What causes blood in sputum?

Sputum is essentially a thick mixture of saliva and mucus that comes out from the respiratory tract when coughing. Normally it does not imply any serious ailment. But sometimes, blood is seen in the sputum when a person coughs or spits.  Though blood sputum can be alarming, it may not imply a serious medical condition in youngsters or healthy persons. Blood tinged sputum may be a common occurrence in several respiratory infections including mild bronchitis and asthma.

However, there are cases where there is a substantial amount of blood present in the sputum or there are frequent instances of spitting blood sputum. The severity of such symptoms can imply a serious lung infection or even a stomach infection which should not be neglected. It is important to diagnose the root cause correctly and take treatment if required, especially in the context of elders.

Sources of Blood Sputum

A variety of factors may cause blood in sputum. The origin of this blood may be from different body organs:

• Source- Lungs: Bright red frothy blood sometimes mixed with mucus usually comes from the lungs by process of Hemoptysis. It is a result of persistent coughing or lung infection.
• Source-Digestive Tract: Dark coloured blood that comes with food traces usually originates from the stomach or other parts of the digestive tract. It is a result of Hematemesis which signifies a more serious health issue.

Causes of Blood Sputum

Common Reasons:

• Prolonged episodes of coughing caused by irritation of the upper respiratory tract and tearing of blood vessels.
• Respiratory infections like chronic bronchitis in which there is persistent or recurring inflammation of the air passages accompanied by cough and sputum production.
• Cases of nose bleeds which is common in adults and children aged between three and ten years.
• Some chest infections like an infection of the lungs or large airways.

Serious Conditions

• Life-threatening diseases like lung cancer or throat cancer: Lung cancer usually occurs in people who use tobacco and are above forty years of age. Throat cancer may include symptoms of a swelling or a sore that does not heal easily, persistent sore throat infections or presence of red or white patches in the mouth.
• Any serious injury like severe trauma to the chest.
• Lung related ailments including
  1. Pneumonia in which there is inflammation of the lung tissue due to bacterial infection.
  2. Pulmonary embolism wherein there is a blood clot in one of the lung arteries.
  3. Pulmonary edema which occurs in heart patients and is characterized by fluid accumulation in the lungs.
  4. Pulmonary aspiration where there is breathing of foreign particles into the lungs.
  5. Tuberculosis which is a severe lung infection caused by bacteria.
  6. Cystic fibrosis which is an inherent condition resulting in lung damage.
  7. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) where is there a permanent blockage of air circulation from the lungs.
• Chest ailments like narrowing of the heart valve (also called mitral valve stenosis).
• Usage of anticoagulant medications which prevent the blood from clotting.
• Drug abuse like inhalation of cocaine through the nostrils which irritates the respiratory tract.

Treatment

ENT Treatment for blood sputum aims to stop the bleeding and treat the underlying cause. Options include:

• Prescribing steroids for inflammatory conditions and antibiotics for respiratory infections.
• Using clinical tools for stopping bleeding or removing clots by a process called Bronchoscopy.
• Sealing off a major bleeding blood vessel by a procedure called Embolization.
• Doing blood(plasma/platelet) transfusion
• Treating lung cancer by radiotherapy or chemotherapy or surgically removing the cancerous tumour.

Do not neglect Blood Sputum - Consult an ENT (Ear Nose Throat) specialist or throat surgeon in an ENT hospital for appropriate diagnosis and stay healthy!