Coughing up blood: what should I do?

To be honest, has anyone else dealt with blood showing up in their throat phlegm?
My throat has been killing me for about a week now, making it almost impossible to swallow, though I haven't had any other symptoms. I went to see my doctor, and he told me it was just a viral thing, so he suggested I try gargling with some salt water. But then, about three days later, I started seeing blood in my mucus, and it’s been bothering me for four or five days straight without letting up. On the bright side, the actual soreness in my throat seems to be getting better...
Is there any chance I might have just irritated my throat too much with the salt water rinses?
I did a little bit of digging online, and I stumbled upon some stuff saying this could be a sign of throat cancer. I've been smoking for quite a long time, so I'm feeling pretty spooked right now...

Steven Anderson13 said:To be honest, has anyone else dealt with blood showing up in their throat phlegm?
My throat has been killing me for about a week now, making it almost impossible to swallow, though I haven't had any other symptoms. I went to see my doctor, and he told me it was just a viral thing, so he suggested I try gargling with some salt water. But then, about three days later, I started seeing blood in my mucus, and it’s been bothering me for four or five days straight without letting up. On the bright side, the actual soreness in my throat seems to be getting better...
Is there any chance I might have just irritated my throat too much with the salt water rinses?
I did a little bit of digging online, and I stumbled upon some stuff saying this could be a sign of throat cancer. I've been smoking for quite a long time, so I'm feeling pretty spooked right now...

If I were in your shoes, I’d head straight back to the doctor.

Steven Anderson13 said:To be honest, has anyone else dealt with blood showing up in their throat phlegm?
My throat has been killing me for about a week now, making it almost impossible to swallow, though I haven't had any other symptoms. I went to see my doctor, and he told me it was just a viral thing, so he suggested I try gargling with some salt water. But then, about three days later, I started seeing blood in my mucus, and it’s been bothering me for four or five days straight without letting up. On the bright side, the actual soreness in my throat seems to be getting better...
Is there any chance I might have just irritated my throat too much with the salt water rinses?
I did a little bit of digging online, and I stumbled upon some stuff saying this could be a sign of throat cancer. I've been smoking for quite a long time, so I'm feeling pretty spooked right now...

There isn't much else to say or debate here! You should probably head back to the doctor right away!!! I really hope it turns out to be nothing serious... please let us know how things turn out..

Go see a doctor right away... it likely isn't TM, but you can never be certain... and this should serve as a wake-up call

Thanks, everyone. I’ve got an appointment with my doctor tomorrow.
It’s still happening, and honestly, I’m starting to feel a little hysterical about it, though I’m trying my best to stay calm. I’ve always been a massive hypochondriac, so my mind immediately jumps straight to the absolute worst-case scenarios.
I was really hoping someone might chime in with a similar experience, but it seems like this isn't exactly a common thing...

Sometimes when I first wake up, I feel this need to clear out some mucus that builds up in my throat, though it’s always just a tiny amount and pretty clear and thin. But this morning was a bit different—I had to basically "snort" some drainage from my nose down through my throat just to cough it out, and I noticed some pretty noticeable streaks of blood mixed in there. How much should I actually be worrying about this?

My throat isn't hurting and I don't have a fever, but it feels like I've been producing way more phlegm since this morning started. I actually had my tonsils and adenoids taken out back when I was a kid. I recently went in for a full blood panel and everything came back totally normal. I tend to catch every little bug or cold that goes around, but I'm feeling fine otherwise. I'm 28 years old.

hiddenhawk88 said:Sometimes when I first wake up, I feel this need to clear out some mucus that builds up in my throat, though it’s always just a tiny amount and pretty clear and thin. But this morning was a bit different—I had to basically "snort" some drainage from my nose down through my throat just to cough it out, and I noticed some pretty noticeable streaks of blood mixed in there. How much should I actually be worrying about this?

My throat isn't hurting and I don't have a fever, but it feels like I've been producing way more phlegm since this morning started. I actually had my tonsils and adenoids taken out back when I was a kid. I recently went in for a full blood panel and everything came back totally normal. I tend to catch every little bug or cold that goes around, but I'm feeling fine otherwise. I'm 28 years old.

