Even if we are no longer kids, I hope we are still curious, particularly about matters that concern us - such as whether we need antibiotics when we have a cold. Does green mucus indicate a secondary infection?
"Lots of people think green snot means you are really sick, or that you need antibiotics to treat your infection. But this is not true. Green snot is actually a sign that our immune system is working and that we are getting better."
And if we are neutropenic, are we less likely to have yellow/green mucus when we have a cold? I think so.
Neil
Photo: I've spared you a photo of the products of my cold and instead shared a yellow/green flowering canola (rapeseed) crop. I was interested to learn that canola is a member of the family Brassicaceae, which includes cauliflower, cabbage, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and similar green leaf vegetables. The sulphurous smell is unmistakable when you are near a crop and lots of cabbage butterflies are a common sight.
Written by
AussieNeil
Administrator
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I get it the nasal area a bit which generally stays a nice light yellow as it drains so well
When it's in the lungs it's got a much harder trip to get out and Green may mean my system is working BUT it's generally a pretty rough trip if we reach the green stage and going to take a month to reach normal
I wonder how this bit of color folklore began. I recall hearing it from doctors decades ago - green=bacteria, clear or yellow=virus or allergy. The big issue in the last decade has been the awareness of antibiotic resistant bacteria due to overuse. The problem seems to hinge on whether a particular color always indicates bacteria, or sometimes does. It's complicated by the fact that at any given time, we have thousands of pathogens, bacterial, viral, and fugal, in our sinuses and lungs, most of which are not causing symptoms.
So I took a swim in PubMed, and found a few articles searching on "nasal discharge" and "green sputum". Note that sinus discharge and lung discharge are different worlds, too.
Prevalence of Parental Misconceptions About Antibiotic Use
"More parents understood that green nasal discharge did not require antibiotics in 2013 compared with 2000, but this increase was smaller among Medicaid-insured (32% vs 22% P = .02) than commercially insured (49% vs 23%, P < .01)"
So antibiotic use is driven by parental and patient demand.
Signs and Symptoms that Differentiate Acute Sinusitis from Viral Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
"Differentiating acute bacterial sinusitis from viral upper respiratory tract infection (URI) is challenging; 20% to 40% of children diagnosed with acute sinusitis based on clinical criteria likely have an uncomplicated URI. The objective of this study was to determine which signs and symptoms could be used to identify the subgroup of children who meet current clinical criteria for sinusitis but who nevertheless have a viral URI.
Results
Of 258 children enrolled, 54 (20.9%) children had completely normal radiographs. The absence of green nasal discharge, the absence of disturbed sleep, and mild symptoms were associated with a diagnosis of URI. "
So this article finds a tendency that green discharge does indicates possible bacteria, but it's not a sure thing. Other symptoms helped differentiate - facial pain and sleep disturbance tended more toward bacterial infection.
And how about doctor knowledge? From the year 2000 (almost 2 decades ago now):
Asthma management in five European countries: doctors
knowledge, attitudes and prescribing behaviour
"Most variation was seen in the response to the
knowledge question on exacerbation of asthma: "Does yellow-green sputum always indicate a bacterial infection?" In the Netherlands 86%, in Norway 44%, in Sweden 41%, in Germany 13% and in the Slovak Republic 4% correctly considered this statement incorrect."
The earliest reference I could find was from the 1950s, but a paywall blocks full access. Perhaps someone else could have a peek at it:
Yet, I could find no footnote in any of the 10 or so articles I read that authoritatively showed that color is meaningless. Without such a citation, this becomes a matter of dogma, not science.
My recent experiences with sinus infection (ongoing) with facial pain (almost gone now) and sleep disturbance (ongoing), plus green discharge were why the doctor was able to get positive cultures for 2 different types of bacteria. In my case, he was hesitant to prescribe antibiotics for what promised to be a months-long infection, in fear of building antibiotic resistance despite presence of a viral infection. So he wanted to justify the long prescription. But how often do we get cultures? Does anyone ever get tests for viruses outside of flu season or a hospital stay? How many viral tests are even available?
The big thing with viruses, of course, is that unlike bacteria and antibiotics, there are few general purpose antiviral drugs that have a significant impact.
I've said it before: The world needs cheaper, easier, and more assured diagnostic tests. Hunches do not reliably help medical outcomes. But it's all we have at the moment most of the time.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Z-Paks... what is the thinking about them?
Does IVIG help fatigue?
My doctor says I have CLL
Does any science/research point to our body having a back up immune reaction, when our white blood cells stop doing their Jobs?
Very fast onset of Pneumonia! It’s a long story; are you comfortable…
