Causes of Spitting up Blood in The Morning

healthydailymail.com There are numerous reasons why spitting up blood in the morning may occur (of course, the majority of spitting up blood causes are certainly not dependent on time of day). They range in severity from acute injury to serious life threatening emergencies to long term deadly diseases. The problem is that there are so many different reasons why spitting up blood or, coughing it up, may occur, that it is often hard to determine whether or not it should be a considered a cause for panic or not. However, certain hints are available.

The least serious causes of spitting up blood are injury and trauma. This can encompass a wide range of situations including trauma to the teeth and gums as well as tissues in the respiratory tract. For instance, biting the tongue during sleeping or damaging a tooth or gum tissue as a result of grinding or gnawing during sleep can be very benign spitting up blood causes that will often present first thing in the morning. These are normally easy to identify however either by pinpointing the visible source of the blood or because it stops bleeding rather quickly and is not recurring. Another trauma related reason why morning blood may appear has to do with sickness and illness. Drainage that can occur with sinus infections for instance, can lead to dryness that can cause sensitive tissues like those found in the throat to bleed, leading to blood in phlegm matter and mucus.

Hemoptysis, which is the technical term for sputum that is tinged with blood or the act of coughing up blood, can in fact be caused by many things, including the aforementioned trauma. In fact, in addition to oral and throat injuries, drug use can also contribute to spitting up blood causes. Certain types of illicit drugs when used in certain ways can damage the internal parts of the respiratory system, especially those that are smoked, snorted or inhaled, which can lead to bleeding, even hours after use. Hemoptysis from this source may occur daily, only after drug use or more frequently for heavy users. Additionally, aside from illicit drug use, some prescription medications can also lead to the phenomenon as well, like the use of anticoagulant medications or blood thinners.

The problem with throat phlegm is that when blood is present in it, it is not always easy to tell where it is coming from. Blood mixes with phlegm and spit almost regardless of origin, which can lead to foaming and color changing, both characteristics which can make figuring out where it is coming from much more difficult. Thus spitting up blood causes can range from health conditions and terminal illnesses to tooth problems and a sore throat. Because throat phlegm is so common and associated with everyday illnesses and occurrences, finding blood in it often doesn’t pinpoint nor rule out much of anything.

Aside from random injury and mild illness, there are some serious health concerns that can relate to bloody mucus. In fact, that is one of the most common (and scary) pulmonary embolism symptoms. A pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency and can lead to sudden death. Essentially, it is a result of the traveling blood clot that has made its way into the arteries of the lungs and it blocking the flow of blood. This more serious of spitting up blood causes will often present with shortness of breath and intense pain in the chest that makes coughing and even breathing difficult. In addition, foamy and pink bloody mucus may present as well, and may be brought up with a cough.

Bloody phlegm can also occur in a wide variety of other health conditions like mitral stenosis, Goodpasture’s syndrome and sarcoidosis. It is also unfortunately one of the more common signs of lung cancer. While it is not uncommon for months or even years to go by until the lung cancer symptoms are evident, once blood containing phlegm appears, it often means that lung cancer has expanded beyond the initial and less harmful and more easily treatable stages.

While smoking is directly related to lung cancer in almost nine out of ten cases, it is also considered one of the most common spitting up blood causes. The damage that smoking can do to the tissues of the respiratory system can be detrimental, and after an overnight rest, it is not uncommon for blood to appear in phlegm and mucus as a result of drying and drainage.

Finding blood in the sputum, especially when it is associated with coughing is very abnormal and should result in medical consultation and care. While it can be attributed to less serious causes, it is also a tell tale sign of many serious health conditions.

Danger!, Blood Clots in Lungs

healthydailymail.com Blood clots in lungs can be very, very serious and lead to long term complications and serious health disorders. They are caused by several things; however there are some risk factors that make the chance of developing them more likely. For instance, people with certain types of blood cancers are nearly thirty times more likely to develop lung blood clots. And, there are also certain types of gene mutations that have been found to be more common in people who have blood clots in the lungs.

The problem with these clots is that coughing up blood can be a sign of a chronic and long term illness, such as lung cancer, or it can be a symptom of an acute and sudden health problem, like a pulmonary embolism. Even more troubling is that the two conditions can go hand in hand. In fact, a persistent cough that produces blood stained sputum can be one of the more serious and later staged lung cancer symptoms. And, pneumonia, tuberculosis, congestive heart failure and some types of heart disease like mitral stenosis can also lead to blood clots in lungs. Even common bronchitis or the more severe chronic form of the disease can produce blood from the respiratory system.

