Contents:
- Medical Video: 5 common causes of coughing up blood
- Different initial symptoms
- When blood comes out
- Different appearance
- Different colors
- Contents are different
- Different pH
- The presence or absence of symptoms of anemia
- Different stool colors
Medical Video: 5 common causes of coughing up blood
The discharge of blood from the mouth is always frightening for everyone. In general, people will panic when he or the closest person draws blood from the mouth. There are two basic differences when a person draws blood from the mouth. Does the blood come from the mechanism of coughing or from the mechanism of vomiting. Although the symptoms are almost the same, it turns out that these two things are far different. To distinguish it, it's easy. Come on, follow the explanation below.
Different initial symptoms
By definition, coughing up blood (hemoptoe) is the discharge of blood from the airway, while vomiting blood (hematemesis) is the discharge of blood from the upper digestive tract. Symptoms before this blood gushes out of the mouth are usually different. In coughing up blood, the symptoms are initially chest pain, a feeling of wanting to cough, and a feeling of discomfort in the throat. Whereas in vomiting blood, the symptoms of the digestive tract dominate more, such as abdominal pain, swollen stomach, and nausea.
When blood comes out
Coughing up blood, by definition, is removed by coughing. However, it can often be accompanied by vomiting because coughed blood is accidentally swallowed and causes a nauseous sensation so the patient vomits. Whereas in vomiting blood, blood is vomited first. Can also be accompanied by coughing, but this is not commonly found.
Different appearance
Because it comes from different sources, the blood produced is different. When we look carefully, coughing up blood is usually accompanied by foam, foamy, and there is mucus (or phlegm) in the blood clot. Whereas in vomiting blood, there is no mucus.
Different colors
Coughing up blood comes from the respiratory tract where there is no area that produces enzymes or acids. Usually blood coughing is fresh red, may be accompanied by clots. While the vomiting of blood is usually dark red, because it has mixed with stomach acid. When it comes from a rupture of a blood vessel in the esophagus, the color of the blood is not as old as that of the stomach. However, vomiting fresh red blood is rare.
Contents are different
When blood comes out of the mouth, it usually doesn't only consist of blood. There is content that accompanies the discharge of blood. Different contents can be a clue, the source of blood comes from. When from the respiratory tract, the contents are usually lighter, consisting of blood cells (erythrocytes, leukocytes, hemosiderin), immune cells (macrophages), and microorganisms. While vomiting blood is usually more severe because it is accompanied by the rest of the food that has not been able to be processed by the stomach.
different pH
Because it comes from a different place, the pH is different. The area of the respiratory tract is more basic, so if we attach the litmus paper to the blood coming out, the paper will turn blue. While vomiting blood from the digestive tract has mixed with stomach acid, so that the blood is acidic. When we attach litmus paper to the blood coming out, the paper turns red.
The presence or absence of symptoms of anemia
In coughing up blood, usually the amount of blood coming out is not too much, so symptoms of anemia or lack of blood are rare. However, if there is massive blood coughing, anemia can be experienced by sufferers. Massive blood cough often requires surgical therapy, if it meets the following criteria:
- If the patient has coughing up blood more than 600 cc in 24 hours and bleeding does not stop.
- If the patient has coughing up blood> 250 cc in 24 hours with Hb levels less than 10 g%, while coughing up his blood is still ongoing.
- If the patient has coughing up blood> 250 cc in 24 hours with an Hb level of less than 10 g%, but during the 48-hour observation accompanied by conservative coughing up the blood does not stop.
Vomiting usually causes anemia faster. Symptoms of anemia due to vomiting of blood include pale skin, pale eyes, weakness, fatigue, lethargy, palpitations, and shortness of breath.
Different stool colors
In coughing up blood, there is no relationship between blood production and fecal formation. In coughing up blood, it is usually normal colored stool. This is evidenced by the results Benzidine Test negative. Whereas in vomiting blood, other than getting out of the mouth, there is blood falling down to the large intestine, aka the center of fecal formation. In vomiting blood, it can also be accompanied by stool color that turns blackish. This is evidenced by the results Benzidine Test positive ones.
Now, from the simple method above, we can recognize the difference in coughing up blood by vomiting blood. If you are still in doubt, immediately see a doctor for further examination and treatment according to the cause. Because if it's too late, coughing up blood or vomiting blood can lead to death.
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