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The Green Mucus and Rhinitis (Hay Fever) Connection

One of the most common disorders of the respiratory (breathing) apparatus is rhinitis commonly known as hay fever or runny nose. By definition it is an inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane, often caused by irritation from pollens or other environmental pollutants. The nasal membranes fight those intruders by producing an abundance of histamine to protect the body--by washing them off.

Rhinitis as cause of other conditions
Rhinitis is not a serious illness, but the sufferer has to deal with the constant nose running annoyance and swollen nasal membranes, which impedes proper breathing and mucus flow. If the latter becomes serious it can cause the mucus to stagnate and thus the sinus and nasal cavity membranes can become a breeding ground for bacteria and infection, which can cause yellow and green mucus. Research has shown that rhinitis can also produce ear and sleep disorders and affect brain activity.

What to do
If allergic rhinitis becomes very annoying and there is reasonable assurance that it is caused by allergens, one should consider seeing an allergy specialist to determine which specific allergens could be involved. After this is done desensitizing therapy can, if necessary, then be administered. I have rhinitis myself and most of the time I am not aware of its presence because of having followed the aforementioned steps. Sometimes a non-drowsy antihistamine such as loratadine (Claritin) can be used during the peak flowering time, when pollens are heavy in the environment, to reduce the amount of antihistamine being produced by the nasal membranes. Drinking large quantity of water with extra Vitamin C at those times can be beneficial. Large quantities of sugar, as well as othrer foods, can exacerbate rhinitis during those vulnerable periods.

Worth remembering
The thing to remember is that if left totally uncared for rhinitis can be the cause of an eventual infection in the nasal and sinus cavities. Should this happen yellow and green mucus would probably be just around the corner. Thus, if one has hay fever the best thing to do is to take care of it to avoid the aforementioned consequences, which can include yellow and green mucus.