Decoding Your Health Through Snot Color

The color of nasal mucus can indicate a person's state of health, ranging from allergies to infections. Clear mucus is normal, white mucus indicates a nasal infection or cold, yellow mucus shows a worsening infection, green mucus is caused by dead white blood cells and can indicate chronic sinusitis, and pink or red mucus is due to broken nasal tissue. Black mucus is a concern and could indicate breathing in debris or a serious fungal infection. A doctor advises seeking medical attention if mucus changes color or if symptoms persist for more than 10 to 12 days.