Sinusitis

When you cough, you cough up mucus and blood. Why is sputum with blood dangerous without coughing? What to do if blood is detected in saliva

Sputum with blood, with or without coughing, can appear after injuries, bruises, and with some congenital diseases. But often hemoptysis signals the presence of dangerous pathological processes in the respiratory organs, heart, and blood vessels.

Sputum with blood may indicate the presence of serious pathologies

Causes of bloody sputum

Blood when coughing - safe reasons

Bloody streaks in mucus are not always a sign of serious pathological processes. Sometimes unpleasant symptoms are short-lived, disappear on their own within 1–3 days, occur without an increase in temperature, the person’s general well-being does not deteriorate, the sputum has a brown tint with streaks of reddish-rusty blood.

Why does blood appear from the throat:

rupture of small capillaries in the bronchi during a hysterical cough;
heavy physical effort;
long-term use of anticoagulants.

Profuse hemoptysis is the most dangerous for humans - the daily volume of blood clots exceeds 500 ml.

Blood in the sputum may appear after a strong cough

Respiratory diseases

Hemoptysis often occurs with influenza, ARVI, and respiratory tract pathologies. The mucus contains red streaks, and sometimes pulmonary bleeding occurs.

Mucus with blood clots - what could it be:

In case of bronchitis, bronchiectasis, pus and blood are released during coughing; the disease causes shortness of breath, decreased ability to work, and increased temperature.
In case of pneumonia, when coughing up, mucus of a rusty color with scarlet clots appears. The disease is accompanied by high fever, signs of severe intoxication, shortness of breath appears even with minor physical effort.
Lung abscess – profuse sweating, prolonged fever, pain during breathing, loss of appetite. The discharge is purulent with bloody patches and has a foul odor.
With tuberculosis, the main symptoms are an increase in temperature to subfebrile levels, sudden weight loss, lack of appetite, purulent and bloody clots are observed in the sputum.
Adenoma in the bronchi - when coughing, a little bloody sputum is released from the mouth, breathing becomes like hiccups, the person becomes weaker and loses weight.
In case of lung cancer, the presence of metastases, sputum streaked with blood appears, coughing attacks are prolonged, accompanied by suffocation. The person begins to quickly lose weight and sweats intensely at night.
With tracheitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, the throat becomes very sore and sore, the voice becomes hoarse, the cough is dry with scanty pink discharge.
Pneumothorax is a dangerous complication of lung injury, accompanied by shortness of breath, decreased blood counts, the patient becomes restless, complains of chest pain and lack of air. Without timely professional help, the condition can lead to death.

Hemoptysis may be evidence of tuberculosis

With sore throat, which is caused by streptococci, blood appears when coughing up due to improper mechanical cleansing of the tonsils from pus, which leads to tissue injury. If the causative agent of the disease is staphylococci, then against the background of a strong response of the immune system, vasodilation occurs in the area of inflammation, but the surface of the mucous membrane forms a red blood cell mass, which is discharged with mucus.

Hemoptysis is a symptom of a fungal infection in the lungs; it appears when helminths and protozoa penetrate the lung tissue.

The most common cause of blood when a child coughs is the ingestion of foreign objects. You need to call an ambulance immediately - the situation is life-threatening.

Cardiovascular pathologies are the main causes of blood discharge from the larynx

Bloody sputum without cough is one of the signs of disturbances in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels; they are dangerous and require immediate specialized care.

List of main pathologies

Sometimes blood is present in saliva, which is associated with bleeding gums, dehydration, hypothyroidism, tuberculosis, and carcinoma. Mucus with bloody streaks may appear due to snot with blood - such symptoms often occur with a cold, increased intracranial pressure, and mechanical damage.

Sometimes hemoptysis occurs with endometriosis in women - the endometrium grows into the lung tissue, unpleasant symptoms appear during menstrual bleeding.

Hemoptysis due to congenital pathologies

Some congenital diseases of the bronchopulmonary system provoke the appearance of mucus with bloody spots.

Main pathologies:

cystic fibrosis - the appearance of mucus with blood clots is caused by bronchiectasis;
rupture of a bronchial cyst - purulent mucus with blood clots, pain when inhaling, possible development of pneumothorax;
hypoplasia of the pulmonary vessels - shortness of breath, suffocation, cough and hemoptysis occur rarely;
hemorrhagic telangiectasia - there are many hemorrhages on the body and mucous membranes.