The difference here is that while coughing up blood clots may unfortunately be common place for sufferers of long term and chronic conditions like lung cancer and bronchitis, it can also be a symptom of a pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism refers to an arterial blockage in either one of the lungs, or in both of them. The blockage is typically a blood clot and many times, it comes from the legs and breaks away and then travels upwards to the lungs. Therefore a blood clot in lungs or in just one lung most often times came from somewhere else entirely as opposed to forming in the respiratory system.

One of the most common pulmonary embolism causes is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a blood clotting disorder that normally affects the veins that are very far away from the blood pumping portions of the body. However, pulmonary embolism causes are not so clear cut, and it has been suggested that persons with cancer are at a greater risk of developing DVT and thus at a greater risk of developing a pulmonary embolism. In fact, people who have certain types of cancer like in the lungs or the blood are at an even greater risk of developing the potentially life threatening disorder and blood clots in lungs.

This can make identification difficult, since it is not uncommon for lung cancer patients to be startled by blood in their sputum when coughing is excessive or they are experiencing periods of exacerbation. This is why it is important that symptoms be observed. If blood or clots appear without any other symptoms or any exaggeration of any symptoms then a pulmonary embolism may not be to blame for the oddly hued mucus. However, if pulmonary embolism symptoms present, then it may be something acutely threatening. Worsening chest pain that is accentuated by eating, bending, stopping or breathing deeply may occur and sometimes the pain can be severe enough to feel like a heart attack. Additionally, shortness of breath may occur and the onset may be sudden. A bloody cough may be present as well. Other signs and symptoms that occur but are less common are sweating, bluish skin, wheezing, swelling of the legs and fainting spells.

Identifying these symptoms can help determine the difference between blood clots in lungs that are blocking an artery and are an emergency and the byproduct of a chronic lung disease. However, it is important that even those suffering from long term ailments understand the seriousness of a pulmonary embolism which can cause sudden death and seek out medical assistance immediately if an embolism is suspected. Pulmonary embolism treatment can include everything from blood thinners to surgery and when the problem is found has a profound impact on treatment, recovery and success.

Pulmonary embolism prevention however is worth more than an ounce of cure and in high risk people like cancer patients, it is important to take advantage of numerous ways to keep arterial blockages from occurring in the lungs. Aside from medications that can help in this endeavor, compression garments, exercise and physical activity as well as some compression devices can also help. Further, maintaining the health of the lungs and keeping blood flowing freely throughout the body is also essential to both preventing blood clots in lungs, and the diseases that cause them like lung cancer.

What can I do to stay healthy a pulmonary embolism?

healthydailymail.com Your physician can recommend ways to prevent pulmonary embolisms in the future. These actions include:

• Wearing elastic compression stockings, which prevent blood from pooling in your veins
• Being fitted with a sleeve-like device on your legs during surgery. This device compresses your legs regularly to help blood keep flowing through your veins until you can walk again
• Walking or flexing your legs every hour on long plane or car trips. You should also drink plenty of fluids when traveling, because dehydration can increase your blood's tendency to clot
• Preventive use of anticoagulants during times when you have limited mobility, like during surgery or prolonged bed rest, when the circumstances permit

How is a pulmonary embolism treated?

healthydailymail.com If you have a pulmonary embolism, your physician or vascular surgeon may administer an anticoagulant drug called heparin intravenously as initial treatment. Anticoagulants are sometimes called blood thinners. They don't literally thin your blood, but they help prevent your blood from clotting too easily. Heparin helps prevent clots from forming and keeps clots you already have from growing. Eventually, your body breaks up the clot that has caused your pulmonary embolism. Alternatively, a type of medication, called fractionated heparin, may be delivered once or twice daily through an injection in your abdomen. This functions in a very similar fashion to heparin delivered directly into the vein.

If you have a large pulmonary embolism, or you have another medical condition, your physician or vascular surgeon may recommend more aggressive treatments. A treatment called thrombolysis can dissolve your clot. In this procedure, your vascular surgeon injects clot-dissolving drugs through a catheter directly into the clot. A catheter is a long, thin tube that your vascular surgeon inserts into a puncture in the skin over a blood vessel. Thrombolysis has a higher risk for bleeding complications and stroke than anticoagulant therapy but may be effective more quickly, a feature that may be important if the pulmonary embolism is large.

In you are unable to receive anticoagulant therapy or thrombolysis, your vascular surgeon may attempt to remove the clot using a catheter technique. Using this technique, called suction thrombectomy, your physician guides a catheter through your blood vessels to your pulmonary embolism. The catheter shoots a salt solution into the blocked artery. The water pressure pulls the clot toward the tip of the catheter and breaks up the clot. Your vascular surgeon may, as another option, use a catheter attached to a mechanical device such as a rotating head to break up a clot.

