What is the medical term for coughing up blood?

Haemoptysis can look like bright-red streaks in mucus, pink froth, or darker clots. The appearance alone cannot show the cause. Irritation after a forceful cough, an infection such as pneumonia, or an airway condition such as bronchiectasis can produce blood-streaked sputum. Less common but serious causes include a clot in the lung, tuberculosis or lung cancer. Blood from a nosebleed or gums may run into the throat and be mistaken for haemoptysis, while blood from the stomach is more often vomited and may look dark or grainy.

Sit upright, avoid exertion and note the colour, amount, duration and number of episodes. Bring a list of medicines, including blood thinners, to a healthcare visit. Do not assume a small streak is harmless if it returns. Contact a clinician promptly for new, unexplained or repeated haemoptysis so the source can be assessed.

Call emergency services for more than a small amount, bleeding that does not stop, difficulty breathing, chest pain, fainting, confusion or blue-tinged lips. Sudden breathlessness or chest pain with haemoptysis can signal pulmonary embolism and needs urgent care.

Ask whether the blood is likely from the airways, nose, mouth or stomach; whether any medicine could contribute; and which symptoms mean you should go directly to an emergency department.