Hemorrhagic telangiectasia is a chronic pathology that can cause hemoptysis

If the blood is bright, foamy, and a slight sore throat appears before coughing, this means that the pathology is caused by a dysfunction of the respiratory system. If nausea appears before the attack, the blood in the sputum is thick, it is necessary to diagnose the digestive organs.

Which doctor should I go to?

If you are coughing up blood or seeing green or yellow sputum, you need to. He will conduct an initial examination and write out directions for tests. Based on the results obtained, a phthisiatrician may be required.

If you experience frequent hemoptysis, you should visit a physician.

The causes of coughing up blood are different, so if unpleasant signs appear, you should not panic or make fatal diagnoses. Only a specialist can identify the cause of the pathology after a comprehensive examination.

Diagnostics

After an initial examination and medical history, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive examination using laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods.

How to diagnose:

General blood test - based on the number of leukocytes, lymphocytes, ESR, one can conclude about the presence or absence of inflammation. The platelet level will indicate the degree of clotting.
X-ray - allows you to see the presence of symptoms of pneumonia, tuberculosis, abscess, malignant neoplasms and metastases.
Sputum analysis for the isolation of Koch's bacillus.
Bronchoscopy shows the condition of the lumen of the lower respiratory tract, the presence of neoplasms, and the condition of the vascular walls.
If cystic fibrosis is suspected, an analysis of the secretions of the sweat glands is performed.
FGDS - to examine the condition of the digestive organs.
Angiogram – allows you to study the condition of the walls of blood vessels.
ECG and ultrasound of the heart.

An X-ray of the lungs is necessary to identify the causes of bloody sputum.

If mucus with bloody spots appears in a smoker in the morning, accompanied by a general deterioration in health, you should immediately visit a specialist.

Treatment of sputum with blood

Treatment of cough with sputum is carried out in a hospital, where the dynamics of the development of pathology are constantly monitored, the effectiveness of therapy is analyzed, and the volume of discharge is measured. Lung cancer, abscess, and a number of other severe pathologies will require surgical intervention.

Main groups of medicines:

antitumor drugs - Cisplatin, Vinorelbine, prescribed for lung cancer;
first-line tuberculostatic drugs for tuberculosis - Ethambutol, Isoniazid;
antibiotics – Amoxiclav, Tavanik;
antiviral drugs – Anaferon, Arbidol;
mucolytics – Mucaltin, ACC, Gedelix;
antiviral drugs - Erespal, Sinekod, Bronchipret;
antitussive drugs with an anesthetic effect - Codeine, Glaucine.

After the patient’s condition improves, the patient is transferred to outpatient treatment, vitamin complexes and immunomodulators are prescribed to restore the immune system.

Amoxiclav is an antibiotic drug

Possible consequences

Hemoptysis often causes dangerous and fatal consequences, so you should not delay visiting a doctor or calling emergency help.

Why is coughing up blood dangerous?

With tuberculosis, the integrity of the lung is often compromised, air begins to enter the pleural cavity, which leads to the development of spontaneous pneumothorax. In severe cases of pathology, surgical intervention will be required.
Cardiopulmonary and respiratory failure develops - against the background of oxygen starvation, the functions of all internal organs are disrupted, the brain suffers, the patient may fall into a coma, and death is possible.
With bacterial pneumonia, multiple destruction of the lungs occurs - cavities with pus appear in the tissues.
Pulmonary edema - if it begins to develop quickly, it is impossible to save the person.

First aid for excessive discharge of bloody blood clots - the patient must be calmed, prohibited from moving and talking, raise the upper body, put a cold compress on the chest area, call an ambulance. What can't you do? Warming procedures and taking Aspirin are contraindicated, since the medicine thins the blood, which can lead to serious problems with clotting.

To prevent coughing up blood, you need to avoid hypothermia, strengthen your immune system, give up addictions, and eat a healthy and varied diet. When the first signs of a cold or respiratory disease appear, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Sometimes when you have a cold, you may cough up blood. This can either be simply temporary damage to the blood vessels, or, if this phenomenon becomes protracted, then a serious cause is possible. Let's look at everything in more detail.

