{"id":4713,"date":"2020-02-10T09:29:32","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T09:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=4713"},"modified":"2021-08-13T07:47:41","modified_gmt":"2021-08-13T07:47:41","slug":"14-reasons-for-coughing-up-blood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/14-reasons-for-coughing-up-blood\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Reasons for Coughing Up Blood"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hemoptysis is the medical term used to describe coughing up blood from the respiratory tract. Hemoptysis is almost always a sign of an underlying respiratory condition, but not in every case. Unless a medical practitioner rules out the possibility of a serious disorder, coughing up blood should always be treated with suspicion. The severity of the condition can be determined by the amount of blood coughed up and the duration in which blood was coughed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There exists a pretty straightforward diagnosis process for hemoptysis that includes among others, examining the patient\u2019s history and administering a physical exam, conducting a chest x-ray to determine whether there is a physical injury to the chest, a CT scan for detailed imagery of the chest, and bronchoscopy. These tests will help the doctor arrive at conclusive diagnostics regarding the condition. Here are 14 possible reasons for coughing up blood from the respiratory tract; <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Acute of Chronic Bronchitis <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bronchitis <\/a>is believed to be the most common cause of hemoptysis. It refers to the inflammation of the delicate linings of the bronchial tubes carrying air to and from the lungs. The condition is commonly referred to as chest cold. Acute bronchitis stems from a viral respiratory condition, and although it spreads easily through kissing, direct skin contact, touching contaminated surfaces and airborne respiratory droplets, the condition usually heals on its own.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bronchitis merely causes discomfort but is never too severe to cause alarm, well except in very rare cases. It can also be triggered by exposure to smoke, bacteria, or chemical irritants among others. The common symptoms of bronchitis include coughing blood, fatigue, chest pressure, difficulty sleeping, runny nose, and sore throat among others. Although bronchitis tends to go away after a few days or weeks when symptoms persist it is important to seek medical treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Snorting crack cocaine<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Crack cocaine <\/a>is believed to pose detrimental effects on the lungs and perhaps the entire respiratory system. The effects of cocaine on the respiratory system especially the lungs depend on how it is administered into the system (orally, through the nose, and intravenous). Other variables include the size of the dose taken, the frequency with which the drug is used and whether or not the person uses associated substances like marijuana and heroin among other hard drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cocaine is believed to cause airway injury, pulmonary edema, pulmonary hemorrhage, asthma, pulmonary hypertension, among several others. The most commonly encountered respiratory problem is coughing up blood as a result of the pulmonary hemorrhage. This symptom accompanies chest pains, hemoptysis, wheezing, and dyspnea among others. Snorting cocaine can give the person a short-lived \u201chigh\u201d feeling but it poses dangerous long-term and short-term health risks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Pneumonia    <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pneumonia<\/a> refers to inflammation of the air sacs in one of the lungs or both. The infection floods the air sac with fluid paralyzing the respiratory efficiency. The air sac may be filled with fluid or pus causing coughs with stains of blood or pus, chills, difficulty breathing, and fever. Pneumonia can be caused by organisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This condition can either be mild or life-threatening. In fact, in the U.S. alone nearly 1 million people seek medical care for pneumonia each year while up to 50,000 individuals die annually from the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other symptoms of pneumonia include fatigue, below normal body temperatures especially in adults of 65 years and above, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Severe symptoms like coughing up blood may not show in newborns and infants but they can vomit experience fever and nausea. Children below the age of 2 years, and adults of 65 years and above are at higher risk of contracting pneumonia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Lung Cancer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lung cancer <\/a>is a form of cancer that affects the lungs especially among people that smoke. The common causes of lung cancer include smoking, passive smoking, exposure to toxins, and genetic inheritance. Lung cancer can either be non-small cell lung cancer or small cell lung cancer. Symptoms of lung cancer include coughing up blood, severe chest pain, and drastic weight loss. Lung cancer patients also experience agonizing respiratory infection, fatigue, and loss of appetite. These symptoms only appear when the cancer is at an advanced stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that lung cancer is treatable by medical professionals when detected early. Treatment options start