Viral sinusitis Mucus may be clear, or slightly colored. Antibiotics are not effective against a viral infection.
It's possible to have perfectly clear mucus and a terrible sinus infection; conversely, you can have yellow or green colored snot, but be in fine health.
Clear, watery mucus is usually a sign of a cold. A sinus will often cause mucus to become thick and green or yellow in color. If you experience nasal discharge that is colored and have a difficult time blowing your nose, you may have a sinus infection.
Sinusitis means infection or inflammation of the sinuses, which are air-filled spaces inside the bones of the face. Symptoms include yellow or green-coloured mucus draining from the nose, facial pain and headache.
What does it mean when your nose runs clear liquid? This is a sign of a runny nose (rhinorrhea) and is the normal drainage. Clear nasal fluid is common in cold weather. Other types of runny noses caused by allergy or infection may also run clear or be colored depending on the specific cause of the nasal discharge.
Symptoms that are closely related to sinus drainage are most commonly thick drainage from the nose or down the throat. This drainage is typically yellow or green. You may also feel congested and have difficulty breathing through your nose. It also seems that there is a lot of pressure and pain in the face.
A disruption in the brain lining, or in the bone separating the brain from the sinuses, may result in the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid into the nose. Many times the drainage will appear as a noticeable clear nasal drip when leaning or bending over.
A sinus infection stops the normal flow of mucus from the sinuses to the back of the throat. The tiny hair-like “sweepers” become blocked when infections or allergies cause tiny nasal tissues to swell. The swelling traps mucus in the sinuses.
Determining how long your sinus infection will last is dependent on what type you are experiencing. Acute sinusitis lasts for less than four weeks. Chronic sinusitis can last for more than 12 weeks. The majority of sinus infection sufferers will see their symptoms start to resolve after about 10 days.
When viruses that cause colds first infect the nose and sinuses, the nose makes clear mucus. This helps wash the viruses from the nose and sinuses. After 2 or 3 days, mucus may change to a white, yellow, or green color. This is normal and does not mean you need an antibiotic.
Imaging studies — a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test can show any complications in the structure of the nose that is causing your sinusitis. Nasal and sinus cultures — if your condition is worsening, a culture can determine the cause of the infection.
Instead, your doctor looks largely at symptom duration to determine the source of your infection. A viral sinus infection will usually start to improve after five to seven days. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days.
Antibiotics and sinus infections
This may give you the idea that you need antibiotics, but most clear up without them. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses and aren't recommended within the first week of developing a cold. About 70% of sinus infections go away within two weeks without antibiotics.
“It is often best-and many times, company policy-that employees stay out of work until they are fever-free for 24 hours, especially with the flu.” Nasal congestion with sinus or facial pain suggests a sinus infection. Sinus infections can be viral or bacterial. “Either way, it's best to stay home,” Wigmore says.
Cough. A cough may also be a symptom of a sinus infection. As mucus drips down into your throat, it can trigger a cough. Coughing up phlegm should be a sign that this condition is more than a common cold.
Untreated sinusitis allows bacteria and other harmful pathogens to enter the bloodstream and travel all throughout the body, leading to the following potentially life-threatening conditions. Meningitis develops when infection targets the brain or spinal fluid. It requires immediate medical attention.
More Mucus
As sinus infections develop, they can increase congestion. This means there may be a lot more mucus, a lot of which may be discolored.
“Clear mucus is mostly salt water, with locally produced protective antibodies,” Dr. Culver said. Most of the time you won't even notice mucus doing its job unless you notice more mucus and phlegm. “Increased amounts of clear mucus are often part of an allergic reaction,” Dr.
Anything that irritates the inside of the nose can cause a runny nose. Infections — such as colds, flu or sinusitis — and allergies often cause runny and stuffy noses. Some people have noses that run all the time without a known reason. This is called nonallergic rhinitis or vasomotor rhinitis.
Sinusitis usually goes away on its own. Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, so antibiotics won't help. Over-the-counter medicines and home treatment can help you feel better. Antibiotics do work if sinusitis is caused by bacteria.
On the other hand, repeated and forceful nose-blowing can generate pressures that are high enough to force mucus into the sinuses, which could be a factor in chronic sinusitis. If you are going to blow your nose, stick to one nostril at a time and do it gently.
Severe symptoms are more indicative of a bacterial cause. These include high fevers (over 39 C or 102 F) accompanied by purulent nasal discharge or facial pain for three to four consecutive days at the beginning of the illness.