Blood when coughing: reasons

Blood enters the sputum mainly from the lungs or, less commonly, from the stomach. There are a number of specific diseases in which hemoptysis occurs:

tonsillitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, colds and flu;
inflammatory processes in the lungs and bronchi;
lung cancer and other oncology;
cardiovascular diseases;
diseases in the gastrointestinal tract;
injuries with damage to the trachea or lung.

If the blood appears due to a cold in the nose or throat, then its amount is very small. With pulmonary hemorrhage, the color of the blood is scarlet and the consistency is foamy. If it is dark in color and with clots, then one can suspect that its origin is gastric. That is, the reason for the appearance of blood can be roughly determined by its appearance in the sputum.

Diseases in which blood appears with coughing	Symptoms and external signs
Lung abscess	It usually occurs as a complication after pneumonia. Severe pain in the chest, high temperature, dark green sputum, with pus and streaks of blood, smells unpleasant.
Bronchitis (acute or chronic)	Frequent and prolonged bouts of coughing with the discharge of thick sputum. Blood in the sputum occurs in the form of small scarlet streaks and not in all patients.
Bronchiectasis	A prolonged cough that produces sputum containing pus and sometimes streaked with blood.
Heart diseases (defects, rheumatic lesions, etc.)	Due to stagnation of blood in the lungs, there is a feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath and cough. Bloody discharge may be present, but is rare.
Gastrointestinal diseases	It happens that blood from the esophagus or stomach in the form of vomiting is mistaken for a cough. In such cases, it is dark red and comes out profusely, in clots.
Cystic fibrosis respiratory	Long-term colds due to genetic disorders in the body cause a cough, accompanied by purulent sputum, viscous consistency and containing bloody streaks.
Some external interventions	Sometimes blood when coughing appears after some diagnostic procedures, such as biopsy and bronchoscopy. And also after lung surgery or due to taking medications.
Pneumonia	In addition to fever and chest pain, hemoptysis occurs when coughing. The sputum is rust-colored or there is fresh light blood.
Lungs' cancer	Loss of appetite and weight loss, a burning sensation is felt in the chest. Sputum can contain both streaks and individual inclusions, as well as whole clots. Blood when coughing is very common.
Tuberculosis	Chills, increased sweating and weakness. A small amount of pink sputum or simply streaked with blood.
Pulmonary embolism	Before the appearance of blood with coughing, pain is felt in the chest, shortness of breath begins and pressure drops.

Important reasons to see a doctor

The following symptoms should alert you and force the sick person to immediately contact a medical facility for help:

copious amounts of blood in the sputum when coughing;
loss of appetite, weakness, loss of body weight;
persistent cough in a smoker;
shortness of breath that occurs at rest;
the occurrence of chest pain.

Determining the causes of hemoptysis

The hospital must do everything necessary to find the reasons for the appearance of blood when coughing. The following methods are usually used:

Chest X-ray will show what changes have occurred in the lungs or heart.
Bronchoscopy is a study of the walls of the bronchi for the appearance of tumors, painful dilations, etc.
Computed tomography - is done to determine in more detail the abnormalities in the lungs.
A blood test (general) will show the presence or absence of inflammation.
Sputum analysis - allows you to find and identify the causative agent of the disease.
Sweat analysis is performed if it is necessary to confirm suspicion of cystic fibrosis.
Coagulogram - checks blood clotting.
An electrocardiogram is a study of the condition of the heart.
Fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy – examines the digestive tract (upper section).

Coughing up blood with a cold

When blood is released with a cough during a cold, this may be damage to the small vessels of the bronchi from tension. Or a dry cough causes injury to the mucous membrane in the larynx. Usually, a small amount of blood when you cough during a cold is not dangerous.

With a cold, hemoptysis does not require emergency care. You just need to drink expectorants and vascular strengtheners. The patient is also given rest and physical activity is prohibited. Home remedies can also help relieve a cough:

Ginger tea with fresh lemon;
Aloe pulp with the addition of honey;
Warm milk, diluted in half with mineral water, alkaline composition;
Collections of herbs with expectorant properties.

Treatment

Treatment is prescribed in accordance with diagnostic results. For a common cold, it is recommended to strengthen the immune system, take antitussive and anti-inflammatory drugs. Coughing up blood due to bronchitis (bacterial) is treated with antibiotics. For lung cancer, chemotherapy or surgery is used. For tuberculosis, anti-tuberculosis drugs are used in treatment. Bronchiectasis and lung abscess are also treated with surgery.