It sounds like you've got a sinus infection, and that blood is just draining straight down the back of your throat.

hiddenhawk88 said:Sometimes when I first wake up, I feel this need to clear out some mucus that builds up in my throat, though it’s always just a tiny amount and pretty clear and thin. But this morning was a bit different—I had to basically "snort" some drainage from my nose down through my throat just to cough it out, and I noticed some pretty noticeable streaks of blood mixed in there. How much should I actually be worrying about this?

My throat isn't hurting and I don't have a fever, but it feels like I've been producing way more phlegm since this morning started. I actually had my tonsils and adenoids taken out back when I was a kid. I recently went in for a full blood panel and everything came back totally normal. I tend to catch every little bug or cold that goes around, but I'm feeling fine otherwise. I'm 28 years old.

It isn't anything to panic over... You probably just had a minor nosebleed or irritated the lining of your nose while you were sniffing everything back.🙂

Honestly, scrolling through everything online lately has been a total nightmare because it feels like every single article is just another horror story about cancer. 😢

hiddenhawk88 said:Honestly, scrolling through everything online lately has been a total nightmare because it feels like every single article is just another horror story about cancer. 😢

Look, hiddenhawk88, a tiny speck of blood in your saliva isn't necessarily cause for a panic attack. It could be as simple as a busted capillary in your nose. I mean, you even mentioned the blood seemed to come from your nose rather than your lungs. Try steaming it out with some lavender essential oil or something similar. Just a heads-up though—do that at night and stay away from any heavy AC for a bit. But seriously, if this happens again, don't play games; go see a doctor. 😉

hiddenhawk88 said:Sometimes when I first wake up, I feel this need to clear out some mucus that builds up in my throat, though it’s always just a tiny amount and pretty clear and thin. But this morning was a bit different—I had to basically "snort" some drainage from my nose down through my throat just to cough it out, and I noticed some pretty noticeable streaks of blood mixed in there. How much should I actually be worrying about this?

My throat isn't hurting and I don't have a fever, but it feels like I've been producing way more phlegm since this morning started. I actually had my tonsils and adenoids taken out back when I was a kid. I recently went in for a full blood panel and everything came back totally normal. I tend to catch every little bug or cold that goes around, but I'm feeling fine otherwise. I'm 28 years old.

That isn't even concerning; it's actually pretty common for a tiny capillary to pop when you're blowing your nose or clearing your throat. You might see a little blood, nothing major. However—if this keeps happening constantly—you probably have a bacterial infection, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to go get a nasal swab tested.

Bumping this thread so I don't start a new one with the same question.

I’ve been dealing with sinus issues and breathing problems for a while now. Spent several hours last night blowing my nose and sneezing. Eventually, I coughed up blood in my phlegm two or three times—only when the cough was heavy, and it wasn't much, just streaks in the mucus. I stopped coughing immediately, of course. When I blew my nose, there was nothing at first, though a tiny bit appeared after a few minutes of blowing harder.

I can't tell if blood from my nose drained into my throat or what happened. It was pretty terrifying.😢 I don't have a cold right now (aside from the constant breathing issues), my throat doesn't hurt, and I don't smoke or hang out in smoky places.

Should I see my primary care doctor or just ask for a referral to an ENT?
(I know people say it's normal for membranes to get irritated and bleed in these cases, but then I don't understand why there wasn't any blood in my nose initially. Plus, I've only been using a little saline spray at night; I used to use way more and never had this issue.) Or am I just overthinking it? My tendency toward hypochondria is making me feel 😲lowly.

I’m starting to notice these exact same symptoms... does anyone know what might be causing this? I could really use some insight. :/

So, this thing hits you out of nowhere. I didn't bother checking my temperature during the first couple of days because I honestly didn't feel feverish. It started with a stuffed nose, some stinging, and a ton of mucus. I felt wiped out, but not quite that heavy "flu" kind of exhausted. After about two days, the typical cold symptoms kicked in—watery eyes, runny nose—and then it felt like all that phlegm was just stuck deep in my chest. I tried to work out to shake it off, but no luck. My chest is wheezing and making these rattling sounds, but I can't seem to clear it out. Around day 6 or 7, things finally start to loosen up and I can cough it up. Usually, the nasal discharge is clear and pretty heavy. Then, on day 8, I started coughing up bits of blood mixed with the mucus. I went to get some blood work done, and most things were fine, including my sedimentation rate and CRP (which was 5.5, just barely over the 5 limit). A few things were slightly off, though: my RBC was 5.18 (ref 5.08), MCV was 77.6 (ref 83), MCH was 25.9 (ref 27.4), MPV was 11.1 (ref 10.4), neutrophils were 73.6 (ref 72), and lymphocytes were 18.9 (ref 20).

