sick with cold

[melanie4459]

I have had a bad cold for four days now.  I went to sniff real hard and blood came out.  My mucous is yellow and green.  My question is, is this contageous and how sick am I?

[specialmom]

Hi.  Well, you've been contagious for a bit with the cold (probably the day before you had symptoms until now and a few days from here).  Colds usually last about a week and are a virus.  Coughs can linger longer after the cold.  Blood is very common when we have a cold as the nasal passages are irritated.  My sons and I often have blood during colds.  The green/yellow snot is more indicative of a secondary infection as that could be a sign of pus in the mucous.  We have a virus first (contagious) and that can turn into a secondary infection (not contagious---  this is where pathogens of some sort grow and cause infection----  sinusitis, otitis media (ear infection), bronchitis, pnemonia).  Usually you are much more sick if you get an infection-----  fever is often present, body aches, etc.  

Myself and my kids can get a thick nasal discharge at the tail end of a cold.  What you are experiencing could be that or the signs of a secondary infection.  If it persists, see your doctor to see if you need antibiotics.  

I'd double your fluid intake and take musicex to keep the 'stuff' moving easily.  good luck

[linny64]

sounds like a very bad sinus infection to me, go see your Dr. asap! :-)