Spitting blood while coughing (hemoptysis) is not necessarily a symptom of a serious illness, but examinations should be carried out as soon as possible in order to find out the origin (bronchitis, embolism, cancer, etc.).
See some blood in the mucus when coughing should not be neglected. Without necessarily being a serious symptom, it deserves medical consultation in order to determine the origin and set up a treatment adequate.
This medical term refers to the fact of cough up blood or stained mucus when coughing. This is a sign not to be taken lightly and requires prompt medical consultation. This blood can come from the larynx, pharynx, trachea or bronchi.
The causes can be very diverse:
- the lung cancer.
- The chronic bronchitis and bronchial dilation.
- The bronchitis acute allergic or toxic infectious.
- A pulmonary infection : pneumonia, tuberculosis, aspergillosis
- A pulmonary embolism.
- Of the bleeding from the mouth and gums.
- Taking anticoagulant treatment.
- A inflammatory disease autoimmune.
- The tobacco or drug use.
- One trauma : fall, car accident… or the consequences of a bronchoscopy.
- Cardiovascular causes such asacute pulmonary edema.
The frequency, quantity and color of the blood as well as the other symptoms allow the doctor to orient his diagnosis and to assess the urgency of the treatment.
In a smoker, we must look for cancer.
“There may be fever in case of infections and pain in the chest. Weight loss (cancer, tuberculosis), dyspnoea”, says Dr. Monique Quillard, general practitioner.
Tobacco is a major risk factor, it is responsible for 8 out of 10 lung cancers. In France, 50,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. “Hematemesis in a smoker must therefore check for cancer first“says Dr. Quillard.
As quickly as possible to determine the cause of the coughing up blood. Urgently if the amount of blood is large because there is a choking hazard.
To establish the cause of hemoptysis and implement the appropriate treatment, the doctor may prescribe a X-ray of the lungs, a scanner, a bronchial fibroscopy, an angio-scanner as well as a blood test and a search for Koch’s bacillus (in case of suspicion of tuberculosis). “In some cases, a bronchial arteriography for treatment by embolization may be carried out, or a cardiovascular assessment in the event of cardiovascular pathology” continues the doctor.
Everything will depend on its cause and its abundance. Abundant hemoptysis will be treated in a specialized unit to stop the bleeding and avoid complications. The treatment then depends on the etiology. “If the cause is bacterial, taking antibiotics will quickly bring everything back to normal, explains our expert. If the cause is the taking of anticoagulant drugs, stopping the treatment will be recommended and replaced by another molecule if necessary. For other causes, a surgical intervention or a embolization arterial may be necessary. Finally, in the case of cancer, surgical treatment, chemotherapy or radiotherapy will be set up, after extension assessment and according to the type of cancer diagnosed.
Thanks to Dr. Monique Quillard, general practitioner.