Blood in sputum: Causes, diagnosis, and when to see a doctor - Medical News Today

Posted: 24 Apr 2018 02:03 AM PDT

Blood in the sputum or mucus when a person coughs or spits is called hemoptysis. Although the blood can be worrying, it is usually not a cause for concern, especially in young or otherwise healthy people.

Blood in the sputum is a common event in many mild respiratory conditions, including upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, and asthma.

It can be alarming to cough up a significant amount of blood in sputum or to see blood in mucus frequently. In severe cases, this can result from a lung or stomach condition.

In this article, we discuss the causes and treatments of blood in sputum.

Blood in sputum
Blood in the sputum usually comes from the lungs, but it can also come from the stomach or digestive tract.

A range of factors can lead to blood in the sputum. Also, the blood may originate from different parts of the body.

The blood usually comes from the lungs, but less frequently it can come from the stomach or digestive tract. If the blood comes from the digestive tract, the medical term is hematemesis.

From the lungs (hemoptysis). If the blood is bright red, frothy, and sometimes mixed with mucus, it probably comes from the lungs and can result from persistent coughing or a lung infection.
From the digestive tract (hematemesis). If the blood is dark and comes with traces of food, it probably originated in the stomach or elsewhere in the digestive tract. This may be a sign of a more serious condition.

Possible causes of blood in the sputum include:

Bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is often behind the appearance of blood. The condition involves persistent or recurring inflammation of the airways, along with a cough and the production of sputum.
Bronchiectasis. This describes a permanent enlargement of parts of the lungs' airways. It often occurs with an infection, shortness of breath, and wheezing.
A prolonged or severe cough. This can irritate the upper respiratory tract and tear the blood vessels.
A severe nosebleed. Many factors can cause nosebleeds.
Drug use. Drugs, such as cocaine, that are inhaled through the nostrils can irritate the upper respiratory tract.
Anticoagulants. These medications prevent the blood from clotting. Examples include warfarin, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, and apixaban.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a permanent obstruction of airflow from the lungs. It usually causes difficulty breathing, a cough, the production of sputum, and wheezing.
Pneumonia. This and other lung infections can cause bloody sputum. Pneumonia is characterized by inflammation of the lung tissue, usually because of a bacterial infection. People with pneumonia tend to have chest pain when breathing or coughing, fatigue, fever, sweating, and chills. Older adults can also experience confusion.
Pulmonary embolism. This refers to a blood clot in one artery of a lung. It usually causes chest pain and sudden shortness of breath.
Pulmonary edema. This describes fluid in the lungs. Pulmonary edema is most common in people with heart conditions. It causes pink and frothy sputum, as well as severe shortness of breath, sometimes with chest pain.
Lung cancer. A person is more likely to have lung cancer if they are older than 40 and smoke tobacco. It can cause a cough that does not go away, shortness of breath, chest pain, and sometimes bone pain or headaches.
Neck cancer. This usually starts in the throat, larynx, or windpipe. It can cause a swelling or sore that does not heal, a permanent sore throat, and a red or white patch in the mouth.
Cystic fibrosis. This inherited condition severely damages the lungs. It usually causes difficulty breathing and a persistent cough with thick mucus.
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis. This describes inflammation of the blood vessels in the sinuses, lungs, and kidneys. It usually causes a runny nose, nosebleeds, shortness of breath, wheezing, and a fever.
Tuberculosis. A bacteria causes this severe lung infection, which can lead to a fever, sweating, chest pain, pain while breathing or coughing, and a persistent cough.
Narrowed heart valves. A narrowing of the heart's mitral valve, called mitral valve stenosis, can cause shortness of breath, especially with exertion or when lying down. Other symptoms include swollen feet or legs and heart palpitations or fatigue, particularly with increased physical activity.
A serious injury. Trauma to the chest can cause blood to appear in the sputum.

Visiting the doctor
A person who is coughing blood in large amounts, or at frequent intervals, should visit a doctor.

See a doctor or seek emergency care when coughing brings up a lot of blood, or any blood at frequent intervals.

If the blood is dark and appears with pieces of food, go to a hospital immediately. This can indicate a severe problem originating in the digestive tract.

Also, see a doctor if any of the following symptoms accompany blood in the sputum:

a loss of appetite
unexplained weight loss
blood in the urine or stools
chest pain, dizziness, fever, or light-headedness
worsening shortness of breath

To determine whether a medical condition is causing blood to appear in the sputum, a doctor will usually take a medical history and perform a physical examination.

During the examination, the doctor may ask the person to cough, and they may check the nose and mouth for sites of bleeding. The doctor may also take samples of sputum and blood for testing.

In some cases, additional examinations are necessary. These may include a chest X-ray, a CT scan, or a bronchoscopy, which involves a camera at the end of a tube being inserted into the airway.

Steroids may help if an inflammatory condition is causing the bleeding.

Treatments aim to stop the bleeding and treat the underlying cause.

