Seasonal changes are common, so is changes in the color of your snot, or nasal discharge. The color can tell a lot about your health. If you are confused about what it means, here's a quick guide that can help you see if you should go see a doctor.

How does it work?

The mucus in your nose protects your nose and sinuses from dust, bacteria and other environmental dangers. If you are in a heavily polluted environment, your snot may look green. If you have hay fever, it may be clear. In fact, a common cold may also cause your snot to look yellow or green. If your snot is red, brown or black, it may mean you have a nose injury, or are smoking.

What are the different color of snots?

The color varies between clear, white, shades of green and yellow, red and pink, shades of brown and orange and lastly black.

What is considered normal?

A clear snot is considered "normal" or healthy. Rhinitis or swelling of the mucosal membrane in the nose is a common cause of increased snot production , which could be clear.

There are various types of rhinitis, for instance allergic rhinitis or hay fever could also cause a clear snot. But how to know if it is a sign of hay fever if the color does not differ? You will notice that you have a runny nasal discharge and may feel a bit ill. However, there is nothing to worry as allergies are not caused by a virus. They are rather symptoms in your body's response to irritants like pollen, or animal fur, or dust mites.

Some can experience rhinitis without allergen exposure, which is what is known as the nonallergic rhinitis.

What does white snot mean?

If your nose feels stuffy, congested, then you may notice white snot. This can cause snot to lose its watery content, making it look white from a clear snot. This can sometimes be thick and cloudy too and may sign towards having a cold or an infection.

The common cold is also a frequent cause of white-colored snot. Your symptoms will usually develop a few days, usually two to three days after the exposure to virus.

What does yellow snot mean?

It indicates that your body is fighting an infection. The color yellow comes from the white blood cells which rush to kill the germs. Once the cells have done their, these cells are discarded in snot, which gives it a yellow shade.

What does green snot mean?

It means that your immune system has kicked in high gear to fight infection. The same white blood cells that fight the infection also includes other waste products, which gives it a green color.

Should you see a doctor? Sometimes it may not be a risky thing, and could just be a common virus and other foreign bodies present in the nasal passage.

What to do if you have red or pink snot?

It means that there is a sign of blood in your snot. This could happen because you have blown your nose too hard, or picked it too hard, scratching the surface, or had a hit to the nose.

What can be done?

• Apply Vaseline or another ointment to the nasal passages
• Using saline nose spray or gel to add moisture to your nasal tissues
• Trimming fingernails to prevent scratching your nose
• Adding moisture to the air with a humidifier
• Blowing nose gently

Brown or black snot and what it means?

Brown may indicate that the blood is exiting the body or is the old blood. It could also mean that you have accidentally inhaled something hot like paprika, or dust. However, if it persists, it is best to go see a doctor.

However, if you have black snot, you should definitely go see a doctor. This means that you are either a smoker, or using drugs. It could also be a fungal infection.

There are four types of fungal infection that can cause black snot:

Mycetoma fungal sinusitis: this happens from clumps of spores invading the sinus cavities

Allergic fungal sinusitis: this happens to people with a history of allergic rhinitis

Chronic indolent sinusitis: mostly found outside the US

Fulminant sinusitis: this could cause damage to the sinuses and the bony area that contains eyeballs and brain

When to see a doctor?

• If you have yellow snot with a fever that lasts for than 3 days
• a discolored snot with headache and burning eyes
• a discolored snot and swelling around the eyes
• black snot

Dhurandhar 2 actor Mustafa Ahmed, who played Rizwan in the film, opened up about growing up with dyslexia. He shared that he struggled with reading and writing, but sports and dancing came naturally to him.

"I was not a bright kid. I was dyslexic and came from an Afghan background. But I was always physical, I was good at sports, and I picked up dancing naturally. Anything that involved using my body, I was good at it,” said Mustafa, who trained has Hrithik Roshan, in the Alpha Coach podcast.

What Is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects reading, writing, and spelling. However, it has nothing to do with intelligence.

Common signs of dyslexia include:

• Difficulty reading or recognizing words
• Trouble with spelling and writing
• Confusing similar-looking letters (like b/d or p/q)
• Slow reading speed and poor comprehension
• Difficulty following written instructions

This means that children with dyslexia are simply wired differently and may need to focus on other learning areas.

How Did Mustafa Overcome Dyslexia?

Mustafa did exactly that. He focused on training hard and eventually worked with big stars like Hrithik Roshan. That’s when he caught the attention of Aditya Dhar, the maker of Dhurandhar. Aditya saw potential in him and encouraged him to pursue acting, helping launch his journey in the industry.

Growing up, Mustafa, who revealed in an interview, faced challenges in school due to his learning difficulties. Tasks like reading scripts or memorizing lines may not have come easily at first. However, with determination, support, and self-belief, he was able to overcome these barriers.

However, today as a rising star, his story is a reminder that with the right support, early diagnosis, and self-belief, children with dyslexia can truly thrive.

Signs and symptoms of dyslexia

Doctors say signs of dyslexia can look different at each age. It happens because your brain grows and learns in new ways as you get older. You may notice your child has:

• Has difficulty learning or recognizing letters
• Has trouble rhyming words
• Mixes up words that sound similar
• Find it difficult to read simple words after learning letter sounds
• Have trouble remembering letters, even after lots of practice
• Avoiding tasks that have to do with reading
• Feeling sick or anxious before school or homework time
• Struggling in school

Can You Treat Dyslexia?

Doctors say even though dyslexia is a lifelong condition, it can be effectively managed with the help of interventions like:

• Phonics-based reading programs
• One-on-one tutoring
• Speech and language therapy
• Use of assistive technology like audiobooks and text-to-speech tools

With these strategies, individuals with dyslexia can improve their reading skills and excel in their chosen fields.

