The outflow of blood from the nasopharynx is a symptom that can occur under the influence of various factors. Such a sign provokes fear in a person. However, it does not always mean the presence of dangerous pathologies. Of course, there are times when there is blood from the throat for reasons related to serious illnesses, injuries. But sometimes the symptom is explained by angina or an inflammatory process in the gums.
The main factors causing the occurrence of the symptom
The outflow of blood from the throat may be accompanied by coughing and expectoration of mucus. However, sometimes only this symptom is observed. In any case, if it occurs, you must consult a doctor as soon as possible. This condition often signals a health problem. The person who encountered him must undergo examinations. What pathologies can provoke a symptom? Blood can come from the throat for the following reasons:
- Ailments of the respiratory system.
- Mechanical damage, burns.
- Pathology of the digestive system.
- Inflammatory processes in the tonsils.
- Gum problems.
As a rule, bleeding does not occur suddenly. But if there is an ulcer in the stomach, the symptom may appear unexpectedly. Sometimes this symptom indicates mechanical damage. They occur in the process of coughing, screaming loudly, injuring or getting foreign objects in the throat. If blood comes from the throat for reasons related to injuries, a person needs urgent medical attention.
Chemical burns
The tissues of the pharynx and larynx can be damaged as a result of exposure to acids, undiluted alcohol, alkalis. The severity of this injury is determined by the duration of the effect of the substance on the respiratory tract. The harder the pathology, the more difficult its treatment will be. In some cases, with burns with compounds such as acid or alkali, not only the pharynx and larynx are damaged, but also the esophagus. Sometimes blood comes from the nose and throat due to the careless use of ammonia as a method of care. A symptom appears due to a violation of the integrity of the mucous membranes.
Exposure to physical factors
The outflow of blood from the throat is observed as a result of injuries.
Mechanical damage occurs due to careless handling of the plug, penetration of foreign objects into the respiratory system (for example, when swallowing bones). The cause of the symptom may be injuries (stabbed, chopped, gunshot). External injuries pose a more serious threat to the patient's life than internal injuries. They are associated with intense blood loss. In addition, injuries are often accompanied by injuries of the cervical vertebrae.
Burns
This pathology is due to exposure to high temperatures. Blood from the throat for reasons related to the use of hot food or drink is considered quite common. Burns contribute to the violation of the integrity of the tissues of the larynx, pharynx, and oral cavity. Sometimes they spread to the esophagus and trachea. In such cases, the consequences of such injuries are very serious. If boiling water penetrated the mucous membranes of the respiratory system, and bubbles appeared in the oral cavity, a person needs urgent medical attention. Lubricating the blisters with alcohol is strictly prohibited. Minor damage heals by itself.
Bleeding from the nasal cavity
This reason is also quite common. A symptom can be triggered by various pathologies.
However, it does not pose a threat to the life of the patient. If there is blood through the throat, small clots from the nasal cavity into the pharynx are causes without coughing. This symptom causes fright in a person. However, when it appears, you should remain calm. The main thing is to contact a medical institution in time, undergo a diagnosis and establish the cause of the symptom.
Pathology of the gums and dental tissue
It is possible to identify such ailments even without the help of a specialist. They are accompanied by a characteristic external feature - the appearance of blood fragments in salivary fluid. This occurs during brushing. With advanced inflammatory processes, a symptom can occur without any effects. If there is blood through the throat, gingivitis and tooth tissue pathologies are often causes without coughing. In such cases, the discharge usually has a burgundy or reddish brown tint. If you suspect one of these ailments, you should contact a dentist. You may need to have a tooth extraction procedure. In the presence of infectious pathologies, a specialist prescribes medications from the antibiotic group.
Tonsil inflammation
Infections affecting the tonsils are accompanied by a feeling of dryness in the throat. Often such discomfort is experienced by patients forced to be in stuffy rooms. Long and loud speech can provoke the outflow of blood from the throat. The causes of the symptom may be necrotic changes in the tissues that occur with tonsillitis, leukemia. In addition, improper use of drugs for the treatment of tonsils often causes mucosal damage.
For example, in the rinse procedure, some patients use iodine. Too much concentration of this substance injures the tonsils. As a result, blood flows from the tissues of the throat. In the presence of any pathologies, the recommended dose of the medication should not be exceeded. And before using any remedy, it is better to consult a doctor.
Respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases
If there is blood from the throat during expectoration, the causes are often dysfunctions of the bronchi, trachea, lungs, stomach, and esophagus. Such conditions require timely access to a specialist, examination and therapy. These include:
- The inflammatory process in the bronchial region. It is accompanied by a debilitating cough, discharge of clots of mucus with blood fragments. Ailment of this kind is chronic and acute. In the second case, the symptom is more common. Spasm of the bronchi causes tobacco use. Therefore, in order to avoid such an unpleasant situation, it is better to part with addiction.
- Tuberculosis. If a person has blood from the throat, the cause can be severe infectious processes. They are accompanied by profuse discharge, debilitating cough. Tuberculosis patients need long-term therapy. Pathology is accompanied by serious complications. They also contribute to the appearance of a symptom such as a discharge of red mucus.
- A broken blood clot can cause profuse bleeding from the lower respiratory tract. Pathology is treated only surgically. The result of therapy depends on how timely medical measures were taken.
- The formation of ulcers in the stomach or esophagus. The disease is accompanied by intense bleeding. It is possible to stop the pathological process only in a hospital setting.
- Malignant neoplasms in the throat, lungs, gastrointestinal tract. They also provoke the discharge of blood clots.
What to do first?
What should I do if a symptom occurs? If a person has bleeding from the throat, the reasons that caused this symptom are difficult to establish for someone who is not a doctor. However, before calling the ambulance service, you should pay attention to some important details. First, consider the hue of the discharge. They are light pink (when the blood leaves the arteries) or scarlet (if it is venous). Secondly, it is necessary to evaluate the intensity of the symptom. It should be remembered that weak discharge in the absence of medical care may increase. Then there is a high probability of death. Before the arrival of a specialist, it is advisable to find out the details that preceded the onset of the symptom. It must be remembered that the patient ate and drank where he was and what he did before the pathological process began. If there is blood from the throat, the causes of an adult are serious ailments. In a child, this symptom is usually explained by physical overload or a cold.
Signs of hazardous conditions
Among the manifestations of pathologies that threaten the life of the patient, one can list:
- The allocation of red blood with an admixture of foam. Symptom indicates a serious pathological process in the lungs.
- Fragments of a red tint with mucus or saliva are a sign of tuberculosis, severe disorders of the myocardium, a heart attack.
- Intense bleeding that occurs after an injury. This pathological process is quick and can lead to death.
First Aid Methods
If blood from the throat is plentifully secreted, the causes of an adult often have dangerous ailments of the respiratory system. A person needs immediate help. First of all, the patient should take a half-sitting position. It is necessary that the patient calm down. He is advised to give a small amount of ice.
Such a measure will alleviate the condition. Talking to the patient is strictly prohibited. If a symptom occurs, call the ambulance service. After the arrival of doctors, measures will be taken to stop the blood. Self-treatment at home is strictly prohibited. If the symptom was caused by an injury, a tight dressing can be applied to the neck area. It will stop tissue damage. A foreign object located in the respiratory tract of a person can only be removed by a doctor.
Diagnostic measures
After the patient is taken to the hospital, the following procedures must be performed to determine the cause of the pathology:
- Visual inspection. It is used as the only diagnostic method if damage or illness is visible to the naked eye.
- Laboratory tests. Assigned to clarify the causes of the disease. This is, for example, the determination of blood coagulability.
- Biopsy. Helps identify neoplasms in internal organs.
- Ultrasound examinations.
- Diagnosis using a laryngoscope.
- X-ray of the respiratory system.
The methods of therapy that the doctor prescribes depend on the results of the studies. For example, with tonsillitis, drugs are prescribed to combat microbes. Patients with tuberculosis should take strong antibiotics. Mechanical damage to the respiratory system requires surgical intervention and tissue treatment with disinfectant solutions. With cancer pathologies, surgery and chemotherapy are performed. Timely referral to a specialist gives a chance to cure 85% of patients with malignant tumors.
Taste of blood in the throat
This symptom occurs under the influence of various factors. They are not too serious, and quite dangerous. If a person feels a taste of blood in the throat, the reasons most often are:
- Mechanical damage to the oral cavity.
- Intense cough.
- Burns with hot food, liquid, chemical compounds.
- The use of vitamin complexes and supplements, which include iron, as well as antibiotics, allergy medications.
- Gastrointestinal pathology.
A taste of blood in the throat in the morning for reasons related to pathologies of the gums and oral mucosa is considered common. In addition, such a symptom may indicate the presence of an infectious process in the respiratory system (rhinitis, sinus inflammation, tumors in the nasal cavity).
Serious myocardial dysfunctions cause fragility of blood vessels. They are accompanied by coughing, heaviness and pain in the chest area. With such ailments, bleeding from the throat in the first half of the day is possible.