14 Causes Of Throat Bleeding And Don’t Ignore It

Bumisuka.com – 14 Causes Of Throat Bleeding And Don’t Ignore It. The presence of blood in the mouth is often the result of trauma to the mouth or throat, or it could be due to certain medical conditions. If you cough up blood, your throat may appear to be bleeding. However, blood can also come from other places, such as the respiratory tract or digestive tract.

Here are some possible causes of throat bleeding.

1. Pharyngeal abrasion

A pharyngeal abrasion is a scratch in the throat, which can be caused by swallowing something sharp, such as bone. In addition to bleeding, you may experience coughing, difficulty swallowing, vomiting blood, pain when swallowing, and may feel like something is stuck in your throat, as explained in Medical News Today.

In this case, consume fluids and soft foods. Soothe the pain with over-the-counter pain relievers and gargling with warm salt water.

2. Injury to the mouth or throat

Reported by Healthline, injuries to the mouth or throat may occur if you bite something hard, or if you get a hard blow to the mouth or throat area. For example during sports, falls, physical attacks, and others.

Blood in the mouth can also be caused by mouth sores, ulcers, gum disease, bleeding gums, or aggressive brushing or flossing.

If the cause is an injury and it is serious, seek medical attention. Anyone who experiences a punch to the chest and coughs up blood should receive immediate treatment.

3. Side effects of drugs

Anticoagulant or blood thinner medications can cause coughing up blood. According to the American Heart Association, people who are taking the following drugs may also notice blood in the urine or vomit and heavy nosebleeds:

• Apixaban.
• Edoxaban.
• Dabigatran.
• Rivaroxaban.
• warfarin.
• heparins.

If bleeding is a side effect of the above medicines, tell your doctor immediately.

4. Viral and bacterial infections

The following infections can cause a person to cough up phlegm that contains blood:

• Bronchitis.
• Pneumonia.
• Tonsillitis.
• tuberculosis.
• Bronchiectasis.

Bloody phlegm can also appear if a person has a severe or chronic cough.

Treatment will depend on the type of infection. Doctors may generally recommend drinking plenty of fluids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and getting plenty of rest.

5. Gum disease

Bleeding that appears to be coming from the throat can also be coming from the gums. Poor dental hygiene can lead to gum disease, which can cause bleeding. You may also see blood after brushing your teeth.

Other symptoms of gum disease include bad breath, red inflamed gums, loose teeth, pain when chewing, sensitive teeth and receding gums.

Improving oral hygiene can control symptoms. Quitting smoking can also help. Recommendations from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research include:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride.
• Flossing regularly.
• Go to the dentist regularly at least every six months.

6. Esophageal ulcer

Esophageal ulcers can result from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or esophagitis. In addition, it can also be caused by repeated induced vomiting, infections (such as Candida yeast), drugs (some antibiotics, NSAIDs, and bisphosphonates), long-term consumption of acidic foods and drinks, including alcoholic beverages.

Apart from bleeding, other symptoms can include heartburn, chest pain, difficulty swallowing which may be painful, nausea and vomiting.

A person with this type of ulcer may vomit blood. Vomit may look similar to coffee grounds, if blood clots are present. Seek emergency medical care if this happens.

Treatment for these ulcers usually depends on the cause. If it’s caused by GERD, your doctor may prescribe antacids, H2 blockers, prokinetics, or proton pump inhibitors.

If your esophagus is injured significantly, you may need intravenous fluids, antibiotics, and pain medication. To treat ulcers, doctors may use H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors.

7. Mucositis or stomatitis

Mucositis is painful ulceration and inflammation that occurs anywhere along the digestive tract, while stomatitis is painful ulceration and inflammation of the cheeks, tongue, throat, gums, lips, and roof and floor of the mouth.

The sores are red, sometimes with a white patch in the center, and may bleed.

People with cancer undergoing chemotherapy may develop these mouth sores as a side effect of treatment.

When sores develop in the mouth, the doctor will recommend careful oral hygiene and over-the-counter pain relievers. Using a soft toothbrush can help reduce the chance of injury to the gums.

8. Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis affects the respiratory tract and can cause difficulty breathing, wheezing, frequent respiratory infections, chronic coughing, and mucus that is thick and sometimes with blood.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, there is no cure for this condition, but there are many ways to manage the symptoms. Doctors may recommend airway cleansing therapy, mucus thinning medications, enzyme therapy, antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.

9. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may find blood in their sputum. However, coughing up blood is a less common symptom of COPD, more likely to indicate a chest infection, for example.

Other, more common, symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, frequent lung infections, and chronic cough.

COPD treatment involves managing symptoms and preventing the disease from progressing and further damaging the lungs.

10. Mitral valve stenosis

This condition causes the heart’s mitral valve to narrow, which limits blood flow. Mitral valve stenosis may experience difficulty breathing, chest discomfort, dizziness, heart palpitations, fatigue, and coughing up blood.

According to the American Heart Association, while medications can help manage symptoms, they are not a permanent fix. However, it is possible to repair or replace a stenosed mitral valve.

11. Pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism usually involves a blood clot that travels to the lungs and blocks an artery. Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood, although sometimes a person has no symptoms.

Pulmonary embolism needs immediate medical treatment. Doctors can give anticoagulants or thrombolytic drugs to dissolve blood clots. The doctor may also use a catheter to break up the clot or a filter to prevent new clots from reaching the lungs.

12. Pulmonary edema

This is a condition where the lungs are filled with excess fluid. Pulmonary edema is a condition that requires emergency medical treatment. Usually this stems from an underlying heart condition.

Symptoms include dizziness, excessive sweating, heart palpitations, severe shortness of breath, and pain. According to the publication StatPearls, a person can cough up frothy or pink phlegm.

The goal of the first treatment is to help the sufferer breathe and will then depend on the cause of the pulmonary edema.

13. Lung cancer

Reported by the American Cancer Society, coughing up blood is a common symptom of lung cancer. Other symptoms include chest pain, persistent cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, poor appetite and recurrent infections.

Treatment for lung cancer usually involves surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy.

14. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis

This rare condition can be fatal if left untreated. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis causes inflammation of organs and blood vessels.

Symptoms can include tiredness, fever, joint pain, cough, sometimes with blood in the mucus, nosebleeds, sinus infections, pus in nasal secretions, and shortness of breath.

Treatment of this condition may involve drugs such as steroids or rituximab.

Coughing up blood that cannot be explained why should not be ignored. See a doctor immediately for a diagnosis and treatment recommendations. See a doctor if the symptoms of blood in the phlegm are accompanied by loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and blood in the urine or stools.

Seek emergency medical help if:

• Cough produces more than a teaspoon of blood.
• The blood is dark and appears with bits of food.
• You also experience chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness (even if you just cough up a little blood).

When you have a bloody cough, you might think this is a throat that is bleeding. However, there is a possibility that blood may come from elsewhere, for example from the respiratory or digestive tract.

Small amounts of blood in the saliva are usually not a cause for concern. However, if you have a medical history of breathing problems, smoking, or if your blood pressure or counts are elevated, see a doctor.