Pulmonary hemorrhage and hemoptysis

The appearance of small amounts of blood in the sputum may indicate the early stages of a serious illness or simply be the result of a cold. Immediate medical attention is required if there is a large amount of blood during a cough. This may indicate pulmonary hemorrhage.

Hemoptysis is the discharge of blood if its amount does not exceed 50 ml. With large volumes they talk about bleeding. The danger is not the amount of lost blood itself, but its possible entry into the lower parts of the lung.
Pulmonary hemorrhage develops as a result of complications after serious illnesses in the lung area. It can also occur after a rib fracture, after surgery or bronchoscopy.

With pulmonary hemorrhage, a person turns pale and becomes covered in sticky sweat, he begins to experience shortness of breath and palpitations, his blood pressure drops, there is noise in his ears and he feels dizzy.

If a person has foamy scarlet blood coming down his throat, he should take a half-sitting position, and those around him should immediately call an ambulance. The blood that comes out should not be retained; let it all be coughed up.

Prevention

General measures to prevent the appearance of blood in sputum when coughing include:

properly balanced nutrition, a diet with sufficient vitamins and microelements;
good physical activity while spending time in the fresh air;
strengthening the immune system by hardening the body;
to give up smoking;
limited visits to places with large crowds of people during periods of difficult epidemiological conditions;
timely fight against colds and prevention of complications;
with low blood clotting, keep this process under control.

Sometimes there may be blood streaks in the sputum coughed up during a cough. If this symptom is episodic, it indicates damage to the vessel. In this case, there is no room for panic. But, if the cough with blood during a cold is prolonged, then it’s time to sound the alarm. After all, this symptom can signal serious diseases of the internal organs.

Possible reasons

There are many known sources that can cause such symptoms. In this case, it is very important to correctly determine the cause of hemoptysis. A small amount of light blood appears in the sputum as a result of increased pressure during coughing. And veins or clots of dark red color are already quite an alarming signal. These symptoms are typical for lung cancer or tuberculosis.

What illnesses cause blood when coughing? The causes of such symptoms are hidden in the following diseases:

inflammatory processes in the lungs and bronchi;
tonsillitis, laryngitis, tracheitis;
colds, flu;
oncology;
gastrointestinal diseases (ulcers);
cardiovascular diseases;
bronchial injuries, tracheal injuries.

Associated symptoms

Before choosing treatment, you should determine from which body systems blood comes from when you cough? It comes from the respiratory tract, or is provoked by the sinuses, stomach, or oral cavity.

The accompanying symptoms can tell the patient the true cause of this phenomenon. For example, pulmonary hemorrhages are characterized by pain and unpleasant discomfort in the chest. In this case, the secreted liquid is usually colored pink. The blood coming from the stomach has a darker color range. The phenomenon is accompanied by gagging and a painful sensation in the abdomen. Often, part of the food or other contents of the stomach is released with sputum.

Bronchial diseases

In more than half of all cases, the pathological process occurs due to diseases of the respiratory tract. Mostly coughing up blood occurs with bronchitis or bronchiectasis.

In the acute or chronic stage of the disease, the patient is tormented by severe coughing attacks. As a rule, thick sputum is produced in very large quantities. There may often be blood streaks in it. However, this symptom does not appear in all patients diagnosed with bronchitis.

In most cases, coughing up blood occurs in the morning.

Lung abscess, pneumonia

Inflammatory processes in the lungs are characteristic symptoms. In this case, the sputum takes on a rusty tint or, on the contrary, bright scarlet. Pneumonia is accompanied by high fever, chest pain, and severe deterioration in general condition. If the patient is weakened, then the illness is often fraught with such a serious complication as a lung abscess.

In this case, the patient’s temperature rapidly rises and severe pain occurs in the chest. When coughed up, sputum contains a small amount of pus. It takes on a greenish tint and has an unpleasant odor.

Cough tablets, the price of which varies within reasonable limits, will be ineffective for serious illnesses. In case of bacterial bronchitis or pneumonia, it is advisable to take antibiotics. Special drugs are prescribed to treat tuberculosis. When diagnosing oncology, chemistry is involved, and sometimes a surgical solution to the problem is considered. Patients who have a lung abscess or bronchiectasis may require surgical intervention.

