One of the main signs of diseases of the respiratory system is a cough. At the same time, people often complain about such a phenomenon as coughing up blood. This symptom may be just the result of small blood vessels bursting during a coughing attack, or it may indicate more serious processes occurring in the human body. Be that as it may, if such a phenomenon is observed, there is every reason for concern. Next, we will find out what are the main causes of coughing up blood and how it is treated in children and adults.
What does this symptom say?
Such a phenomenon very often causes great fear in people. But the presence of blood in the sputum basically indicates that, most likely, a vessel simply burst in the lungs. According to statistics, in ninety percent of cases, a cough with the presence of blood does not cause any serious illness. Very often this indicates a banal lack of vitamin K,responsible for blood clotting. But in the event that this symptom recurs in a person for a sufficiently long time, it is still necessary to consult a doctor for a comprehensive examination.
When should I see a doctor?
When there is a cough with blood, what it can mean, few people know. Doctors strongly recommend that people who find themselves in such a discharge from the oral cavity immediately call an ambulance. But such drastic action is required only in the following cases:
- In the event that a strong cough begins abruptly with blood, which is present in a very liquid state or, conversely, in the form of clots.
- At the same time as the coughing attack, there was a severe lack of air along with pain in the sternum.
- When the occurrence of coughing up blood is directly related to any injury or fall.
- In the event that sputum with blood impurities arose suddenly, despite the fact that this process was not preceded by certain injuries along with a strong and prolonged cough.
- When this phenomenon has been observed for several days without a noticeable improvement in the patient's well-being.
- Coughing up blood is very common in people who use nicotine on a regular basis. In this case, you should also consult a doctor.
It is possible to make an accurate diagnosis to a person who has addressed a similar complaint to a doctor only after a full examination. Usually in such cases it is required to go through several different specialists at once.
Let's look at the main causes of coughing up blood.
Main reasons
When coughing, as you know, sputum is very often observed, which is mucus secreted from the bronchi. It usually contains germs along with dust and other small particles. But in the absence of a disease in the respiratory tract, blood should not be present in the sputum. In the event that such a process is nevertheless detected, it is important to find out all the reasons in order to provide the person with the required medical care. So, coughing up blood is present in the presence of the following serious diseases and pathological conditions of the body:
- A person has lung cancer. When coughing up blood occurs against the background of coughing, we can talk about this sign as a symptom of lung cancer. In this case, blood is usually present in the excreted secret in the form of scarlet bright streaks. But you should not immediately think about such a terrible disease if the patient does not complain about symptoms in the form of rapid weight loss, flushes of sweating at night, a feeling of lack of air and severe pain behind the sternum. A similar disease often develops in smokers who are nicotine-dependent people for most of their lives. What are other causes of adult coughing up blood?
- Development of bronchitis. With bronchitis, in addition to blood during coughing, a person's condition worsens, in addition, with an increase in temperature. Talk about the presence of chronic bronchitis should be if the cough torments a person for more than three months a year, andagainst the background of sputum, blood streaks are noticed in it, which are mixed with pus.
- The appearance of bronchiectasis. The main symptom of this disease is a long and at the same time debilitating cough with sputum, in which there are streaks of blood. Among other things, the patient may complain of shortness of breath, weakness and temperature.
- If you cough up blood, this may indicate the occurrence of a lung abscess. A similar disease usually appears in people after pneumonia. This is due to the fact that during the treatment of this disease, a person's immunity is significantly weakened. At the same time, patients may feel the taste of blood in the mouth after coughing. In addition, very often even those around are able to feel the fetid odor that comes from the patient's mouth, which is associated with the formation of pus in the lung area. Among other things, this disease can be accompanied by a prolonged increase in temperature, weakness, excessive sweating and poor appetite.
- Dangerous coughing up blood with a cold. Traces of blood are often present when coughing up sputum in people who have an inflammatory disease such as pneumonia.
- Development of tuberculosis. The main symptom of this disease is the occurrence of coughing up blood, which most often occurs in the morning. In addition to blood streaks, sputum may contain purulent impurities.
- Diseases of blood vessels and heart. Sometimes, with some heart diseases, there is a violation of blood circulation, because of this itstagnates in the lungs. You may cough up blood. A similar phenomenon in medicine is called pulmonary hypertension. Another manifestation of this process is considered severe shortness of breath, especially aggravated by heavy physical exertion.
- Development of pulmonary embolism. As a rule, embolism develops in those who have recently had to undergo some kind of operation. Also, embolism develops in the presence of diseases of the veins of the lower extremities, for example, with thrombophlebitis. In addition to suffocating bouts of coughing with bloody secretions, patients experience constant severe pain behind the sternum along with shortness of breath. What are the causes of coughing up blood without fever?
- The appearance of cystic fibrosis. This disease can be inherited, it is manifested by frequent colds and coughs with blood and pus. Very often, at the same time, patients do not pay any attention to sputum with blood impurities, believing that such a process is a common manifestation of a cough during a cold as a result of vascular damage.
- Another cause of sputum with blood when coughing is the presence of diseases of the digestive system. In case of violations of the activity of the digestive organs, such as the esophagus, stomach or intestines, blood is excreted from the mouth without coughing. In such cases, it usually has a dark red color. Bleeding occurs profusely.
Do not worry if after using some diagnostic methods, sputum with streaks of blood is detected. The fact is that such a phenomenon can be caused by external interference. This usually happens afterperforming a biopsy or bronchoscopy procedure, in addition, due to the intake of certain drugs. In this case, there are no threats to human he alth.
What causes bloody sputum when a child coughs?
Hemoptysis in children
Blood during coughing in children is a fairly common problem that usually appears against the background of blockage of narrow respiratory tracts with sputum. Because of this process, blood vessels can burst, and as a result, blood is released. Among other things, coughing up blood in a child can lead to:
- Child has asthma.
