Are you vomiting blood?
Most people get scared and panic when they see blood in their vomit. Sometimes the blood vomit is mixed with food content while other times it is just blood. Vomiting blood is termed hematemesis. Vomiting blood may be due to minor issues or major issues. Let’s learn more so that we know how to handle such medical situations.
Vomiting Blood due to minor reasons
Blood sometimes may be from the nasal aerodigestive tract, sinus, irritation in the food pipe, tear in the food pipe due to chronic coughing and vomiting, swallowing any foreign object, etc. When people accidentally swallow blood from nasal bleeding or mouth injury bleeding, they can vomit this blood. The reasons why the nasal aerodigestive tract can have bleeding can differ in children, adults, and elders. In Children, the most common cause is a birth defect. If the veins or arteries in the aerodigestive tract or upper digestive tract are abnormal they can bleed. Vomiting itself can cause blood in the vomit because chronic vomiting can cause a tear in the upper aerodigestive tract which is not serious.
Vomiting Blood due to other common reasons
Sometimes not-so-serious conditions that are common can also cause blood in the vomit. They include stomach ulcers, gastritis, anemia, side effects from drugs NSAID and drugs like aspirin, etc.
Vomiting Blood due to major reasons
Certain serious conditions can also cause vomiting of blood. They include cirrhosis of the liver, cancer in the stomach, esophagus, pancreas, and erosions in the stomach lining. Alcohol abuse is common in male adults and most report vomiting blood if their liver has developed cirrhosis.
In very old people, it is most probably because of medicine induced, sometimes cancer, prolonged hospitalization, etc.
What to do if you are vomiting blood?
Since we may not know what exactly caused to vomit blood, every such instance should be reported to your doctor or physician. The doctor would first ask the nature and color of the blood, whether it is mixed with food, etc. If the color is coffee-brown or black, the doctor might recommend an endoscopy to see what is causing vomit in the blood. Endoscopy can show any underlying medical condition from the mouth to the duodenum. The procedure can act as therapeutic also if certain conditions can be cured then and there. After knowing the exact cause, the treatment protocols or surgical procedures are devised by the doctor accordingly.
If vomiting blood is followed by symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision, rapid heartbeat, changes in breathing, cold skin, confusion or a flustered feeling, fainting, severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood after an injury, you should get emergency medical care. Whatever may be the case, never panic when there is vomit in the blood! Handle the situation with calmness and approach the doctor immediately.
