Coughing up blood
Coughing up blood can have a lot of possible causes of lung conditions. The blood might be bright pink, red, and frothy or mixed with mucus. The condition is known as hemoptysis; even a small amount of blood can be severe. Although, a little blood-tinged isn’t uncommon and isn’t serious. Make sure you seek medical consultations, even if it’s a small amount.
Coughing up blood causes
The primary cause of coughing up blood is chronic bronchiectasis or bronchitis; other possible causes are:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Drug use
- Lung cancer
- Blood clot
- Lung abscess
- Pneumonia
- Parasitic infection
- Tuberculosis
- Trauma to the chest
- Pulmonary embolism
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
These are some common causes; kindly consult your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
Consult a doctor
- In case you are coughing up more than a few streaks or spots of blood
- If you are coughing up blood and find it difficult to breath
- If you have a fast heartbeat or persistent pain in your upper back or chest
These symptoms indicate more severe problems like blood clots in the lungs.
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 16 JULY 2022