Yellow snot in an adult, the causes of which you do not know, should, of course, be a cause for concern. As a rule, they appear when the disease progresses and nothing can be cured. The onset of such a disease usually passes without attention at all - for some reason people hope that a runny nose can disappear on its own. Therefore, the realization that something is wrong with health comes even when the snot, as they say, flows in a stream or, conversely, becomes jelly-like and takes on unusual colors.
In the process of actively fighting viruses or bacteria, the body tries to remove accumulated harmful bacteria and its own cells that have died in an unequal battle outside the body. We can observe this process as an increase in the volume of nasal discharge. However, the strenuous yellow snot may have different causes. It is not surprising to get confused: either it is a runny nose that ends, or the inflammation intensifies, or it is even a manifestation of an allergy to something.
Why is the snot yellow
If an adult develops yellow nasal discharge, the reasons for this phenomenon, as already mentioned, can be different. First of all, it should be noted that a sharp increase in the volume of nasal discharge indicates that the mucous membrane is involved in the inflammatory process. But just the color of these very secretions gives out the cause of the inflammation or is the informant of the stage at which the disease is located. So why is the snot yellow?
- Most favorable reason. The disease has entered its final stage. Dead immune and epithelial cells, as well as harmful microorganisms are removed outside. They color the secretion that stands out from the nose yellow.
- The runny nose was complicated by the accumulation of pus, which gives the nasal secretion yellowness. This symptom may indicate the development of otitis media, chronic sinusitis, or sinusitis. If you ignore this symptom and allow the progression of these diseases, the prospects can be very depressing.
- Allergic reaction. It is easy enough to recognize it. Take the trouble to remember if a yellow runny nose appears annually in a particular month or months. If the answer to this question is positive, it is provoked by the plant, the flowering of which occurs during this period.
Thick snot with a pronounced yellowness may appear due to too dry air in the room where you stay most of the time. This is often the case for household allergies to dust or pillow down and feathers.- Heavy smokers may also notice that the secretion released from the nasal passages is colored yellow. This is due to the regular intake of nicotine in the body, which is deposited on the mucous membrane.
- If a person is not worried about anything, a runny nose as such is absent, and against the background of all this well-being, yellow snot suddenly appears out of nowhere, an otolaryngologist must be urgently visited. Indeed, in this way, very serious diseases affecting the nasopharynx can manifest.
Thick snot with a pronounced yellowness may appear due to too dry air in the room where you stay most of the time. This is often the case for household allergies to dust or pillow down and feathers.Pros and cons of yellow rhinitis
The main function of nasal discharge is to protect the body from dust, germs and microscopic foreign bodies that enter the nasal passages along with the inhaled air.
If a person is healthy, their number is almost imperceptible. But when he gets sick, this protective barrier becomes the very snot: changes occur in their color, volume, consistency and even smell. If the runny nose is not treated for a long time, these changes will only increase.
Regarding, so to speak, the advantages of yellow snot in an adult, it should be noted that they consist in removing harmful microflora and those products that it left as a result of its vital activity outside the body. It is also considered a significant plus that when treating a cold, the color of the snot can indicate whether it is going to recover or not.
The obvious disadvantage of yellow-colored snot is the risk of their entering the oropharynx, and then spreading along the trachea, bronchi and reaching the lungs. Surviving microbes take up new places and instantly begin to multiply, leading to:
- tracheitis;
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia.
There is also an alternative scenario - microbes can occupy the ears and maxillary sinuses, leading to the development of otitis media and sinusitis, respectively. You can get these diseases, in particular, if you blow your nose incorrectly.
Let's summarize
If the snot turns yellow, first of all, you need to visit a specialist who will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. If this recommendation is neglected, a runny nose can become chronic, followed by orange and even brown nasal discharge. It is necessary to understand that this process will not disappear by itself - you need to be treated with effective medications.
It is the doctor who should answer the question of why the snot is bright yellow. A colored runny nose is a reason for seeking the advice of a doctor who will explain in detail where it came from and how to get rid of it.
