Coughing Up Blood (Hemoptysis)
Coughing up blood, also called hemoptysis, is the presence of blood in mucus when coughing. It can range from mild irritation of the airways to serious lung or heart conditions such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, or even lung cancer.
🚨 Seek Emergency Care Immediately
Coughing up blood may be life-threatening if you have:
- Large amounts of blood in cough (more than streaks).
- Shortness of breath or chest pain.
- Dizziness, fainting, or weakness.
- Persistent or worsening bleeding.
📞 Call Doctor / Hospital
You should consult a doctor if:
- Blood appears repeatedly in mucus.
- You have chronic cough with weight loss.
- There is fever or night sweats.
- You are a smoker with persistent cough.
Common Symptoms & Causes
| Type of Hemoptysis | Possible Cause |
|---|---|
| Streaks of blood in mucus | Acute Bronchitis |
| Bright red blood with cough | Pneumonia |
| Large volume of blood | Tuberculosis or lung damage |
| Blood with chest pain & breathlessness | Pulmonary Embolism (Emergency) |
| Chronic cough with weight loss | Lung Cancer |
Causes by Category
Tuberculosis: Severe lung infection causing tissue damage.
Pneumonia: Infection causing inflamed lungs.
Bronchitis: Inflamed airways may bleed.
Pulmonary Embolism: Blood clot in lung arteries.
Lung Cancer: Tumor bleeding in airways.
Bronchiectasis: Damaged airways prone to bleeding.
Severe coughing: Can rupture small blood vessels.
Smoking: Long-term airway damage.
Blood thinning medications: Increase bleeding risk.
Diagnostic Procedures
Chest X-Ray
Detects infections, tumors, or lung damage.
CT Scan Chest
Detailed imaging of lungs and blood vessels.
Sputum Test
Checks for TB, bacteria, or cancer cells.
Bronchoscopy
Direct visualization of airways to find bleeding source.
