Is a Yellow Mucous is a Sign of Infection?

Several people assume that yellow mucous is a sign of a bacterial infection and that an antibiotic is the solution.

I been asking why the mucus that comes out on my nose are yellow, sometimes green, my friend say it’s a sign of infection, take antibiotic, but how I ask, I have no fever or flu, a cold may be, the mucus make me cough, but how it can be a infection, last time I been blogging about post natal drip, there is a part that how the mucus produced in our body, now I ask why the mucus has a color yellow, sometimes there is a red spot or brown spot, but now its yellow.

Image Source: www.mucinex.com

Well, I read, The Book "Does Bright Yellow Mucous Mean You Need an Antibiotic" By Kristie Leong M.D. it says that Overall, mucous color isn't a reliable indicator of whether or not a person has a bacterial infection. The mucous we blow out of our nose varies in color depending on our overall state of health and the humidity of the air around us. It's not uncommon to blow out mucous in shades of yellow, green, and brown even in the absence of a bacterial infection. When we have a cold caused by a virus, infection fighting cells move into the area to fight off the infection. These infection fighting immune cells secrete proteins that alter mucous color causing clear mucous to turn funny shades of yellow and green.

A Bright yellow mucous or mucous that's red or brown in color comes from working in an area where the humidity is low. Dry, irritated nasal passages are more prone to bleeding which causes mucous discoloration. Picking the nose also causes bleeding which can darken mucous.

Furthermore, if you have allergies or allergic rhinitis, you may start out with a clear mucous that changes to a thick, bright yellow mucous especially when allergies become chronic. Blowing bright yellow mucous out of your nose doesn't automatically mean you need antibiotics. Viral infections, allergies, and low humidity are all possible causes for mucous color changes. On the other hand, if you have headache, fever, and facial pain, it's a good idea to see a doctor.

Another myth, we have heard that yellow or green mucus is a clear sign that we have an infection, but despite that common misperception, the yellow or green hue isn't due to bacteria.
When we have a cold, our immune system sends white blood cells called neutrophils rushing to the area. These cells contain a greenish-colored enzyme, and in large numbers they can turn the mucus the same color.

Now, what the mucus does in our body, don’t you know that sticky eww! Mucus important
to our body.

Mucus-producing tissue lines the mouth, nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. Mucus acts as a protective blanket over these surfaces, preventing the tissue underneath from drying out. "You have to keep them moist, otherwise they'll get dry and crack, and you'll have a chink in the armor," says Neil L. Kao, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University Of South Carolina School Of Medicine.

Mucus also acts as a sort of flypaper, trapping unwanted substances like bacteria and dust before they can get into the body particularly the sensitive airways. "You want to keep that environment, which is a sterile environment, free of gook," says Johns. "Mucus is kind of sticky and thick. It's got viscosity to it that will trap things." It also contains antibodies that help the body recognize invaders like bacteria and viruses, enzymes that kill the invaders it traps.

Don’t you know that we produce 1-1.5 litter of mucus every day? Even when you're healthy, your body is a mucus-making machine, churning out about 1 to 1.5 liters of the stuff every day. Most of that mucus trickles down your throat and you don't even notice it.


How to Get Rid the Mucus?

• If you have chronic sinus problems there is an Over-the-counter medicine like antihistamines and decongestants,
• Decongestants cause the blood vessels in the lining of the nose to narrow, reducing blood flow to the area, so you're less congested and you produce less mucus. It has side effects, which include dizziness, nervousness, and high blood pressure.
• Antihistamines block or limit the action of histamines, those substances triggered by allergic reactions that cause the tissue in the nose to swell up and release more, thinner mucus (a runny nose). The main side effect of older antihistamines is drowsiness. They also can cause dry mouth, dizziness, and headache.

There is also a traditional remedy, in removing mucus and other matter in your nose, I do it before but be careful if do it wrong, you might get drown or feeling drown. It’s called, Neti Pot.  It's a little teapot-shaped device, is one form of nasal irrigation. Others include the bulb syringe or squeeze bottle.

How to do a Neti Pot? You shoot a saline (salty water) solution up one nostril to loosen up all the mucus that's collected in your nasal cavity, which then drains out the other nostril.

So, the color of mucus has nothing to do with infection unless you have a symptom of flu or cold. Ask first the doctor before you take medicine.

Sources: Yellow Mucous The Truth about Mucus