- Development of acute bronchiolitis.
- Whooping cough.
- Occurrence of cystic fibrosis.
In order to relieve children from coughing up blood, they are prescribed expectorant drugs. But only a doctor should prescribe them, since self-medication can lead to various serious problems.
Pregnant women
Pregnancy is a condition in which a woman's body is under severe pressure. The appearance of an admixture of blood when coughing should force the pregnant woman to visit the doctor immediately in order to subsequently avoid serious complications in the form of iron deficiency anemia, placental tear or increased tone.
Often the cause of this condition is nosebleeds along with a hoarse cough. Such a cough can occur due to a viral infection or as a result of bronchitis. Due to constantcoughing bursts blood vessels in the lungs, which leads to the appearance of blood in the sputum. In the event that hemoptysis torments a pregnant woman for at least one week, she needs to seek advice from her local therapist. The doctor will refer the patient to narrow specialists who can study the problem in detail.
Prolonged neglect of such a problem can lead to the development of serious disorders in blood clotting. Very rarely, this phenomenon indicates the presence of serious diseases that threaten the life of a pregnant woman and a child. Experts strongly advise against self-medication, it is always best to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Diagnostics
In order to accurately determine the cause of the cough with blood, you need to undergo advanced diagnostics, which will include the following activities:
- Performing laboratory sputum analysis. This research method allows you to identify inflammatory processes occurring in the body.
- Performing laboratory analysis of sweat. Thanks to this method of research, violations in the exchange of chlorine are determined, and cystic fibrosis can also be diagnosed.
- Conducting a general and biochemical blood test. In the course of this study, the number of red blood cells is revealed, which is used to judge the nature of inflammatory processes.
- Carrying out a coagulogram. This study shows the rate of blood clotting.
- Performing a chest x-ray allows early detection of cancer along with pneumonia,embolism or abscess.
- Bronchoscopic examination makes it possible to examine the lumen of the lungs.
- Echocardiography and electrocardiography are performed to study the work of the heart, the activity of which affects the lungs.
- Carrying out FEGDS. This is a study of the esophagus, diseases of this organ can manifest themselves in the form of a cough with blood.
- Computed tomography.
What will be the treatment if there is blood when expectorating when coughing?
What should be the treatment?
The treatment of hemoptysis in both children and adults directly depends on the underlying cause of this problem. In order to get rid of it, doctors often prescribe a course of antibiotics or anti-TB drugs. In rare cases, against the background of advanced cancer, abscess or embolism, this phenomenon also requires surgical intervention.
In the event that the causes of coughing up blood are non-pathological, alternative methods of treatment can be used. Usually, all kinds of hemostatic herbs are used for this in the form of yarrow, chicory, nettle leaves, plantain, snake knotweed, and the like. Herbs must be boiled, then the resulting remedy is drunk 100 milliliters three times a day.
The listed diseases that cause this phenomenon in children or adults are different in nature and require a different approach to the treatment of coughing up blood.
First aid
In cases where duringcoughing up an excessive amount of blood, or when one flows from the mouth even at rest, of course, it is necessary to call an ambulance. Immediately before the arrival of doctors, you must do the following:
- Give the patient complete physical rest.
- Remove things that make breathing difficult.
- In order to avoid blood entering the lung, it is necessary to give the patient a sitting position, against which a forward lean will be observed. The head should not be tilted back.
- When there is no opportunity to seat the patient, it is required to at least try to turn the person to the side on which the lung is damaged.
- Ice is applied to the damaged area with a cold compress, which are removed every fifteen minutes so as not to overcool the patient.
- Watching the patient, you need to exclude his conversations and all kinds of movements. Eating or drinking during this condition is unacceptable.
- It is important to exclude any thermal influence, be it a bath, shower, mustard plasters and so on.
- A person should not hold back expectorant urges.
No panic
It is very important when coughing with streaks of blood not to panic others and try to calm the patient. In the event that the bleeding increases and the person’s he alth worsens, before the ambulance arrives, you should call the dispatcher, who will remotely tell you in detail about additional measures.
As for children, if they have blood while coughing, theyalso do not give any food or drink. The child should take a comfortable position for him. Just before the arrival of the ambulance, the baby should not be left unattended.
What medicines are used for coughing up blood in an adult and a child?
Performing drug treatment in children and adults
Drug treatment in case of a problem such as coughing up blood is prescribed by a doctor and directly depends on the cause. Thus, it is important to eliminate the root cause. For example, with bronchitis or against the background of pneumonia, patients are prescribed drugs that thin the sputum. Bromhexine, Ambroxol syrups act as such medicines.
When coughing up blood, both children and adults may be given antibiotics along with anti-inflammatory drugs. In tuberculosis, therapy is carried out using a whole list of drugs and techniques, including surgical treatment. Drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis are divided into three groups, depending on the degree of their action. Each group is prescribed for a particular stage of the disease. Among the drugs that help treat this disease, it is worth mentioning Isoniazid, Ethambutol, Ethionamide and Thioacetazone.
In addition to drugs and techniques that are prescribed for children and adults after the examination, experts can also advise warming up and relieving irritation of the respiratory organs inhalations. It would be useful to take medicinal herbal teas with various infusions.
Traditional medicine offers manyvarious remedies for all ailments, including this one. Some recipes actually help facilitate the healing process by speeding it up. But in any case, before using them, a preliminary medical consultation is required.
It is important to remember that he alth depends on how timely the correct diagnosis is made. The only non-dangerous cause of blood when coughing is a burst vessel. But the list of dangerous diseases with a fatal outcome with this symptom is much wider. In this regard, one should not take risks by neglecting a visit to the clinic.
