Nasal Congestion Or Respiratory Infections
You may experience bleeding when blowing your nose because of nasal congestion or a respiratory infection. Frequent blowing of the nose may create broken blood vessels. This can also occur if you sneeze or cough frequently, such as when you have a respiratory condition. You may experience nasal congestion or respiratory infections from a common cold, allergies, sinusitis, or another health condition.
Signs Of Pneumonia In Small Children And Older Adults
If you see signs and symptoms of pneumonia in your small child, it is important to see your doctor right away. Pneumonia is the number one most common reason for children in the United States to be hospitalized, and is the worlds leading cause of death for children under 5 years old. If you have any doubts about whether your young child may have pneumonia, seek medical attention just in case.
Older people are at a higher risk of developing and dying from pneumonia. Symptoms of pneumonia in older adults may be different than those in their younger counterparts. They may be fewer or less severe,may not include a fever and a cough may not produce mucus. One of the primary symptoms of pneumonia in older folks is confusion or delirium. You may also see a bluish tinge to the lips and fingertips. Those with pre-existing lung conditions may become sicker faster than those with healthier lungs.
If you recognize any of the pneumonia warning signs mentioned above, contact your doctor as soon as possible for a thorough physical examination and diagnostic testing.
When Is Coughing Up Blood An Emergency
Michael Menna, DO, is a board-certified, active attending emergency medicine physician at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York.
Coughing up blood, otherwise known as hemoptysis, can be very frightening. It can also be confusing at first. Is the blood truly coming from your lungs or could it be from a nosebleed, your esophagus, or from your stomach? While hemoptysis is the most specific symptom of lung cancer, it is more often due to a benign cause.
Let’s look at the possible causes, what may be done to diagnose the underlying problem, and the possible treatment options.We will also discuss when coughing up blood can be an emergency, but coughing up even small amounts of blood can be dangerous.
Coughing up a third of a cup of blood has a mortality rate of around 30%. If you have coughed up a teaspoon or more of blood, don’t wait to make an appointment. Call 911 now.
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Treatment Of Coughing Up Blood
Bleeding may produce clots that block the airways and lead to further breathing problems. Therefore, coughing is important to keep the airways clear and should not be suppressed with cough suppressants .
Hemoptysis may be mild and may stop by itself or when the disorder causing the bleeding is successfully treated.
If a large clot blocks a major airway, doctors may have to remove the clot using bronchoscopy.
Rarely, hemoptysis is severe or does not stop by itself. If so, a tube may need to be inserted through the mouth or nose into the windpipe or lower into the airways to help keep the airways open.
If the source of bleeding is a major blood vessel, a doctor may try to close off the bleeding vessel using a procedure called bronchial artery angiography and embolization. Using x-rays for guidance, the doctor passes a catheter into the vessel and then injects a chemical, fragments of a gelatin sponge, or a wire coil to block the blood vessel and thereby stop the bleeding. Sometimes bronchoscopy or surgery may be needed to stop severe or continuing bleeding, or surgery may be needed to remove a diseased or cancerous portion of the lung. These high-risk procedures are used only as last resorts.
If clotting abnormalities are contributing to the bleeding, a person may need a transfusion of plasma, clotting factors, or platelets.
Tranexamic acid, a drug that is inhaled, may be given to treat hemoptysis that does not resolve on its own or with treatment of the underlying disorder.
How Is The Cause Of Coughing Up Blood Diagnosed
Since coughing up blood can range from mild to serious, it’s important to diagnose the underlying cause of your symptoms so that you can be properly treated.
Your healthcare provider will begin an exam by asking how much blood you have been coughing up, for how long and how much is mixed with mucus.
The following tests may be done:
- A computed tomography chest scan.
- Chest X-ray to look for tumors or fluid in the lungs.
- Lung scan.
- Lung biopsy.
- Bronchoscopy to check if the airways are clear.
- Blood count.
- Pulmonary arteriography to see how blood flows through your lungs.
- Urinalysis.
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Bacteremia And Septic Shock
If bacteria caused your pneumonia, they could get into your blood, especially if you didn’t see a doctor for treatment. It’s a problem called bacteremia.
Bacteremia can lead to a serious situation known as . It’s a reaction to the infection in your blood, and it can cause your blood pressure to drop to a dangerous level.
When your blood pressure is too low, your heart may not be able to pump enough blood to your organs, and they can stop working. Get medical help right away if you notice symptoms like:
Your doctor can test your mucus or the pus in your lungs to look for infection. They may also take an X-ray or a CT scan of your lungs.
Your doctor will likely treat your lung abscesses with antibiotics. They may do a procedure that uses a needle to remove the pus.
What Causes Pulmonary Haemorrhage
There are many possible causes of pulmonary haemorrhage. In children, infection is a common cause.
