BODY SIGNAL ALERT COUGHING UP BLOOD OR PHLEGM MIXED WITH BLOOD: DESCRIPTION AND POSSIBLE MEDICAL PROBLEMS
Even if you normally don’t dwell on the general state of your health, coughing up blood or phlegm mixed with blood is bound to get your attention and your doctor’s as well.
It should. Whether you cough up blood or phlegm mixed with blood that is bright red, brownish red, or pink and bubbly, you must see your physician. It’s usually the sign of a serious underlying disease. Anytime you cough up blood that is bright red in color, the cause can be a problem with your blood’s ability to clot, a tumor in your lung, an aneurysm of the thoracic aorta, a low blood platelet count, or a burst blood vessel. When it’s a frothy pink substance that’s accompanied by wheezing and shortness of breath, it’s a sign of heart failure. Another possible cause of coughing up blood is lung cancer or tuberculosis, especially if your cough has persisted for months and it hasn’t been treated. However, when the blood is brownish and resembles coffee grounds, it’s coming from the digestive tract and is a sign of a bleeding ulcer.
It is also important to be aware of the amount coughed up. A small amount—a teaspoonful or less—can indicate that a small vessel in the trachea or upper airway has burst, which is a relatively minor occurrence. In fact, if you’ve had a cold or flu recently, it’s highly likely that you have burst a blood vessel by frequent coughing. An amount larger than a teaspoonful can signify a serious medical condition requiring immediate medical attention.
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