What does yellow snot mean in a child or adult

Why can there be yellow snot

Snot is mucus produced by cells in the nose to purify respiratory tract from dust, air pollution and infectious agents. Usually the discharge is small and does not cause inconvenience, but with a cold it becomes more. The snot itself is transparent, but can be painted in a different color. They turn yellow because of leukocytes - white blood cells. If inflammation occurs somewhere in the body, they rush to its source - in this case, the nose - to fight germs.

Under what conditions can there be yellow snot in a child or adult

It is impossible to make a diagnosis by the color of the snot, but sometimes you can guess why it has changed.

Viral and bacterial infection

Snot, in which there are a lot of leukocytes, usually They say about the infection. But sometimes there is a myth that yellow or green color is necessarily caused by bacteria and you need to take antibiotics. This is wrong.

Color is simply an indicator that the body is fighting disease.

Recovering from a cold

It is normal if the snot, as it recovers from transparent and liquid are turning thick and yellow. This is a common symptom of the development of a cold.

Allergy

Sometimes snot become thick and light yellow due to allergies. Such mucus can go down into the respiratory tract and cause coughing. It may resemble a cold, but there is usually no fever and is associated with flowering or other contact with allergen.

How to treat yellow snot in a child or adult

A cold usually does not require special medication, it will be in any case. last 7–10 days. If you are worried about a runny nose, it is enough:

• flush nasal saline solution several times a day;
• drink plenty of fluids;
• humidify the air in the room with a humidifier or improvised means;
• if necessary, use vasoconstrictor drops, but no more 3-7 days in a row and no more often than it is written in the instructions.

If the problem is allergies, then you need interrupt contact with the allergen and use symptomatic medications, which are usually prescribed by a doctor. For example, antihistamines or glucocorticosteroids.

When antibiotics may be needed

Sometimes antibiotics are needed to treat an infection. But only a doctor can prescribe them. That's why sign up admission if:

• a cold lasts more than 10 days and the condition does not improve;
• there is a high temperature that does not go astray for several days;
• as if it became easier, but a week later the disease worsened again: the temperature rose again, the symptoms worsened;
• snot became thick and evenly white, like pus;
• There are symptoms that cannot be relieved with over-the-counter cold remedies.