Doctors are not always able to identify the cause. Where no cause can be found, this is called idiopathic pulmonary haemorrhage.
Bleeding may come from just one area of the lung, or from lots of different parts. Doctors will try to find out which. This is important because it helps them decide which treatment is likely to work best.
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Here Are 10 Reasons You Might Be Suffering From A Nose Bleed
Written by Mita Majumdar | Updated : April 9, 2015 11:19 PM IST
Most of us think that nose bleeding or epistaxis is not something we worry about. And we don’t have to. They are quite harmless and making it stop is easy. But what if the bleeding doesn’t stop even after 10 minutes of pinching your nose, or worse still, you have frequent nosebleeds? See your doctor then, it might indicate a serious problem.
Why does the nose bleed?
There are tiny blood vessels in our nose which break and bleed even with something as simple as when you pick your nose or when colds irritate the inside of your nose causing you to scratch or rub. So much so, that even blowing your nose very hard can cause your nose to bleed. All of these are common type of nosebleeds called the anterior nosebleeds since the front part of the nose is affected in this case.
How To Stop A Nosebleed
If you or your child experiences a sudden nosebleed:
- Sit down, rather than lying down, to reduce the blood flow.
- Pinch the soft part of the nose, just above the nostrils, for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Placing an ice pack on the bridge of the nose can also help.
If a nosebleed doesn’t stop after 20 minutes, see a healthcare provider immediately or go to your nearest emergency room. This is especially true if the bleeding is profuse, was caused by a blow to the face, or is causing dizziness or fainting.
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How Is Coughing Up Blood Treated
Treatment for coughing up blood varies. Mild and temporary coughing up of blood can be treated by cough suppressants. However, if your coughing up of blood continues or worsens you should seek medical care.
Once the cause of coughing up blood is determined, your physician will talk with you about the best treatment plan that will address both your symptoms and the underlying condition. First, they may seek to stop the bleeding by embolizing a bleeding artery or through a bronchoscopy.
Surgery and cancer treatment may be required if it is discovered your condition is caused by a tumor. Antibiotics may be prescribed for pneumonia or tuberculosis. Steroids may be used to treat inflammation causing the bleeding.
Possible Causes Of Bleeding When You Blow Nose
Traveling outside home can be strenuous. Even for those who do it on a regular basis and have the routine so set that they can accomplish it on auto-pilot, a change in routine can be disconcerting and throw off the whole morning. When seasons change and your body reacts, issues can result. For example, imagine you are standing on the train, awaiting your stop, when a sudden sneeze leads to nose blowing, and you look down to see that there was blood. This can be a slight abnormality that is no cause for concern if you are generally in good health. However, it can be a precursor for the discovery of serious issues.
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Things You Should Know About Pneumonia
- By Stephanie Watson, Executive Editor, Harvard Women’s Health Watch
Pneumonia is an infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill up with fluid or pus, which makes it harder to breathe. The most common symptoms are cough that may be dry or produce phlegm, fever, chills and fatigue. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and pain in the chest. and shortness of breath. Signs that indicate a more severe infection are shortness of breath, confusion, decreased urination and lightheadedness. In the U.S., pneumonia accounts for 1.3 visits to the Emergency Department, and 50,000 deaths annually.
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to affect people around the world, pneumonia has become an even larger health concern. Some people infected with the COVID-19 have no symptoms, while others may experience fever, body ache, dry cough, fatigue, chills, headache, sore throat, loss of appetite, and loss of smell.
The more severe symptoms of COV-19, such as high fever, severe cough, and shortness of breath, usually mean significant lung involvement. The lungs can be damaged by overwhelming COVID-19 viral infection, severe inflammation, and/or a secondary bacterial pneumonia. COVID-19 can lead to long lasting lung damage.
Here are other important facts you should know about pneumonia:,
Causes Of Frequent Bloody Noses
“What causes frequent bloody noses?”
Healthcare providers hear this question a lot, especially from parents. They may report that their children sometimes bump their noses or fall down and get nosebleeds. While this can be distressing, at least these parents know the cause.
More concerning are nosebleeds that seem to happen without a cause. Sometimes children will wake up in the morning with blood on their pillows or dried blood around their nose or face. While the causes of this are numerous, the simple fact is that some people are more prone to frequent bloody noses, particularly during dry weather or as a result of habits they may not even be aware of.
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Causes Of Coughing Up Blood
Although hemoptysis can be frightening, most causes turn out not to be serious. Blood-streaked sputum is common in many minor respiratory illnesses, such as upper respiratory infections and viral bronchitis. Sometimes the cause is blood from the nose that has traveled down the throat and then is coughed up. Such blood is not considered hemoptysis.