Possible treatments include:

Steroids. Steroids can help when an inflammatory condition is behind the bleeding.
Antibiotics. Antibiotics are used in cases of pneumonia or tuberculosis.
A bronchoscopy. This provides a close look at possible sources of bleeding. An instrument called an endoscope is inserted into the airways through the nose or mouth. Tools can be attached to the end. Some are designed to stop bleeding, while others, for example, can remove a blood clot.
Embolization. If a major blood vessel is responsible for blood in the sputum, a doctor may recommend a procedure called embolization. A catheter is passed into the vessel, the source of the bleeding is identified, and a metal coil, chemical, or fragment of gelatin sponge is used to seal it off.
Blood product transfusion. A transfusion of elements in the blood, such as plasma, clotting factors, or platelets, may be required if clotting problems or excessively thin blood are responsible for the appearance of blood in sputum.
Chemotherapy or radiotherapy. These may be used to treat lung cancer.
Surgery. This may be required to remove a damaged or cancerous portion of the lung. Surgery is usually considered a last resort and only an option when bleeding is severe or persistent.

Blood in sputum, particularly in small quantities, is usually not a cause for concern. However, in people with a medical history of respiratory problems or who smoke, it often requires further evaluation.

Respiratory infections, other lung conditions, and less commonly problems in the digestive tract can cause the blood to appear. Some causes are mild and resolve on their own. In other cases, medical intervention is necessary.

If a coughs up blood in large amounts or at frequent intervals, they should see a doctor.

Read the article in Spanish.

Weed smoker's lungs vs. smoker's lungs vs. non-smokers lungs - Medical News Today

Posted: 16 Apr 2021 03:41 AM PDT

Like smoking tobacco, smoking weed or cannabis can also have damaging effects on the lungs, although research on the subject is not as clear-cut.

Smoking is one of the biggest threats to lung health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that cigarette smoking is responsible for over 480,000 deaths in the United States each year.

Smoking cigarettes can have a number of negative effects on a person's lungs. These include:

changing the function of the lungs
impacting the lungs' structure
increasing the risk of a number of serious medical conditions, including cancer

Smoking cannabis can also cause damage to the lungs. This because the smoke from cannabis contains many of the same toxins, irritants, and carcinogens as tobacco smoke.

In this article, we look at the effects of smoking cannabis on the lungs and compare them to the effects of smoking tobacco.

There is mixed evidence on the effects of cannabis smoke on the lungs. This is because of a relative lack of literature combined with concurrent tobacco smoking and the reports of conflicting outcomes.

Coughing and sputum

One study states that cannabis smoke can cause symptoms, such as increased coughing and sputum production, similar to those found in people who smoke tobacco.

Another study states that the frequency of chronic cough, sputum, and wheezing was similar between cannabis smokers and tobacco smokers.

The American Lung Association states that these symptoms arise due to cannabis smoke injuring the cell linings of the large airways.

Bronchitis

Swelling and inflammation in the bronchial tubes cause bronchitis. Acute bronchitis usually clears up on its own, while chronic bronchitis is persistent and may never go away.

A person with this condition usually experiences the below symptoms:

coughing
wheezing while breathe
difficulty breathing

The American Lung Association says that cannabis smoke can cause a person to develop chronic bronchitis. A 2016 study also stated that smoking cannabis has links with symptoms of chronic bronchitis.

Learn more about bronchitis here.

Lung cancer

There is differing evidence regarding the association between cannabis smoking and lung cancer.

One 2013 study stated that people who used cannabis heavily were at an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

Another study from 2012 outlines that cannabis smoke contains carcinogens, which can cause cancer.

However, the study adds that there is no evidence that suggests that light or moderate cannabis smoking leads to an increased risk for the development of either lung or upper airway cancer.

However, the same study states that the evidence is mixed when it comes to the cancer risks of heavy or long-term cannabis use.

A 2014 study suggests there is biological plausibility of cannabis smoking as a risk for the development of lung cancer. However, it adds that it is difficult to link cannabis smoking and cancer development conclusively.

Learn more about cannabis and lung cancer here.

Other cancers

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released their report on the health effects of cannabinoids. They found no statistical association between cannabis smoking and lung, head, and neck cancers.

The report also found limited or no evidence regarding any links between smoking cannabis smoking and:

There are a couple of other ways a person can consume cannabis that do not involve smoking the substance.

Edibles

A person can consume cannabis in edible form, which is the name for foods and drinks infused with cannabis.

Edibles deliver the cannabis to the body through the mouth and digestive system. People often see these products as an alternative to smoking or vaping.

Edibles can have varying effects on individuals. Research suggests that they can be a more potent method of taking cannabis than inhaling the substance.

The study showed that the effects from edibles took around 1 hour to kick in but lasted for 6 or more hours. It also showed that, in contrast, the effects of smoking or vaping tended to last 1–4 hours.

Learn more about edibles here.