Preventive measures

It is much easier to prevent any disease than to fight it. Therefore, it is advisable to follow certain preventive measures. These include:

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Do not forget about moderate physical activity and mandatory walks in the fresh air.
Balanced diet. The diet should be enriched with microelements and vitamins.
Strengthening the immune system. Hardening can be recommended.
Complete smoking cessation or significant reduction.
Treatment in sanatoriums for patients suffering from diseases of the bronchopulmonary system.
Minimizing visits to crowded places during epidemics.
Fighting colds at the first symptom. It is recommended not to let the disease develop complications.
Timely diagnosis and treatment of illnesses that can cause coughing with blood in the sputum. It is imperative to monitor clotting.

Remember that the treatment of diseases directly depends on the causes that provoked it. At the same time, prevention of unpleasant symptoms is completely in your hands. A healthy lifestyle, timely treatment of illnesses, and strengthening your immune system will protect you not only from coughing up blood, but will also provide you with good health for many years.

Coughing up blood or, as it is also called, hemoptysis is one of the most frightening symptoms. It can accompany dangerous conditions such as tuberculosis, pneumonia or a malignant lung tumor. However, there are many reasons for this symptom, and sputum with blood is not always a reason to panic.

If you find traces of blood in your sputum or your child’s sputum, you are unlikely to be able to make a diagnosis yourself. There are dozens and hundreds of reasons for this phenomenon, some of which are both deadly and harmless. They can be divided into several groups:

reasons that do not pose a threat;
congenital diseases;
common diseases;
rare diseases.

Let's start with the first category, which includes conditions that are not dangerous to health. Bloody traces in the sputum can be observed with any colds if they are accompanied by a hysterical cough. When a person coughs intensely, small vessels in the bronchi are damaged and the sputum changes color. It either turns brownish or remains light, but with minor traces of blood.

This can also happen due to excessive physical activity. People with low blood clotting ability and those taking blood thinning medications are especially susceptible to hemoptysis.

In these cases, no special treatment is required; the unpleasant symptoms gradually go away on their own.

Hemoptysis accompanies some congenital pathologies of the respiratory system. It could be:

cystic fibrosis;
cysts in the bronchi;
pulmonary vascular hypoplasia;
hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler-Rendu disease).

Common causes of bloody sputum are pathologies of the respiratory organs. The most common of them are bronchitis and pneumonia. With bronchitis, this type of sputum occurs only in advanced cases. If a hysterical dry cough is not treated, sputum gradually appears in it, and after some time, blood particles appear in the sputum.

When such a cough is accompanied by a high temperature, the person is breathing heavily and wheezing, you should immediately seek medical help. This condition may require hospital treatment.

During acute pneumonia, discharge from the lungs usually takes on a rusty hue, and particles of bright red blood may be observed. The disease is accompanied by intoxication of the body and an increase in temperature to 41 degrees. You need to be treated in a hospital, in the pulmonology department. If the patient is not provided with timely medical care, he may end up in intensive care.

In patients with tuberculosis, sputum may also be mixed with blood. It appears not only during coughing. Such a patient should be treated in an anti-tuberculosis dispensary.

With bronchiectasis, a chronic cough with purulent and bloody admixture develops, the patient feels severe weakness, and the body temperature is elevated.

A cough with a lung abscess is accompanied by the release of purulent fluid from the respiratory tract with traces of blood and an unpleasant odor.

Another cause of hemoptysis that is difficult to miss is lung injury. This could include a gunshot wound, a chest injury, a fall from a height, a broken rib, or inhalation of caustic chemicals. These types of injuries also cannot be treated on your own; they can lead to death.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system can also cause hemoptysis. This includes such dangerous pathologies as cardiac pulmonary edema, aortic aneurysm, and pulmonary artery blockage. All of these conditions require prompt medical attention.

If blood in the sputum occurs after a medical procedure (lung biopsy, bronchoscopy, transbronchial examination), this is a normal phenomenon that goes away within a few days. Excessive bleeding may be a pulmonary hemorrhage and requires immediate treatment.

Rare diseases that cause hemoptysis include:

lupus pneumonitis (lupus erythematosus)
Wegener's granulomatosis;
Goodpasture's syndrome;
in women: endometriosis;
leukemia;
sarcoidosis;
polyarthritis nodosa;
pulmonary infarction;
adenoma in the bronchus;
diffuse amyloidosis;
bullous emphysema;
hemosiderosis.