What Are The Treatments For Pneumonia
Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia, which germ is causing it, and how severe it is:
- Antibiotics treat bacterial pneumonia and some types of fungal pneumonia. They do not work for viral pneumonia.
- In some cases, your provider may prescribe antiviral medicines for viral pneumonia
- Antifungal medicines treat other types of fungal pneumonia
You may need to be treated in a hospital if your symptoms are severe or if you are at risk for complications. While there, you may get additional treatments. For example, if your blood oxygen level is low, you may receive oxygen therapy.
It may take time to recover from pneumonia. Some people feel better within a week. For other people, it can take a month or more.
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When To Go To The Hospital
Coughing up blood can quickly become an emergency. Coughing up more than one teaspoon of blood is considered a medical emergency. Coughing up 100 cubic centimeters of bloodonly 1/3 of a cupis called massive hemoptysis and has a mortality rate of over 50 percent. Don’t try to drive yourself or have someone else drive you to the hospitalcall 911.
You should also call 911 immediately if you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness, even if you cough up just a trace of blood. The problem is that coughing up blood can quickly cause airway obstruction and aspiration of the blood into your lungs.
Pneumonia Vs Cold And Flu Symptoms
Itâs tricky, because pneumonia can be a complication of colds and flu. This happens when the germs that cause those common illnesses get into your lungs. You might be feeling better, but then you start getting symptoms again — and this time, they can be a lot worse.
Cold symptoms tend to start slowly. Youâre more likely to sneeze and have a runny nose and sore throat than with either the flu or pneumonia. Colds donât usually cause a fever in adults.
The top clue that you have the flu is that the symptoms come on strong, seemingly out of nowhere. You may have:
- Fever above 100.4 F
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When Should I Call My Veterinarian
If the amount of bleeding is small and stops quite quickly, the horse does not appear unwell and there is no other evidence of injury, it is not unreasonable to delay calling a veterinarian. The horse should be kept quiet and fed from the floor until there is no evidence of blood or brownish discharge from the nose. If, however, there is a more significant bleed, if the bleeding is recurrent or persistent or if there is obvious related damage or illness, you should call your veterinarian as soon as possible so the cause of hemorrhage can be determined and treated appropriately.
When A Nosebleed Is More Than Just A Nosebleed
While most nosebleeds are nothing to worry about, some cases of epistaxis are cause for concern. Frequent nosebleeds occur more than once a week, according to Mayo Clinic. Frequent nosebleeds may be a sign of a problem.
Seek professional medical attention right away if:
Bleeding does not stop after 20 minutesNose bleeding is the result of a head injury, which suggests a skull fracture has occurredYour think your nose may be broken or if your nose takes on an odd shape after an injury to the nose or headSchedule an appointment with your doctor if:You suffer repeated nosebleedsYour nose bleeds frequentlyNosebleed episodes are not associated with a cold or other minor irritation
While most nosebleeds are nothing to worry about, some cases of epistaxis are cause for concern. Frequent nosebleeds occur more than once a week, according to Mayo Clinic. Frequent nosebleeds may be a sign of a problem.
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Why Is There Blood When Blowing Nose
1. Chronic Congestion
For those who deal with congestion on a regular basis, the tissue lining the passages of the nose can become inflamed. When this occurs, blowing the nose can lead to some minor damage to the tissue and result in a tiny amount of blood being excreted. This is what leads to blood in the tissue after you blow your nose. This tends to not repeat or cause increasing amounts of blood. Therefore, this issue is not cause for serious concern.
2. Broken Capillaries
The capillaries are small blood vessels in the nose that provide oxygen to the organ. Capillaries are needed to keep the internal surface of the nose alive, and therefore are close to the surface. This means they can break easily. For individuals on blood-thinners like Plavix or Coumadin, this occurs even more regularly and the severity of the nosebleed is increased. Therefore, individuals on these medications are advised to avoid blowing their nose whenever possible.Cold and dry weather increases the issues with capillaries and their tendency to burst.
3. Infection
If blood when blowing nose appears in conjunction with crusting on the inside of the nose, a slight infection may be present in the lower nostrils. These blood vessels can become inflamed and bleed, sometimes extensively, when one blows their nose. It can require cauterization to deal with the problem. This will require a visit to the doctor and a discussion of how often the bleeding occurs.
4. Allergies
5. Weather
6. Acute Bronchitis
Bacterial Vs Viral Pneumonia Symptoms
Bacteria and viruses are the most common causes of pneumonia. Fungi and parasites can sometimes cause it.
When the cause is bacteria, the illness can come on either slowly or quickly. It tends to be more serious than other types.
When a virus causes your pneumonia, youâre more likely to notice symptoms over several days. Early signs will look like the flu — such as fever, dry cough, headache, and weakness — but get worse in a day or two.
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