Cough suppressants can lead to airway obstructions or keep the sputum trapped in your lungs, prolonging or worsening an infection.īlood-tinged sputum can sometimes be a symptom of an underlying condition that you can’t prevent. Then treatment focuses on addressing the underlying cause.Ĭall your doctor before using any cough suppressants, even if you know the underlying cause of your symptoms. surgery to treat a tumor or blood clot in the lungįor people who’re coughing up large amounts of blood, treatment focuses first on stopping the bleeding and preventing aspiration, which occurs when you breathe foreign material into your lungs.drinking more water, which can help flush out remaining sputum.cough suppressants for a prolonged cough.antiviral medications, like oseltamivir (Tamiflu), to reduce the duration or severity of a viral infection.oral antibiotics for infections like bacterial pneumonia.Treatments for blood-tinged sputum can include: In some cases, treatment can also involve reducing inflammation or other related symptoms. Treating blood-tinged sputum will require treating the underlying condition that’s causing it. During a biopsy, a sample of tissue is removed from your lungs and sent to a lab for evaluation. If your doctor notices a structural abnormality in your lungs, they may order a biopsy.They can order blood tests to diagnose different conditions, as well as determine how thin your blood is and check to see if you’ve lost so much blood that you’ve developed anemia.

This instrument helps them check for obstructions or abnormalities in your airways. During a bronchoscopy, your doctor lowers a bronchoscope down the back of the throat and into the bronchi.A CT scan of the chest can provide a clearer image of soft tissues for evaluation.A chest X-ray is often one of the first imaging studies they order. Chest X-rays can be used to diagnose a variety of different conditions.Your doctor may also use one or more imaging studies or procedures to help them reach a diagnosis. They’ll also ask about your medical history. Your doctor will listen to your lungs while you breathe and may look for other concerning symptoms, like a rapid heart rate, wheezing, or crackles. how many times you cough it up during the day.how long you’ve had blood-tinged sputum.When you see a doctor about the blood-tinged sputum, they’ll first ask you if there was any noticeable cause, like: Diagnosing the cause of blood-tinged sputum

Coughing up blood cancer