mixed with particles from the cigarettes. Smoking can also irritate nasal passages, leading to slight bleeding. The blood and cigarette bits mix with mucus, giving it a brown color. Smoking can also cause people to cough up the brown/red phlegm rather than just blowing it out of their noses.
The way to ease the production of brown mucus and phlegm is to smoke less.
Inhaling dust and dirt, while often leading to gray or black mucus, sometimes can also give mucus a brown tinge. Continue reading to find out about snot caused by pollution.

Did you know that you could have purple, pink, or even blue snot?

Mixing up a pitcher of Kool-Aid can turn your snot the color of the drink if you accidentally breathe in a bit of the powder. Be careful not to breathe in powders, though. Too much of it can get into the lungs and stop the flow of air.

Black/Gray Mucus

Black or gray mucus can be caused by air pollution.

Source: Nina Hale, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

Dark-colored mucus generally happens from inhaling pollutants in the air. The job of the mucus is to trap dirt or other particles and prevent them from getting further into the body. If there is ash, dirt, dust, smoke, or similar substances in the air, the mucus in your body will trap it. Black or gray mucus happens often in cities because of pollution in the air.

Morning Phlegm/Coughing at Night

If you find yourself coughing every time you lie down, it may be a sign of acid reflux.

Source: Casper Kuijjer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

If you are mainly coughing up phlegm in the mornings or if you are coughing at night when you lie down, it might actually be acid reflux. In this case, the coughing is caused by the stomach acid moving up your throat as you are lying down. This can cause coughing, phlegm, and a scratchy throat. In fact, this cough can be the only symptom—some people with acid reflux never have heartburn or upset stomachs.
Check with your doctor if you think acid reflux might be a possibility. An antacid or acid reducer might help the problem. Raising the head of the bed about five inches also helps to keep the acid in place. Avoid eating before bed.

Fixing the Snot

Eating healthy foods can help fight off a mucus-producing cold.

Source: Amazing Almonds, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

Typically, a virus begins by producing an abundance of clear mucus. Then the mucus turns a bright yellow or greenish color. The mucus darkens over a period of a few days, usually turning a green color. At the end of the virus, the mucus may turn a brown/red color. It should then start clearing up, becoming less thick until your mucus returns to normal.
Ways to ease your symptoms:

• Use nasal sprays, such as saline sprays, to keep the nasal passages moist.
• Drink plenty of fluids to thin the mucus and keep your upper respiratory system moist.
• Don't starve a cold. Eating nutritious meals when you're sick is important. Your body needs the energy to fight off the bug.
• Ease fever and body aches with Tylenol.
• Reduce swelling and any inflammation with Ibuprofen.
• Steam and hot liquids can help keep the mucus flowing and ease congestion.
• Take Mucinex or another decongestant to loosen the phlegm and make coughs more productive.
• Spit out anything you cough up. Don't swallow it.
• Suck on cough drops to keep the throat moist. A spoonful of honey also can help alleviate the cough.
• Take antihistamines to help alleviate the symptoms of a cough if it is caused by allergies.
• See a doctor about antibiotics if yellow or green snot persists more than a few days.
• Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke.

Remember, strange-colored mucus doesn't always mean there is a problem. You should only be worried if the colored mucus persists for several days, especially when other symptoms such as fever, headache, and cough are present. 

Of course, mucus colors are just an indication of what could be wrong, not a precise diagnosis. You can still have an infection even with clear mucus. If you are concerned about something with your body, see a doctor. 

iFitnessTrainer