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Can Coughing Up Blood Be Nothing?

Causes of coughing up blood include infection (bronchitis, bronchiectasis, pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), smoking, foreign object that has been inhaled (aspirated), cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, tuberculosis, and others.
Causes of coughing up blood include infection (bronchitis, bronchiectasis, pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), smoking, foreign object that has been inhaled (aspirated), cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, tuberculosis, and others.

Coughing up blood (hemoptysis) can have many possible causes, some of which are serious, and some which may be of little concern. It is important to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis to rule out serious conditions that can cause coughing up blood. 

Causes of coughing up blood include:

Uncommon causes of coughing up blood that can be serious or life-threatening include:

  • Other lung infections such as bacterial lung abscess and/or necrotizing pneumonia
  • Acute bronchitis 
  • Immunologic lung diseases, such as anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM; Goodpasture) disease, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis, primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, Behçet syndrome, and microscopic polyangiitis
  • Penetrating, rather than blunt, trauma 
  • Chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation
  • Acquired and iatrogenic trauma
  • Posterior arterial nosebleeds
  • Right heart catheterization (i.e., pulmonary artery catheterization) 
  • Heart failure and heart valve disorders 
  • Medical interventions, including percutaneous or transbronchial lung biopsy, cryobiopsy, central vein venipuncture during pacemaker insertion, and ablative procedures for endobronchial masses
  • Fistulas, such as fistulas between the aorta and the airway 

What Are Symptoms of Coughing Up Blood?

Coughing up blood is a symptom in itself. Blood that is coughed up often appears bright red and the sputum may look bubbly. 

Emergency Signs

See a doctor right away or go to a hospital’s emergency department if coughing up blood is due to trauma or injury to the chest or is accompanied by any of the following:

  • Unexplained coughing up blood
  • Large amounts of blood coughed up (more than a one teaspoon)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Signs of significant blood loss (weakness, dizziness when standing up, lightheadedness, thirst, sweating, and a rapid heart rate)
  • Fatigue
  • Blood is also in the urine or stool
  • Having a tracheostomy
  • If you take blood thinning medications (anticoagulants)

How Is Coughing Up Blood Diagnosed?

In addition to a patient history and physical examination, tests used to diagnose the cause of coughing up blood may include: 

What Is the Treatment for Coughing Up Blood?

In mild cases, coughing up blood may go away on its own or when the underlying cause is treated. 

Smokers should stop smoking. Other treatments for coughing up blood may include:

  • Antibiotics for pneumonia, tuberculosis, or other bacterial infections
  • Chemotherapy or radiation for lung cancer
  • Steroids for inflammatory conditions

Treatment for serious cases of coughing up large amounts of blood may require hospitalization which may include a stay in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU). 

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References
Image Source: iStock Images

https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/lung-and-airway-disorders/symptoms-of-lung-disorders/coughing-up-blood

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/etiology-of-hemoptysis-in-adults?search=Coughing%20Up%20Blood%20&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=2

https://www.uclahealth.org/lungcancer/coughing-up-blood-hemoptysis