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What Causes Coughing Up Of Blood?
Question: Hello, I have a cough and I am coughing blood.
Brief Answer:
Questions for you to help me answer you better.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
How much blood did you cough up at any one time (e.g. a teaspoon, etc) and how often have you coughed up blood (i.e. total amount of blood lost in a day).
Other questions that will help me guide my recommendations:
1. Are you light headed?
2. Shortness of breath?
3. Fever? if so, how high?
4. Do you smoke tobacco?
5. How long has this been going on?
6. Other symptoms such as nasal congestion or post nasal drainage, have a cold, etc
7. Do you have any chronic illnesses or take any medications on an ongoing basis?
Questions for you to help me answer you better.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
How much blood did you cough up at any one time (e.g. a teaspoon, etc) and how often have you coughed up blood (i.e. total amount of blood lost in a day).
Other questions that will help me guide my recommendations:
1. Are you light headed?
2. Shortness of breath?
3. Fever? if so, how high?
4. Do you smoke tobacco?
5. How long has this been going on?
6. Other symptoms such as nasal congestion or post nasal drainage, have a cold, etc
7. Do you have any chronic illnesses or take any medications on an ongoing basis?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Just enough to stain the Kleenex that I am coughing into.
Other questions that will help me guide my recommendations:
1. Are you light headed? NO
2. Shortness of breath? YES
3. Fever? if so, how high? NO
4. Do you smoke tobacco? NO(quit 7 years ago)
5. How long has this been going on? always congested with bronchitus. Blood is new. Maybe a lung infection?
6. Other symptoms such as nasal congestion or post nasal drainage, have a cold, etc nose stops up when I lay down, I may have an upper respiratory cold. I can't tell because I cough some all of the time.
7. Do you have any chronic illnesses or take any medications on an ongoing basis?
Other questions that will help me guide my recommendations:
1. Are you light headed? NO
2. Shortness of breath? YES
3. Fever? if so, how high? NO
4. Do you smoke tobacco? NO(quit 7 years ago)
5. How long has this been going on? always congested with bronchitus. Blood is new. Maybe a lung infection?
6. Other symptoms such as nasal congestion or post nasal drainage, have a cold, etc nose stops up when I lay down, I may have an upper respiratory cold. I can't tell because I cough some all of the time.
7. Do you have any chronic illnesses or take any medications on an ongoing basis?
Brief Answer:
Recommendations.
Detailed Answer:
If it is just enough to stain the tissue, it is not an emergency necessitating that you go in to the ER, but you should go in to see a doctor as soon as possible. You should get a chest X-ray and have your lungs listened to by a doctor (not a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner). You can either go in to an urgent care tonight, or see your doctor or an urgent care doctor tomorrow, but you should be seen soon.
The bleeding may be due to a small blood vessel breaking from the force/irritation of coughing due to a respiratory infection, but with your history of tobacco use, this should be pursued.
I don't want to worry you - if you have symptoms of a cold, that is the most likely cause of this. And the blood could be from a small irritated blood vessel in the throat rather than from the lungs. But if the cold resolves and you continue having bloody sputum, and the chest X-ray is clear, then the next step is a chest CT or MRI.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Recommendations.
Detailed Answer:
If it is just enough to stain the tissue, it is not an emergency necessitating that you go in to the ER, but you should go in to see a doctor as soon as possible. You should get a chest X-ray and have your lungs listened to by a doctor (not a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner). You can either go in to an urgent care tonight, or see your doctor or an urgent care doctor tomorrow, but you should be seen soon.
The bleeding may be due to a small blood vessel breaking from the force/irritation of coughing due to a respiratory infection, but with your history of tobacco use, this should be pursued.
I don't want to worry you - if you have symptoms of a cold, that is the most likely cause of this. And the blood could be from a small irritated blood vessel in the throat rather than from the lungs. But if the cold resolves and you continue having bloody sputum, and the chest X-ray is clear, then the next step is a chest CT or MRI.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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