Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesAppearanceWhen to WorryTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Appearance
When to Worry
Treatment
This article discusses the causes, appearance, and treatment options for those with hematemesis.
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What Causes Hematemesis?
Several health disorders affect the health of the GI tract and can lead to vomiting blood. Causes include:
Gastritis
Gastritisis inflammation of the stomach lining. It can develop for several reasons, including:
When to Get to the ER When Vomiting BloodIf you vomit blood, you should head to your nearest emergency room (ER). While not all cases are life-threatening, they all indicate some internal bleeding and require medical attention.
When to Get to the ER When Vomiting Blood
If you vomit blood, you should head to your nearest emergency room (ER). While not all cases are life-threatening, they all indicate some internal bleeding and require medical attention.
How Chronic Gastritis Is Treated
Stomach Ulcers
Identifying and Treating Different Types of Ulcers
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
GERDis a form of reflux disease that develops because of compromised acid flow. The stomach contains acids to help break down food, but when that acid flows backward into theesophagus(the food tube that connects the mouth and stomach), it can irritate the esophagus lining, leading to symptoms.
The condition is often associated with reduced pressure in the esophageal sphincter, which is the area at the bottom of the esophagus designed to open and close as necessary while eating or drinking. Other conditions that are associated with GERD include:
Some possible risk factors associated with the development of GERD include:
Is Vomiting Blood Common in GERD?Severe GERD is more likely to present with bleeding because of damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
Is Vomiting Blood Common in GERD?
Severe GERD is more likely to present with bleeding because of damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver damage and disease over time. The liver is meant to help filter out and process alcohol. However, if the amount of alcohol in a person’s system is too much for the liver to handle, the organ becomes damaged. The most severe case of alcohol-related liver disease,cirrhosis of the liver, is associated with vomiting blood.
Damage to the Trachea, Stomach, and Esophagus
When a person is ill and coughing a lot, the force can cause damage to the windpipe(trachea), stomach, and esophagus. There are two possible reasons why coughing a lot while sick can lead to enough damage to cause vomiting blood.
The first is gastropathy. The condition is characterized as bleeding from the stomach lining because of dilated blood vessels. The second is calledMallory-Weiss tears, which are tears in the lower esophagus that can lead to bleeding. Gastropathy and Mallory-Weiss tears can both develop because of respiratory illness.
Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal canceris cancer of the esophagus. During the early stages of this cancer, people don’t often experience any symptoms at all. As the disease progresses, a person may experience other symptoms that include vomiting blood because of bleeding in the GI tract.
Stomach Cancer
Like esophageal cancer,stomach cancermay not present with symptoms right away. However, as it spreads and worsens over time, people can develop many symptoms, including bloody vomit.
Signs and Symptoms of Stomach Cancer
Blood-Clotting Conditions
Some conditions, such ashemophilia, lead to issues withblood-clottingin the body. If the blood cannot clot as it should, it can lead to internal bleeding. This internal bleeding can happen within the gastrointestinal tract and cause the into vomiting of blood.
Is Vomiting Blood Common in Hemophilia?
What Are Coagulopathy Disorders?
Medications
When taken in excess or not as directed, several medications can lead to GI bleeding that can cause you to vomit blood. Some possible medications with this side effect include:
The likelihood of experiencing drug-induced GI bleeding isn’t high, but when it happens, it is serious.
Throwing Up Blood: What Does It Look Like?
Vomiting bloodcan take on many appearances. There can be blood mixed in with food or blood on its own, and the amount of blood can also differ depending on the person and the type of bleed.
Blood in the vomit can appear:
Should You Worry About a Little Blood in Vomit?
Signs You Need Emergency Medical AttentionA healthcare provider should investigate all bloody vomit. That said, if you experience any of the following symptoms alongside bloody vomiting, call 911 or head to your nearest emergency department immediately. Signs include:WeaknessFeeling faintDizzinessRapid or shallow breathingCold, pale, and clammy skinPain in the stomachBlack stools
Signs You Need Emergency Medical Attention
A healthcare provider should investigate all bloody vomit. That said, if you experience any of the following symptoms alongside bloody vomiting, call 911 or head to your nearest emergency department immediately. Signs include:WeaknessFeeling faintDizzinessRapid or shallow breathingCold, pale, and clammy skinPain in the stomachBlack stools
A healthcare provider should investigate all bloody vomit. That said, if you experience any of the following symptoms alongside bloody vomiting, call 911 or head to your nearest emergency department immediately. Signs include:
Hematemesis Treatment
Treatment for hematemesis depends on how severe the bleeding is. However, there are some standard therapies used to help treat the condition, including:
The proper treatment will be chosen based on personal circumstances.