Rarely, physicians recommend surgery for a pulmonary embolism. The procedure is called pulmonary embolectomy. You may need this surgery if you have life-threatening blockages in your lungs that are not responsive to other treatments.

Your vascular surgeon will advise you regarding the best treatment option for your particular situation.

Once your pulmonary embolism has been treated, you will usually need to take an anticoagulant drug called warfarin (Coumadin®) for six months or longer to lessen the risk of developing another pulmonary embolism. During the time you are taking medication, your physician will order blood tests to make sure your blood anticoagulation level is adequate to prevent clots but not so high as to cause excessive bleeding. Anticoagulants can cause bleeding problems if the dosage is too high so it is important to follow your physician's recommendations for testing and dose adjustments.

In some circumstances, your physician may recommend placement of a special metal filter in your main vein, the vena cava, if drug therapy isn’t feasible or isn't enough to prevent pulmonary embolisms from recurring. This device is called a vena cava filter. The vena cava is a large vein in your abdomen that carries blood back to your heart and lungs. Vena cava filters can trap the clots that break away from your leg veins before they can reach your lungs. You vascular surgeon inserts the filter into your vena cava through a catheter. Some of these filters are left in place permanently and some can be removed. Your vascular surgeon will advise you regarding what is the best option for your particular situation.

What tests will I need a pulmonary embolism?

healthydailymail.com First your physician asks you questions about your general health, medical history, and symptoms. In addition, your physician conducts a physical exam. Together these are known as a patient history and exam. To confirm the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, the physician may order specific tests, which may include some of the following:

• Chest x-ray
• Electrocardiography (ECG) which measures your heart’s electrical activity
• D-dimer enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a blood test that shows an increase of a type of protein that may rise after a pulmonary embolism
• Lung scanning, which measures blood flow in your lungs and your air intake
• Spiral computed tomography (CT) scan
• Pulmonary angiography, which shows x ray pictures of the blood vessels in your lungs
• Duplex ultrasound, which allows your physician to measure the speed of blood flow and to see the structure of your leg veins
• Venography, which shows x-ray pictures of your leg veins

What are the symptom and causes a pulmonary embolism?

healthydailymail.com A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that forms in a vein, travels through your bloodstream, and lodges in your lungs. A pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency because a large embolism, or sometimes many repeated smaller ones, can be fatal in a short time.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms you feel can depend on the location and size of your blood clot. Shortness of breath is the most common symptom. Other symptoms include rapid breathing; anxiety and restlessness; chest pain, which might extend into your shoulder, arm, neck, and jaw; coughing or spitting up blood; feeling lightheaded or fainting; and having a rapid heartbeat.

What causes a pulmonary embolism?

The type of clot that is likely to cause a pulmonary embolism usually originates in the veins deep in your muscles. This condition is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT usually occurs in your leg or pelvic veins; although less commonly it can also sometimes occur in your arm veins.

Factors that increase the risk of DVT or pulmonary embolism include:

• Having a close family member who has had a pulmonary embolism
• Inherited blood clotting abnormalities
• Major surgery
• Hip or leg fractures
• Standing or sitting still for long periods of time, such as on a long plane trip or car ride
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Having a history of a heart attack or stroke
• Pregnancy, taking birth control pills, or taking estrogen replacement therapy

What is a pulmonary embolism?

healthydailymail.com A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that forms in a vein, travels through your bloodstream, and lodges in your lungs. A pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency because a large embolism, or sometimes many repeated smaller ones, can be fatal in a short time.

Normally, your blood flows from the right side of your heart to your lungs, where it picks up oxygen. The left side of your heart then pumps this oxygen-rich blood through a system of blood vessels called arteries. Once your blood has delivered the oxygen to various parts of your body, it enters another network of blood vessels called the veins. Your veins carry the now oxygen-poor blood back to your heart, which pumps your blood to your lungs to pick up oxygen again. If a blood clot forms in a vein, commonly a deep vein in your leg, it can move with the blood flow back to your lungs and lodge there. This blood clot is called a pulmonary embolism.

If your lung arteries become blocked by a blood clot, you may experience high blood pressure in your lungs. As a result, your heart pumps harder than usual. When your heart is continually overworked, it may enlarge, and it may eventually fail to perform. A large pulmonary embolism can cause your lungs and heart to fail. Fortunately, your chances of surviving a pulmonary embolism increase when your physician can diagnose and treat your condition quickly.