Ambulance 912HAP 9252
Back to all symptoms and conditions
General health information

Coughing up blood

Blood in coughed-up mucus needs assessment. A few small streaks or spots need urgent medical advice; more blood, or blood with chest pain or breathlessness, is an emergency.

In this article
Choose which sections to read

Coughing up blood is called haemoptysis. The blood comes from the airways or lungs and is often bright red and mixed with mucus or air bubbles. A small streak may occur after hard coughing or a respiratory infection, but even a little blood needs discussion because serious causes are possible.

  • Try to establish whether the blood is truly coughed up and does not come from the nose, mouth, stomach or oesophagus.
  • Record the amount, colour, number of episodes and accompanying symptoms; a photograph may help the doctor.
  • Call the same day for coughing up blood, especially with breathlessness, fever, chest pain, blood thinners or recurrence.
  • A lot of blood, increasing breathlessness, fainting or choking is life-threatening: call 912.
  • Investigations may include a chest X-ray or CT scan, blood tests, sputum tests and sometimes bronchoscopy.

Your response

Two anonymous questions

Did you find what you were looking for?

Do you now have a clearer idea of your next step?

Share article

Email

Do you need a healthcare provider after reading?

Search by type of care, organisation, name or district.

Further reading

Browse A–Z
R
Rectal bleedingBright red blood on toilet paper or stool may come from haemorrhoids or a small fissure, but dark blood, black stool, a lot of blood or accompanying symptoms need urgent assessment.
U
Urinary incontinence in womenInvoluntary urine leakage in women is common and usually treatable. Leakage with coughing or sport is called stress incontinence; sudden strong urgency suggests urge incontinence. Blood, fever, pain or inability to urinate needs assessment.
K
Kidney infectionA kidney infection is a bacterial infection of the kidney and renal pelvis. Fever, chills and pain in the side or back need medical assessment the same day; pregnancy or signs of sepsis make this especially urgent.