Another cause of coughing up blood, which is more common in young children, is inhalation of a foreign body. Then bloody discharge from the throat is accompanied by difficulty breathing.

Blood in sputum when coughing

Phlegm is mucus secreted by the human respiratory organs. When we are healthy, so little of it is formed that we don’t notice it at all. During the inflammatory process, its volume increases significantly, but with a common cold there should be no blood in the sputum. Before sounding the alarm if you notice bloody discharge, it is worth determining the type of bleeding when coughing:

if the patient’s sputum consists of mucus with traces of blood and its amount does not exceed 50 ml per day, this is true hemoptysis or hemoptosis;
if the daily amount of blood reaches 100 ml and there is more blood in the sputum than mucus, this is already a minor pulmonary hemorrhage;
if blood is separated from the lungs in pure form or with an admixture of pulmonary secretions, foams, and its amount reaches 500 ml per day, this is an average pulmonary hemorrhage;
if the volume of blood released becomes more than 500 ml per day, this is a major pulmonary hemorrhage that is life-threatening.

For respiratory diseases, even those accompanied by severe inflammation, the sputum should not contain blood. This is a symptom of a serious pathology, and home treatment is inappropriate here.

It may well be that a person damaged a small vessel in the bronchi during a severe cough. A single discharge of blood is not dangerous to health, but it is better to consult a physician in a timely manner to clarify the diagnosis. And you need to be even more concerned if bloody discharge from the lungs or bronchi appears regularly.

If hemoptysis begins in a small child, you need to make sure that he has not inhaled a foreign body. It happens that children with a foreign body in the respiratory tract and small amounts of blood when coughing are mistakenly treated for bronchial asthma or other respiratory diseases.

In addition, you need to make sure that the blood is released from the respiratory organs, and not from the gums, nose or stomach.

Against the background of an inflammatory process in the lungs or a congenital defect of the cardiovascular system, a child may experience pulmonary hemorrhage. It is dangerous not so much because of blood loss as because of suffocation as a result of the trachea and bronchi being filled with blood clots. Immediate surgery may be required.

In case of pulmonary hemorrhage, the child should be seated, prohibited from moving sharply, and an ice pack or cold water should be placed on the chest. You can only drink cool, salted water. If there is heavy bloody discharge from the respiratory tract, you must call an ambulance.

Which doctor should I contact for help?

If you notice blood when you cough and this is not an isolated case, you should seek medical help. Which doctor should I go to? First of all, visit a therapist, who can refer you to a specialist with a narrower profile - an ENT specialist, a phthisiatrician, a pulmonologist, an oncologist, an infectious disease specialist.

In some cases, medical assistance must be provided urgently. Call an ambulance if:

blood flows profusely, scarlet in color, with foam or clots;
the person feels pain in the lungs and suffocates;
blood appeared after injury;
the person has recently undergone respiratory surgery or an examination of the respiratory tract;
there is a suspicion that the cause of bleeding is a foreign body.

While waiting for help, the patient should be in a sitting or reclining position. Do not prevent blood from leaving the respiratory tract! Bleeding is worsened by heat, so it makes sense to give the patient a cold compress on the chest and give a small amount of cold drink.

Diagnostics

For sputum with blood from coughing, diagnosis includes examination of the respiratory organs and heart, as well as tests. What diagnostic procedures can your doctor refer you for:

Chest X-ray. It can be used to determine whether there is inflammation or tumors in the lungs. This method also helps detect heart defects.
Bronchoscopy is an examination of the lumen of the bronchi for changes in their walls. Helps detect tumors, bronchial dilations and other pathological conditions.
CT scan. It makes it possible to more thoroughly examine the respiratory system and helps identify abscesses, tuberculosis, lung cancer and other pulmonary diseases.
Electrocardiography or echocardiography – this test will need to be done if the doctor suspects heart disease.
FEGDS is a method that helps examine the digestive tract. Some medical conditions (such as esophageal varices) can also cause you to cough up blood.

What tests will need to be taken?

Treatment of coughing up blood involves eliminating the underlying disease that caused this symptom. It is unacceptable to self-medicate. None of the diseases that cause hemoptysis can be treated with traditional methods, and many of them can be fatal if medical help is not sought in time.