Mel Schilling, an Australian psychologist and a dating expert died at 54. Her husband Gareth Brisbane announced the death in a social media statement.

What Happened To Mel Schilling?

Schilling was diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023. Just two weeks ago she said that the disease had spread to her brain. "I honestly don't know how long I have left," she wrote.

Read: What Is The Correct Age To Get A Colonoscopy?

According to her husband, she died "peacefully, surrounded by love". “This is a woman who, through two years of chemotherapy, when she could barely lift her head from the pillow, never complained and never stopped showing courage, grace, compassion and empathy, and never missed a day of filming,” Brisbane wrote.

She was also an expert on 'Married at First Sight Australia' for 12 years and because of her illness she stepped down as a dating expert.

How Does Cancer Spread To Other Parts Of The Body?

Schilling said that her cancer had spread to her brain. as per the Cancer Research UK, cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through bloodstream or lymphatic system. They can then start to grow into new tumors. The National cancer Institute notes that cancer cells spread through the body in a series of steps, which include:

• growing into, or invading, nearby normal tissue
• moving through the walls of nearby lymph nodes or blood vessels
• traveling through the lymphatic system and bloodstream to other parts of the body
• stopping in small blood vessels at a distant location, invading the blood vessel walls, and moving into the surrounding tissue
• growing in this tissue until a tiny tumor forms
• causing new blood vessels to grow, which creates a blood supply that allows the metastatic tumor to continue growing

What Is Colon Cancer?

Colon (colorectal) cancer begins when small growths called polyps form on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Over time, changes in the DNA of these cells can cause the polyps to become cancerous.

As abnormal cells multiply, they replace healthy cells and eventually form a mass known as a tumor. This process develops slowly, often taking up to ten years for a precancerous polyp to turn into cancer and begin showing symptoms.

Colon cancer poses serious health risks because cancerous cells can invade healthy tissues. Over time, they may break away and spread to other parts of the body, making detection more difficult since the symptoms can resemble other conditions.

How Can You Get Screened For Colon Cancer?

You can get examined by a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a 15 to 60 minute medical procedure that is used to examine the entire inner lining of the large intestine, which includes rectum and colon for abnormalities, such as polyps, inflammation, or cancer. A doctor uses a colonoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a camera to take images, remove polyps, or take issue samples.

Most health experts, including federal guidelines and the American Cancer Society, recommend that people at average risk for colorectal cancer start screening at age 45. This usually means getting a colonoscopy once every 10 years, or opting for stool-based tests every one to three years. These guidelines also play a role in whether insurance companies cover the tests.

March is the month of colon cancer awareness and with the recent cases of colon cancer patients who are younger than 50. With the death of 48-year-old actor James Van Der Beek due to colorectal cancer, concerns are rising. While cancer death rates overall in people younger than 50may have dropped by 44% since 1990, colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer death in people under 50.

Can Karlyle Morris, section chief for colorectal cancer at MD Anderson Center in Houston tells NBC News, "We anticipate that this is going to be a continued trend."

What Is Colon Cancer?

Colon (colorectal) cancer begins when small growths called polyps form on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Over time, changes in the DNA of these cells can cause the polyps to become cancerous.

As abnormal cells multiply, they replace healthy cells and eventually form a mass known as a tumor. This process develops slowly, often taking up to ten years for a precancerous polyp to turn into cancer and begin showing symptoms.

Colon cancer poses serious health risks because cancerous cells can invade healthy tissues. Over time, they may break away and spread to other parts of the body, making detection more difficult since the symptoms can resemble other conditions.

What Is The Right Age To Get Colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is a 15 to 60 minute medical procedure that is used to examine the entire inner lining of the large intestine, which includes rectum and colon for abnormalities, such as polyps, inflammation, or cancer. A doctor uses a colonoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a camera to take images, remove polyps, or take issue samples.

Most health experts, including federal guidelines and the American Cancer Society, recommend that people at average risk for colorectal cancer start screening at age 45. This usually means getting a colonoscopy once every 10 years, or opting for stool-based tests every one to three years. These guidelines also play a role in whether insurance companies cover the tests.

Even so, most cases of colon cancer are still diagnosed in people over 50. What’s worrying, though, is the steady rise in cases among younger adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s over the past few decades.

Why Does Screening Begin At 45?

Colon cancer typically develops slowly. It often starts as small growths in the colon called polyps, which can eventually turn cancerous if not detected early.

In recent years, growing evidence has pushed experts to reconsider when screening should begin. In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended screening age from 50 to 45. The American Cancer Society had already made a similar recommendation back in 2018.

At the time, the change was not universally accepted. Some in the medical community felt 45 was still too young. Even today, there is ongoing debate.

Setting screening guidelines is not as simple as picking an age. Experts have to weigh the benefits of early detection against potential downsides, including costs, risks from procedures and even practical concerns like taking time off work.

The numbers also tell an important story. For people aged 40 to 44, the risk of colorectal cancer is about 21 cases per 100,000 individuals. That risk more than doubles to 47 per 100,000 between ages 45 and 49, which is one of the reasons screening begins at that point.

Still, younger adults account for a relatively small proportion of cases overall. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 10 percent of colorectal cancer cases occur in people under 50.

The Challenge Of Resources And Awareness

Another key factor is access. There are only so many specialists available to perform colonoscopies, and even now, people can wait months for an appointment.

On top of that, screening rates among younger eligible adults remain low. Only about one in five people aged 44 to 49 are up to date with recommended screenings.

Experts say that if the screening age were lowered further, participation might drop even more. For now, the focus remains on improving awareness and encouraging those already eligible to get screened on time.