Thursday, April 23, 2009

I'm coughing up blood. Am I dying?

Here's how to diagnose this scary symptom.

Yes, you’re dying: Coughing up blood can be a sign of cancer or tuberculosis, says Joel Kline, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Iowa. That’s especially true when the cough is accompanied by chills, fever, weight loss or night sweats.

Relax, you’re not: The most common cause of this shirt-staining symptom is an infection, such as bronchitis. If you hack up less than two shot glasses of blood only once and if it occurs during or after a cold, it’s not something that needs attention. But see a doctor if you cough up several times a week.

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