It is advisable to use home procedures and folk remedies only as part of complex treatment under the supervision of a doctor. For example, for bronchitis and pneumonia, inhalations, herbal remedies and teas can be used.

If there is an inflammatory process in the body, antibacterial therapy is prescribed. For viral diseases, antiviral and immunomodulatory agents are used. In some cases, surgery is necessary (for lung cancer, lung abscess, bronchiectasis).

Emergency care for hemoptysis is not necessary, but in the case of pulmonary hemorrhage, it can save a person’s life.

Preventing the appearance of bloody sputum

Since the most common causes of hemoptysis are advanced forms of bronchitis and pneumonia, it is worth treating colds and acute respiratory diseases in a timely manner, without leading to complications. You may not encounter diseases if you pay attention to strengthening your immune system, give up bad habits, and avoid visiting crowded places during influenza and ARVI epidemics.

Those who suffer from chronic diseases of the bronchi and lungs should undergo sanatorium-resort treatment. If a person suffers from low blood clotting, this indicator must be constantly monitored to prevent pulmonary hemorrhage.

Blood when coughing is a truly dangerous symptom, the elimination of which cannot be postponed until later. Fortunately, the majority of clinical cases are not due to congenital pathologies and malignant formations, but to bronchitis and pneumonia. If, having discovered the symptoms of a cold or respiratory infection, you take timely treatment, you will not encounter such a frightening phenomenon as coughing up blood. It is also important not to confuse hemoptysis with pulmonary hemorrhage, which poses a threat to life.

Cough is a common manifestation of lung diseases. Its task is to clear the airways from viscous sputum. In some pathologies, coughing up blood occurs. This condition is dangerous; it occurs during internal bleeding, rupture of capillaries, and other alarming situations. Human health requires increased attention and immediate examination in order to promptly detect the problem of such a symptom.

Important indicators for diagnosis

Before finding out the source of blood when coughing, you need to make sure of the cause of its origin. Blood can appear from the respiratory tract (true hemoptysis), larynx, stomach, intestines. It may drain from the gums and nasopharynx along the back wall (false hemoptysis). It is not always easy to recognize these conditions, but they do have differences.

Before you cough, you will feel a tingling or pain in your throat. The blood will appear foamy, bright scarlet in color (true hemoptysis). When excreted from the digestive system, there is initially vomiting and abdominal discomfort. The blood comes out without bubbles, thick, red with a brown tint. When blood flows from the mouth along the back wall of the nasopharynx, a taste of blood or salt will be felt on the tongue.

An important indicator will be the volume of blood released:

low intensity – 100 ml (quarter cup) per 24 hours;
average degree - up to 250 ml per day;
intense bleeding - more than 250 ml can come out per day or at a time.

The degree of bleeding is important when clarifying the diagnosis and determining the treatment plan.

There are many reasons for the discharge of blood when coughing. Only specialists can make a diagnosis, and the patient can help by collecting detailed signs about his condition. A small amount of scarlet, light blood may come out as a result of increased pressure when coughing up sputum during a cold. Clots or dark veins will indicate a serious problem with the internal organs.

Probable pathologies

There are many possible diagnoses for blood when coughing. It's not always a disease.

A person can choke on a fish bone, which will injure his throat. Additional symptoms will allow you to more accurately understand what disease should be suspected if the sputum turns red.

Disease – cause of coughing up blood	Other manifestations of pathology.
Injuries to the respiratory system due to chemical damage, broken ribs, gunshot, knife wounds, unsuccessful examination	There is severe pain at the site of injury, the person can inhale but cannot exhale, blood pressure drops quickly, and severe dizziness occurs.
Bronchitis	Shortness of breath, high fever. Bloody scarlet discharge mixed with pus.
Lung abscess	Excessive night sweats, fever, chest pain. Sputum with a sharp, unpleasant odor, green in color from a large amount of pus interspersed with blood. A morning cough is typical.
Pneumonia	Increased heart rate, shortness of breath, fever, weakness. Brown mucus mixed with blood is coughed up. After coughing, the patient feels better.
Tuberculosis	Poor appetite, low-grade fever that rises in the evening. Sputum mixed with pus and blood, weight loss, cough becomes stronger in the morning.
Lung cancer	Streaks of blood when coughing, profuse sweating at night, fever, feeling of suffocation. Prolonged cough, severe weight loss, chest pain.
Vascular and heart diseases	Shortness of breath, weakness, lack of air. Stagnation of blood leads to the appearance of blood streaks in saliva when coughing.
Cystic fibrosis	Frequent colds, coughing up viscous mucus with blood.
Pulmonary embolism	High intensity chest pain. About 2 hours after the pain, coughing up blood begins.
Digestive system dysfunction	There is bloody vomiting. The discharge contains food debris, the blood is dark and may contain clots.
Worms (when helminths penetrate the lungs)	Weakness, allergic manifestations, high fever, bronchospasm, cough of blood.

