If you have to vomit blood, it is important not to waste time. Vomiting blood is a medical emergency and must be treated quickly to avoid further complications such as shock or cardiac arrest. Possible causes of spitting up blood should mainly be sought in problems in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, such as the esophagus and stomach. Consider, for example, stomach bleeding or esophageal bleeding. If you spit up blood, you may also have stomach pain, feel nauseous or even faint. Serious problems with the pancreas and liver can also lead to this phenomenon. Vomiting blood should not be confused with coughing up blood, which is a respiratory problem. What could be the cause of this disturbing medical phenomenon?

Vomiting blood

Alarm symptom

Vomiting is in itself a very unpleasant phenomenon, and if you also have to spit up blood, that is extra disturbing. If you see blood, that should ring a bell: it is an alarm symptom of your body that you should under no circumstances neglect. Vomiting blood is a very serious situation that must be thoroughly investigated. In medical terms, this phenomenon is referred to by the word haematemesis .

Additional complaints

Together with vomiting blood, symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and fainting may occur. Because the cause of spitting up blood is usually a problem of the stomach, intestines or liver, abdominal pain often occurs . This may be accompanied by fever, headache, palpitations, a rapid heartbeat and a general feeling of discomfort. Mucus may also be found in the vomit.

Spitting blood: urgent medical problem

Blood vomiting is very serious and is considered a situation that requires urgent action. In this case, go to a doctor or to the hospital emergency room as soon as possible and do not hesitate. Blood loss is never good for the body and certainly not when you lose large amounts of blood. In severe cases, vomiting blood can even cause shock and cardiac arrest. You can quickly become tired and weak because you lose energy when spitting, and internal bleeding can also be life-threatening.

Difference with coughing up blood

Vomiting blood is not the same as coughing up blood . Coughing up blood is called hemoptysis and is related to a problem in the airways or larynx. This can occur in patients with bronchitis, pneumonia, lung cancer and tuberculosis. When coughing up blood, the patient usually has a tendency to cough and cough violently. In addition, the blood may be mixed with white or yellowish mucus. In contrast, vomiting blood or haematemesis usually involves a problem in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Causes of spitting blood

Stomach bleeding

Vomiting blood may be primarily related to stomach bleeding. Bleeding in the stomach can be caused by stomach problems such as stomach inflammation, peptic ulcer and stomach cancer. There may also be an anomaly in the vascular wall of the stomach, such as erosion.

Esophageal bleeding

Problems with the esophagus can also cause vomiting of blood. It could be a tear in the esophagus, but also an inflammation, an ulcer or possible cancer of the esophagus. Esophagitis, esophageal ulcers and esophageal cancer can all cause vomiting of blood.

Pancreas

Vomiting blood can also be the result of problems with the pancreas. Complications include pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, the duodenum or duodenum is also one of the possible culprits that can lead to blood vomiting. In that case it concerns ulcers or fistulas of the duodenum.

Other causes vomiting blood

Side effect of medications

Vomiting blood can also occur as a side effect of some medications. Spitting up blood as a side effect of taking a drug is considered rare or very rare. Some examples of such medications are aspirin and ibuprofen .

Liver problems

Other possible causes may be related to excessive alcohol consumption, such as liver inflammation or liver cirrhosis . After extensive research, the precise cause will be determined and the doctor will propose treatment. It will usually be recommended to stop drinking alcohol immediately to allow the liver to recover. In addition, a modified diet can also be prescribed in which the patient must avoid foods that irritate the liver (e.g. fats, alcohol, chocolate).

Treatment for spitting up blood

Vomiting blood can therefore be due to various conditions. The treatment of vomiting blood will therefore depend on the underlying problem. For example, if the cause is a stomach ulcer, it will be treated medically, after which the blood vomiting will disappear. If the vomiting of blood is due to drug use (e.g. NSAIDs such as ibuprofen), another drug may be prescribed to replace it.

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