The nasal swab came back as "normal nasal flora."

Between days 8 and 11, the blood in the mucus either disappeared or was just tiny little specks. But today is day 12, and I woke up coughing up a massive amount of mucus with those little capillaries and vessels again. To be fair, I took the dog for a walk in the freezing cold last night, and I could definitely feel it aggravating my chest.

The whole thing has been like this: I don't cough constantly, but when I feel that thick stuff hitting the back of my throat, I basically pull it up and hack it out.

Here’s the kicker: I’ve been on sick leave for two weeks now. I’ve gone through garlic, onions, every home remedy under the sun, and rinsed my nose until I was blue in the face, but I feel like I haven't made any progress at all (aside from the fatigue finally lifting). In fact, I coughed up a lot of that bloody mucus today, and my morning nasal discharge turned yellow—which it wasn't before—along with some crusty greenish bits.

My doctor is some young resident, maybe 18 years old or something, covering for someone. She didn't even listen to my chest; she just kept harping on about how much water I need to drink. I actually coughed up a bunch of that bloody phlegm right in front of her, and she didn't even blink, let alone order any tests. I ended up paying for these labs out of my own pocket.

I'm starting to worry it might be some kind of fungus or mold. I work in an old archive facility where the conditions aren't exactly great—we're talking old-school, century-old mold issues, not a modern HR office.

What do you guys think? Is this just a nasty virus, or should I just head to the ER since my temporary doctor clearly doesn't give a damn about what's going on with me?

Thanks.🙂

boldfalcon542 said:So, this thing hits you out of nowhere. I didn't bother checking my temperature during the first couple of days because I honestly didn't feel feverish. It started with a stuffed nose, some stinging, and a ton of mucus. I felt wiped out, but not quite that heavy "flu" kind of exhausted. After about two days, the typical cold symptoms kicked in—watery eyes, runny nose—and then it felt like all that phlegm was just stuck deep in my chest. I tried to work out to shake it off, but no luck. My chest is wheezing and making these rattling sounds, but I can't seem to clear it out. Around day 6 or 7, things finally start to loosen up and I can cough it up. Usually, the nasal discharge is clear and pretty heavy. Then, on day 8, I started coughing up bits of blood mixed with the mucus. I went to get some blood work done, and most things were fine, including my sedimentation rate and CRP (which was 5.5, just barely over the 5 limit). A few things were slightly off, though: my RBC was 5.18 (ref 5.08), MCV was 77.6 (ref 83), MCH was 25.9 (ref 27.4), MPV was 11.1 (ref 10.4), neutrophils were 73.6 (ref 72), and lymphocytes were 18.9 (ref 20).

The nasal swab came back as "normal nasal flora."

Between days 8 and 11, the blood in the mucus either disappeared or was just tiny little specks. But today is day 12, and I woke up coughing up a massive amount of mucus with those little capillaries and vessels again. To be fair, I took the dog for a walk in the freezing cold last night, and I could definitely feel it aggravating my chest.

The whole thing has been like this: I don't cough constantly, but when I feel that thick stuff hitting the back of my throat, I basically pull it up and hack it out.

Here’s the kicker: I’ve been on sick leave for two weeks now. I’ve gone through garlic, onions, every home remedy under the sun, and rinsed my nose until I was blue in the face, but I feel like I haven't made any progress at all (aside from the fatigue finally lifting). In fact, I coughed up a lot of that bloody mucus today, and my morning nasal discharge turned yellow—which it wasn't before—along with some crusty greenish bits.

My doctor is some young resident, maybe 18 years old or something, covering for someone. She didn't even listen to my chest; she just kept harping on about how much water I need to drink. I actually coughed up a bunch of that bloody phlegm right in front of her, and she didn't even blink, let alone order any tests. I ended up paying for these labs out of my own pocket.

I'm starting to worry it might be some kind of fungus or mold. I work in an old archive facility where the conditions aren't exactly great—we're talking old-school, century-old mold issues, not a modern HR office.

What do you guys think? Is this just a nasty virus, or should I just head to the ER since my temporary doctor clearly doesn't give a damn about what's going on with me?