With prolonged smoking, pulmonary vesicles grow, which provoke emphysema. This is the so-called smoker's cough.

These diseases do not go away on their own and require medical attention. It is important not to waste time and seek qualified medical help as early as possible. It is difficult to treat an advanced disease.

Therapy methods

The appearance of red discharge when coughing should alert you and be a reason to visit a doctor. After diagnosis, based on the tests taken, doctors will make a diagnosis. If the victim has lung cancer or tuberculosis, there is a risk of pulmonary hemorrhage. You need to know what to do in such a situation. The further condition of the sick person depends on the first actions.

Pulmonary hemorrhage is clearly identified by abundant bubbles when coughing up blood. It is not possible to help a person on your own; he must be sent to a hospital.

Procedure:

Notify the ambulance.
Give the victim a half-sitting position with his head raised.
Give him a few pieces of ice to swallow.
Try not to let him swallow any blood he coughs up.
Loosen tight clothing.
Provide oxygen flow.
Do not give cough suppressants or any other medications until the doctors arrive.
A cold compress can be applied to the injured side. This should not interfere with the victim's breathing.

Such bleeding is dangerous due to the penetration of blood into the deep tissues of the lung. This threatens the development of severe complications.

Primary therapy depends on the diagnosis. With sore throat and colds, a dry cough can damage capillaries. This will become the basis for the occasional appearance of bloody sputum. This phenomenon is not life-threatening, but you need to pay more attention to your immunity and blood vessels. Ascorutin and vitamin complexes help strengthen their walls. If you have persistent bloody discharge from the throat, you should undergo an examination.

Warm milk with alkaline mineral water and herbal teas with an expectorant effect will help ease a severe cough. The use of folk remedies must be agreed upon with the attending physician.

Popular medications that reduce the intensity of cough are Bromhexine, Ambroxol, Sinupret, Gedelix, Bronholitin, Herbion. These drugs are intended for adult patients. When cancer is detected, treatment is carried out using special methods. If the cause of the cough is tuberculosis, special medications are used.

After eliminating the signs of the disease in the lungs, treatment is carried out aimed at consolidating the results and preventing relapses. In some cases, with advanced chronic forms, they resort to removing part or the entire organ.

A lung abscess is treated with medication or surgery. With the help of antibiotics and immunostimulants, mucus is removed. In case of blockage, they help with a bronchoscope. If all attempts fail, organ resection is performed.

Preventive measures

Vascular rupture can be avoided through prevention. It will help improve overall health and reduce the risk of pathologies transitioning to the chronic stage.

Prevention of coughing up blood:

balanced diet with vitamins;
good sleep;
treatment of colds at the first signs;
physical exercise, exercise, walking for at least an hour in the fresh air, Nordic walking;
strengthening the immune system, hardening;
exclusion of overwork, hypothermia, stressful conditions;
Avoid visiting crowded places during epidemics and seasonal colds.

General recommendations are addressed to people who do not have respiratory problems. If the lungs are weak and a person constantly catches colds, enhanced measures are needed. These patients are at risk of suffering from respiratory diseases. The pathology often becomes chronic and difficult to treat. With age, immunity will gradually weaken.

Patients with problems of the bronchopulmonary system need to undergo regular treatment in specialized sanatoriums. They must undergo annual fluorography and monitor blood clotting. You need to quit smoking, as it is dangerous if you have weak lungs.

Coughing up blood means a serious internal disorder. Only a doctor can make the correct diagnosis and begin treatment. It is dangerous to fight such manifestations on your own. When a person starts coughing, you definitely need to look at what kind of secretions appear from the body. Sputum will show internal changes, a sweetish taste in the mouth will indicate pus. All these signs need to be remembered and told to the doctor.