Coughing up blood: what it can be and what to do

Coughing up blood, technically called hemoptysis, is not always a sign of a serious problem, and it may arise only because of a small sore in the nose or throat that bleeds when coughing.

However, if the cough is accompanied by bright red blood it can also be a sign of more serious health problems, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis or lung cancer, especially when it happens for more than a day.

Therefore, it is recommended to consult the general practitioner or a pulmonologist whenever the bloody cough takes more than 24 hours to disappear or when the amount of blood is large or increases over time.

1. Airway injuries

In a large part of the cases, bloody cough is caused by simple injuries to the nose, throat irritation or due to some tests, such as bronchoscopy, lung biopsy, endoscopy or surgery to remove the tonsils, for example.

What to do: in most cases, the bloody cough clears up on its own without needing any treatment, however, if you stay for more than 1 day it is important to go to the pulmonologist to identify the problem and start the appropriate treatment.

2. Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a serious lung infection that usually causes symptoms such as bloody cough, sudden fever and above 38ºC, shortness of breath and chest pain. It usually arises after a badly taken care of the flu or cold, where viruses or bacteria can reach the alveoli, impairing the arrival of oxygen in the cells. The diagnosis is made on the basis of tests and treatment may include antibiotics.

What to do: since some types of pneumonia need to be treated with antibiotics it is advisable to go to the pulmonologist to confirm the diagnosis and start the appropriate treatment. In the most severe cases, pneumonia can greatly affect breathing, and it may even be necessary to stay in the hospital. Learn more about the treatment of this infection and what options are available.

3. Tuberculosis

In addition to the bloody cough, very characteristic of tuberculosis cases, this disease can also cause other signs such as constant fever, night sweating, excessive tiredness and weight loss. In this case, the cough must have been present for more than 3 weeks and does not appear to be related to any flu. The test that identifies pulmonary tuberculosis is the sputum test and treatment is done with antibiotics.

What to do: tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium and, therefore, its treatment is always done with antibiotics that need to be used for several months until the infection is completely cured. Thus, whenever tuberculosis is suspected, it is very important to consult a pulmonologist. In addition, if the diagnosis is confirmed, the closest people should be warned to also have a tuberculosis test, as the disease spreads easily. See more details of the treatment.

4. Bronchiectasis

This respiratory disease causes coughing up blood that gradually gets worse due to a permanent dilation of the bronchi, which can be caused by a bacterial infection or by other respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, asthma or pneumonia.

What to do: in a good part of the cases bronchiectasis has no cure, however, it is possible to use remedies that help to relieve symptoms a lot, improving the quality of life. These remedies can be prescribed by a pulmonologist after evaluation of the symptoms. Learn more about this disease and what the treatment options are.

5. Pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism is a serious problem that must be treated as soon as possible in the hospital. It usually happens due to the presence of a clot that prevents the passage of blood to the lung, causing death of the affected tissues and severe difficulty in breathing. Thus, in addition to coughing up blood, it is very common to experience extreme shortness of breath, bluish fingers, chest pain and increased heartbeat. Understand more about how pulmonary embolism arises.

What to do: Whenever there is an intense shortness of breath, accompanied by chest pain and cough, it is very important to go quickly to the hospital to confirm that it is not a serious problem such as a heart attack or even pulmonary embolism.

6. Lung cancer

Lung cancer is suspected when there is bloody cough and weight loss in the past few months, without diet or exercise. Other symptoms that may be present are tiredness and weakness, which can occur when cancer begins in the lung, as is more common in people who smoke, or when there are metastases in the lung. Know other symptoms that may indicate lung cancer.

What to do: The success of cancer treatment is always greater the sooner the cancer is diagnosed. Therefore, whenever there are symptoms that may indicate a lung problem, it is very important to consult a pulmonologist. In addition, people with a family history of lung cancer or who smoke should have recurrent appointments with the pulmonologist, especially after age 50.

When to go to the doctor

When observing the presence of coughing up blood, one must remain calm and try to find its cause. Some situations that should be observed are:

• Amount of blood present; If there are traces of blood in the mouth or nose; When the blood was first observed; If the person already had a respiratory disease before this symptom appears; If there are other symptoms such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, short, wheezing, noises when breathing, fever, headache or fainting.

If you suspect that the situation is serious, you should call 192 and call SAMU or go to the emergency room so that the situation is evaluated by a doctor.

What can be coughing up blood in babies

In children the most common cause is the presence of small objects that they put in the nose or in the mouth and end up in the lung causing a dry cough and with blood clots. In this case it is common to not have a lot of blood involved but it is important to take the child to the hospital to have an x-ray removed in order to identify the cause.

The doctor may also use a small instrument to observe the child's ears, nose and throat for small objects such as earring, tarrachas, corn, peas, beans or toys that may have been introduced in these places. Depending on the object introduced and its location, it can be removed with forceps and in the most severe cases, surgery may even be necessary.

Other, less common causes of bloody cough in infants and children are lung or heart disease, which must be diagnosed and treated by the pediatrician. In case of doubt, consult the pediatrician.