Thanks.🙂

It sounds like you’re dealing with an allergy flare-up that’s starting to veer dangerously close to asthma. If this hit you right as a viral infection was already kicking your ass, you've basically been hit from both sides. That tightness in your chest is a massive red flag—you need to get on some Albuterol immediately and schedule much more thorough testing. This isn't something you can just brush off. My daughter ended up in the ICU because she developed atypical viral pneumonia as a direct result of this exact situation. You really need to have a doctor listen to your lungs and get a chest X-ray if things don't clear up within two weeks. It's also worth having them run blood work to check for specific allergy markers. Don't mess around with this.
Look, if you want my advice, grab some Mucinex for first aid; it thins out that bronchial mucus so you can actually cough it up more easily. You should also pick up some Claritin or a similar antihistamine, but don't bother starting it until you've had a blood test to confirm an allergy. It won't make things worse, but if allergies are indeed the root cause, you should see a noticeable improvement after a few days of taking it. Ideally, you’d have a doctor write you a prescription for Albuterol and Aerius—which is a higher-quality antihistamine you can only get with a script—and get a referral to a pulmonologist if you don't feel like managing this whole mess on your own.
Pick up an inhaler and start using saline. It’s a total game-changer. Also, you absolutely have to rinse your nose with saline twice a day. You can buy those dedicated rinsing kits, but honestly, you can just grab a large syringe and DIY it—just lean over the sink, tilt your head to the opposite side of the nostril you're working on, and spray the liquid in so it flows right through to the other side. There are a ton of tutorials on YouTube showing exactly how to do it.
Don't get worked up over micro-bleeding. It’s usually just a result of irritated membranes or straining. If you start seeing significant bleeding or if you have an episode of severe shortness of breath, head straight to the ER.

I dealt with blood in my saliva too, but we figured out pretty quickly that periodontitis was the culprit behind all that.

I can only say that, knock on wood, there’s been no blood for two days now, though I’m still hacking up a lot of phlegm. I actually sent a sample of that gunk off for testing myself. It came back contaminated—which, honestly, how am I supposed to cough up stuff from my trachea without it coming out through my mouth? Anyway, one thing did stand out in the results: eosinophils. Apparently, those levels can spike because of allergies or even a *Haemophilus* infection. My little guy actually tested positive for *Haemophilus* just a week before I did. Even if he passed it on to me, I guess it’s probably too late for antibiotics at this stage. I’m feeling a bit better overall, I suppose, but the wheezing and all this mucus are still really getting to me.🤔 I’m heading in for a follow-up today, but I’m not expecting much. My doctor doesn't exactly act like she's interested in figuring out why this is happening in the first place.🤦

I’m starting this thread mostly because I’m hoping someone might be able to talk me down a bit or offer some insight.

Just to give some context, I’ve been dealing with asthma for a while now, along with nasal polyps and some pretty annoying sinus issues.

So, out of nowhere tonight, while I was just talking, I felt this thick, dark phlegm build up in my throat—it actually had some blood mixed in with the mucus. It wasn't watery at all; it was more compact and really thick. I don't have a cough, and my throat doesn't even hurt, but I have been blowing my nose way more than usual lately because everything feels so stuffed up. I'm on a regular regimen of Naproxen (using the nasal steroid spray version) and I've also been using some Vicks stuff recently just because the congestion is so bad and it feels like my sinuses are just overflowing.

I guess I should mention that I totally panicked the second it happened, and my mind immediately jumped to the absolute worst-case scenarios. That said, I did have a chest X-ray done about two months ago, and everything came back perfectly clear.

Is there any actual reason to freak out here? Is it possible that this stuff coming up from my throat is actually just drainage from my nose or sinuses? To me, it kind of looks exactly like the mucus I get when I blow my nose, but I can't help wondering if I should be genuinely worried.

Thanks in advance, everyone 🙂

I couldn't quite get a hold of my doctor, so I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or maybe some advice? I'm just feeling a little bit worried about it all 🙂

Gregory Fox53 said:I couldn't quite get a hold of my doctor, so I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or maybe some advice? I'm just feeling a little bit worried about it all 🙂

It probably isn't anything serious, because that’s usually how these things go, though I can't help but wonder why people insist on poisoning themselves with all those harsh chemicals—take Lysol, for instance. What's actually interesting, if you think about it, is that if you aren't keeping your home sufficiently humid, you can end up seeing blood like that just from the dry air now that we've turned the heat on.