with quitting smoking in case it is the underlying cause of the disease, chemotherapy, surgery, thoracotomy, palliative care among several others. Advanced cases of lung cancer can hardly be contained especially when the tumor has affected a huge chunk of the liver paralyzing its normal functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Mitral valve stenosis <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mitral valve stenosis is a condition where the mitral valve of the heart narrows abnormally blocking the flow of blood <\/a>into the heart\u2019s main chamber. As a result, a person experiences fatigue and difficulty breathing among several other complications. Rheumatic fever is feared to be the main cause of this condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The infection scars the mitral valve of the heart causing the narrowing. Although rheumatic fever is pretty rare in the United States, the condition is still a real danger in developing countries. If left unattended, the mitral valve stenosis can lead to severe complications of the heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individuals suffering from this condition may cough up blood among other symptoms like dizziness, chest pains, fatigue, swollen feet and shortness of breath. The symptoms of mitral valve stenosis amplify with time which is why it is extremely important to see a doctor whenever the first signs manifest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Foreign objects blocking the airways <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Foreign bodies in the airway constitute a serious medical crisis that requires immediate attention. When a foreign device is passed into the trachea through the nose or mouth, it can bruise the delicate walls of the airway causing the person to cough up blood<\/a>. In the event that a foreign object gets stuck in the airway, it can cause breathing problems or even choking. The area surrounding the object is likely to get inflamed or even infected.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The respiratory tract comprises delicate organs, tissues, and nerves. They get easily raptured upon injury resulting in hemorrhage. The system is designed to expel any foreign material in the airway and sneezing and coughing form part of the cleaning mechanism. This explains why someone with a foreign object in the airway coughs up the impurities that trying to infiltrate the system including dust and sometimes blood.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Lung abscess<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lung abscess refers to a serious bacterial infection that affects the lung tissue. This condition kills the lung tissues leaving pus to collect around the area. Treating lung abscess poses a great challenge to practitioners, and the condition can be fatal. Lung <\/a>abscess is caused by certain pathogens that target the lung tissue. Primary abscesses, for instance, are caused by pneumonia within the lungs, while aspiration pneumonia is a condition that develops after food and secretion from the digestive system are inhaled into the lungs instead of heading through the esophagus.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most common pathogen is anaerobic bacteria. The popular anaerobic bacteria include peptostreptococcus, Bacteroides, fusobacterium, and prevotella. Patients of lung abscess experience a deep cough with a foul smell and bloody sputum, fever and chills, acute chest pains, profuse sweating, loss of appetite resulting in loss of weight, and a rapid heart rate among others. Treatment for this condition focuses on neutralizing the underlying conditions. There exist successful clinical trials for lung abscess treatments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Use of blood thinners <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Blood thinners, also referred to as an anticoagulant are chemicals used to reduce blood coagulation or blood clotting. These chemicals prolong the process of blood clot as a way to promote a smooth flow of blood through your veins and arteries. They help prevent clots from forming in the blood vessels<\/a> and posing risks such as heart diseases and other conditions that might develop as a result of dangerous clots.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blood thinners are meant to stop dangerous blood clots in the blood vessels and heart. However, the chemicals cannot differentiate between dangerous clots and necessary clots meant to stop bleeding during cuts. This poses a risk of profuse bleeding in the event of a physical injury. Besides that, people using blood thinners often report cases of hemoptysis where they experience deep coughs that accompany clotted blood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malfunction (PAVM)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