Vaping

Many people inhale vaporized cannabis as an alternative to smoking it. The vaporizer heats the cannabis and extracts the cannabinoids, converting them into vapor, which a person then inhales.

There are several different types of vaporizers that use alternative methods to heat cannabis.

As scientists do not know the long-term safety of vaping it is not advisable for people to use this method for cannabis consumption.

There are over 7,000 different chemicals in tobacco smoke, which all affect the lungs in a variety of ways. Some of these chemicals are carcinogenic, meaning they may cause cancer, while others can damage cells or trigger scarring and inflammation.

Due to the abundance of chemicals, cigarette smoke can affect the lungs in many ways, including the below.

Changes to the physical appearance of the lungs

Cigarette smoke can cause the lungs to change their appearance drastically.

People commonly refer to the black pigmented material in cigarette smoke as tar. This tar can change the color of the lungs from pink to a grey or black color.

Cigarette smoke can also cause the lungs to become hyperinflated and develop patches of inflammation. This may also cause the diaphragm to lose muscle, which also changes the shape of the lungs.

Increases the production of mucus

Smoking often causes the lungs to produce more mucus. This occurs because the smoke damages the epithelial cells that line a person's airway.

This damage then triggers goblet cell production, which leads to the increased production of mucus in the lungs.

This increased level of mucus in the lung has associations with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

COPD includes two main conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

These conditions can lead to:

trouble breathing
an ongoing cough
a tight chest
wheezing when breathing

COPD is a progressive disease, which means that the symptoms get worse over time. It is also the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.

Causes coughing

There are tiny hairs in the airways called cilia, which prevent dirt and mucus from getting into the lungs.

Smoking tobacco can destroy these cilia, allowing a number of these irritants to build up in the lungs.

This can then lead to the person developing a chronic cough that people sometimes refer to as "smoker's cough." This is common in long-term or daily smokers.

Lowers oxygen levels

Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide. Therefore, when a person smokes tobacco, the carbon monoxide displaces the oxygen in their blood.

This deprives the organs of the oxygen they require. Organs and other parts of the body need oxygen to function properly, so it is important that a person's oxygen levels do not drop too far.

The lungs also contain small blood vessels called capillaries, which allow the oxygen in the lungs to pass into the bloodstream and travel to the organs and other parts of the body.

Smoking can damage the capillaries. This can lead to a person developing low oxygen levels in their blood, as less oxygen is able to pass through the damaged capillaries and into the bloodstream.

A high risk of lung cancer

Cigarette smoking is the number one risk for lung cancer. It has links with 80–90% of lung cancer deaths in the U.S.

Of the 7,000 chemicals present in cigarette smoke, many are poisonous. Around 70 of these chemicals are also carcinogens.

People who smoke cigarettes are 15–30 times more likely to get lung cancer than those who do not smoke.

A person who only smokes a few cigarettes each day or smokes occasionally is still increasing their risk of lung cancer.

The risk increases the more cigarettes a person smokes and the longer that they continue to smoke.

Learn more about how smoking affects the lungs here.

Smoking tobacco is very damaging to a person's lungs. However, tobacco is also a very addictive substance, and people who are addicted can experience withdrawal symptoms if they try to quit.

Therefore it can be difficult for a person to quit smoking.

It is worth noting that tobacco withdrawal is not usually dangerous in comparison to withdrawal from opioids or alcohol, which can be life threatening.

Here are some tips that a person might find useful to help them quit smoking tobacco:

Nicotine replacement therapy: Offers a low level of nicotine without the other harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke.
Cognitive behavioral therapy: An effective approach for quitting smoking. It is a type of counseling or therapy that helps people change their smoking habits.
Drugs: Drugs, such as varenicline and bupropion, help tackle nicotine withdrawal symptoms to make quitting easier.
Support: It is important that people have the right support when trying to quit smoking. Evidence suggests that having adequate support from others makes quitting easier.

If a person is addicted to cannabis, they may experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit.

As with tobacco, cannabis withdrawal is usually not dangerous or life threatening.

When trying to quit smoking cannabis, a person should try to ease their withdrawal symptoms by following some of these tips:

eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables
avoiding too much sugar and junk food, which can make them feel worse
drinking plenty of water and remaining hydrated at all times
avoiding caffeinated beverages, which can worsen symptoms
getting plenty of good quality sleep
exercising each day and remaining active
getting support from family and friends

Learn more about how to quit smoking here.

Smoking has a number of damaging effects on a person's lungs. Both tobacco smoking and cannabis smoking can cause several health issues, although research on the effects of cannabis smoking on the lungs is less clear.

Smoking tobacco and cannabis can lead to a person developing a cough, producing more sputum, and developing a wheeze when they breathe. They can also both lead to lung disorders such as COPD and bronchitis.

Smoking tobacco can also lower a person's blood oxygen levels and is a big risk factor for developing lung cancer. However, there is mixed evidence regarding the links between cannabis smoking and lung cancer.

Search This Blog

Mucus