Summary
There are many underlying causes associated with vomiting blood, all of which come with other signs and symptoms. However, as vomiting blood can be severe, finding the cause and beginning treatment promptly is vital.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.UK National Health Service.Vomiting blood.Informed Health.Gastritis: Overview.NHS Inform.Stomach ulcer (Gastric ulcer).Clarrett DM, Hachem C.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Mo Med.2018 May-Jun;115(3):214-218.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Alcoholic liver disease.Mount Sinai.Mallory-Weiss tear.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer.University of California San Francisco Health.Hemophilia signs and symptoms.Fischbach W.Medikamenteninduzierte gastrointestinale Blutung [Drug-induced gastrointestinal bleeding].Internist (Berl).2019 Jun;60(6):597-607. German. doi:10.1007/s00108-019-0610-yLaine L, Laursen SB, Zakko L, Dalton HR, Ngu JH, Schultz M, Stanley AJ.Severity and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with bloody vs. coffee-grounds hematemesis.Am J Gastroenterol.2018 Mar;113(3):358-366. doi:10.1038/ajg.2018.5Arr Woodward R, Khan M.The treatment of haematemesis and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in United Kingdom Armed Forces and other deployed units.J R Nav Med Serv.2014;100(3):308-15.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.UK National Health Service.Vomiting blood.Informed Health.Gastritis: Overview.NHS Inform.Stomach ulcer (Gastric ulcer).Clarrett DM, Hachem C.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Mo Med.2018 May-Jun;115(3):214-218.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Alcoholic liver disease.Mount Sinai.Mallory-Weiss tear.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer.University of California San Francisco Health.Hemophilia signs and symptoms.Fischbach W.Medikamenteninduzierte gastrointestinale Blutung [Drug-induced gastrointestinal bleeding].Internist (Berl).2019 Jun;60(6):597-607. German. doi:10.1007/s00108-019-0610-yLaine L, Laursen SB, Zakko L, Dalton HR, Ngu JH, Schultz M, Stanley AJ.Severity and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with bloody vs. coffee-grounds hematemesis.Am J Gastroenterol.2018 Mar;113(3):358-366. doi:10.1038/ajg.2018.5Arr Woodward R, Khan M.The treatment of haematemesis and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in United Kingdom Armed Forces and other deployed units.J R Nav Med Serv.2014;100(3):308-15.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
UK National Health Service.Vomiting blood.Informed Health.Gastritis: Overview.NHS Inform.Stomach ulcer (Gastric ulcer).Clarrett DM, Hachem C.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Mo Med.2018 May-Jun;115(3):214-218.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Alcoholic liver disease.Mount Sinai.Mallory-Weiss tear.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer.University of California San Francisco Health.Hemophilia signs and symptoms.Fischbach W.Medikamenteninduzierte gastrointestinale Blutung [Drug-induced gastrointestinal bleeding].Internist (Berl).2019 Jun;60(6):597-607. German. doi:10.1007/s00108-019-0610-yLaine L, Laursen SB, Zakko L, Dalton HR, Ngu JH, Schultz M, Stanley AJ.Severity and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with bloody vs. coffee-grounds hematemesis.Am J Gastroenterol.2018 Mar;113(3):358-366. doi:10.1038/ajg.2018.5Arr Woodward R, Khan M.The treatment of haematemesis and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in United Kingdom Armed Forces and other deployed units.J R Nav Med Serv.2014;100(3):308-15.
UK National Health Service.Vomiting blood.
Informed Health.Gastritis: Overview.
NHS Inform.Stomach ulcer (Gastric ulcer).
Clarrett DM, Hachem C.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Mo Med.2018 May-Jun;115(3):214-218.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Alcoholic liver disease.
Mount Sinai.Mallory-Weiss tear.
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer.
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer.
University of California San Francisco Health.Hemophilia signs and symptoms.
Fischbach W.Medikamenteninduzierte gastrointestinale Blutung [Drug-induced gastrointestinal bleeding].Internist (Berl).2019 Jun;60(6):597-607. German. doi:10.1007/s00108-019-0610-y
Laine L, Laursen SB, Zakko L, Dalton HR, Ngu JH, Schultz M, Stanley AJ.Severity and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with bloody vs. coffee-grounds hematemesis.Am J Gastroenterol.2018 Mar;113(3):358-366. doi:10.1038/ajg.2018.5
Arr Woodward R, Khan M.The treatment of haematemesis and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in United Kingdom Armed Forces and other deployed units.J R Nav Med Serv.2014;100(3):308-15.
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