PAVM is a condition affecting the flow of blood between the heart <\/a>and lungs. Affected individuals have a defective connection between the pulmonary vein and artery. The two are the major veins carrying blood from the lungs to the heart and from the heart to the lungs respectively. This condition affects the proper oxygenation of blood in the lungs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The affected blood vessels have weak walls that sometimes allow blood to leak into the lung. This causes a person to cough up blood from the lungs. In other cases, bacteria and clots present in the lung would get trapped between small capillaries which then slip through the AVM to blood vessels carrying blood to the brain. Such extreme cases can result in a stroke or even brain abscess. AVM is diagnosed by screening the patient for cerebral arteriovenous malformation. It is important to note that AVMs do not heal on their own and medical intervention is necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Pulmonary embolism<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This condition occurs when an artery in the lungs gets blocked by a blood clot. The clots often come from the deep veins <\/a>of the legs clinically referred to as deep vein thrombosis then get wedged in a smaller lung artery.\u00a0 Besides the veins running from the legs, in other cases, the clots form within the deep veins of the pelvis and arms. Clots forming on the vein\u2019s surface rarely cause a pulmonary embolism.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The common symptoms of pulmonary embolism include coughs that come with blood and foamy mucus, sharp shortness of breath, sharp chest pains that get worse when the condition is neglected. Pulmonary embolism is fatal and it is advisable to see a doctor immediately you notice its symptoms. Early treatment can save your life and prevent future complications. Researchers are working round the clock to come up with an efficient medical approach to treating pulmonary embolism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Parasitic infections<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Infections <\/a>from parasites such as flatworms and roundworms cause paragonimiasis and Ascaris in humans. A roundworm infection may either occur in the lungs or in the intestines of the host. Roundworms in the intestines make the host to vomit, have nausea, suffer from acute diarrhea, and experience significant appetite loss. On the other hand, the presence of the flatworms in the stomach causes malaise, frequent diarrhea; acute stomach pains and have itchy skin and hives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flatworms get into the body through ingestion, and once in the stomach, they creep into the lungs through the diaphragm causing paragonimiasis.  Their presence in the lungs makes the host to vomit, experience headaches, fever, and cough up blood. Administration of anti-parasitic drugs can treat Ascaris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Chronic Obtrusive pulmonary disease.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chronic Obtrusive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term condition in which the airflow from the lungs<\/a> is clogged. The clog is caused by prolonged subjection to irritating toxic gases or particles. A good example is cigarette smoking. Smoking is one of the leading causes of COPD, while emphysema and chronic bronchitis are contributing ailments to COPD. Emphysema is a chronic disease that is characterized by shortness of breath due to damage of air sacs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COPD causes victims to have short breath, inflammation of legs and ankles, and blue lips and fingernails. Also, the victims suffer from chest congestion, wheezing and a serious cough that can produce mucus or in the blood (in advanced stages).  People that smoke have higher risks of developing this condition. Another group is those with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, genetic anomaly, and those exposed to smoke from burning fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Non-cancerous lung tumors<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Non-cancerous lung tumors <\/a>can be distinguished from cancerous lung tumors by their slow growth and harmless nature.\u00a0 Unlike cancerous lung tumors, they do not spread to other parts of the body. They are also called benign lung tumors. Benign tumors are of two kinds; hamartoma and papilloma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lung hematomas are highly prevalent near the outer sides of the lung. They are made up of the typical issues. Papilloma tumor develops in the bronchial tubes and can either be squamous, glandular, or both. Squamous tumors stem from the human papillomavirus infection and can be prevalent in both adults and children. A glandular benign tumor is most prevalent in adults and always occurs as one nodule in mid location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benign lung tumors are caused by scars leftover from surgery or healed tuberculosis. They may also develop from the human papillomas virus, smoking, or unknown causes in some instances. Coughing blood is among the major symptoms of this condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Bronchitis <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A patient is said to suffer from bronchitis when the openings (airways) of the lungs are abnormally widened. This causes an abnormal buildup of mucus along the airways, thus exposing the lungs to an array of potential infections. Symptoms can vary from one patient to another depending on the abnormality of the airways. Symptoms of the condition tend to get worse when the lungs get infected as a result of the abnormally wide airways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most prominent symptom of bronchitis<\/a> s coughing up bloodstained phlegm, chest pains, joint pain, shortness of breath, and wheezing among several others. Luckily a dose of antibiotics can help remedy this condition. After you\u2019ve been diagnosed with bronchitis it is prudent to stock your antibiotics for when the condition begins to act out. Remember that the symptoms of this condition worsen when it is neglected. Visit a health practitioner upon seeing the initial signs of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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