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In the case of vomiting blood, go to the nearest hospital or call an ambulance.
Black vomit, known as hematemesis in medical terminology, is the regurgitation of blood alone or sometimes mixed with the stomach contents. It is quite natural to panic at the sight of blood, especially when it is gushing out of your mouth but the good news is black vomit causes are sometimes very minor in nature and are nothing to worry about. Have you ever had a mouth injury where you accidentally ended up swallowing some of your own blood which caused you to have a bloody vomit later on? Similarly, sometimes blood swallowed as a result of a forceful cough or even a nosebleed may cause you to throw up small flecks of blood. But that does not eliminate the potential threats of black vomit as it can sometimes be caused by more serious conditions like a sudden rupture of an organ or bleeding of one or more organs. Other serious conditions include, torn blood vessels, bleeding in the small intestine and other internal injuries. You should immediately call for help if you feel dizzy after standing, shortening of breath or other signs of shock.
Types of Bleeding:
There are mainly three types of bleeding that occur during black vomit.
- Bright Red Blood
- Dark Red Blood
- Brown Blood
Bright Red Blood is often a sign of a subtle bleeding occurring in the stomach or sometimes the esophagus. The source of bleeding, in this case, is often vivacious.
Dark Red Blood often represents a source of blood that is less vigorous but constant.
Sometimes, vomiting blood does not occur alone and comes with Melaena, a condition in which a person suffers from old, dark brown blood in the stool. These two conditions together point towards an intense bleeding in the belly. The color of the blood in vomit is important as it will help the doctor to carry out a more accurate examination of the patient.
Sometimes, other symptoms may occur alongside black vomit, making the case even worse. These symptoms may include the rise in the body temperature (fever) and pain in the abdominal region. Dizziness due to the loss of blood followed by, blurred vision, changes in the heartbeat and breath and severe cases, the patient might even faint.
Causes of Black Vomit in Adults:
Black vomit causes generally originate in the stomach as vomit is the forceful expulsion of the stomach contents. The severity of black vomit may range from minor to major and can sometimes be a cause of some underlying medical condition.
The minor causes of vomiting blood include:
Following are minor reasons that result into blood vomiting:
- Ingestion of a foreign object
- Accidentally gulping blood during a nosebleed or a mouth injury
- Inflammation occurring in esophagus
- Rupturing of esophagus due to forceful coughing
- Irritation in the stomach
- Side effects of medication
- Ulcers in the stomach
- Inflammation of the pancreas
The major causes of blood vomiting:
Following are some causes of blood vomit:
- Inflammation of the liver due to excessive use of alcohol, also known as alcoholic hepatitis
- Chronic liver failure or cirrhosis
- Stomach cancer
- Rupturing of the tissue lining of the stomach
- Cancer in the pancreas
- Rupturing of blood vessels
- Soreness in the lining of digestive tract
- Occurrence of high blood pressure in the portal vein
- Extended vomiting that is also intense in nature
- Radiation toxicity
Sometimes, even after numerous tests recommended by a doctor, the cause of black vomit may remain unidentified.
Black Vomit Causes in Children:
Black vomit is not limited to adults and sometimes may occur in children as well. The most obvious black vomit causes in children include:
- Absence of platelets resulting in numerous blood clotting disorders
- Accidental swallowing of a foreign object
- Ingestion of blood due to nosebleeds
- Deficiency of Vitamin K
- Common birth defects
- Allergies to milk
Potential Complications of Black Vomit:
Black vomit can lead to certain complications that mainly include inflammation in the belly and clogging of blood in the lungs, causing a difficulty in breathing which can prove to be life-threatening. These complications are very rare and do not occur normally but sometimes they may be seen in older people, people with heart conditions, people who have been a victim of alcohol abuse in the past and people who have had problems with swallowing before.
Moreover, the active loss of blood may lead to another medical condition characterized by the insufficiency of red blood cells, also known as Anemia. Some people also experience shock as a potential complication of black vomit. Shock is indicated by pale, cold skin, dizziness and also shallow breathing. Shock may sound non-threatening, but it can lead to a rapid decrease in blood pressure often causing coma or in extreme cases, even death.
Tests Required for the Treatment
To have a detailed account of your condition, your doctor will ask you certain questions about the bleeding that may include the color of blood as well. You will be asked about the possible occurrence of other symptoms before a proper medical examination.
The doctor will try to find out the possible source of the blood while making an assumption of the approximate loss of blood and the severity of the patient’s condition. After determining the source of blood, several tests of blood will be arranged to figure out the possible cause of blood vomit. Blood tests are a general assessment of the situation, including information regarding the amount of blood lost, potential need for blood transfusion to compensate for a large amount of blood loss. Not only this, but blood tests are also a good way to examine the functioning of the liver. We hope that this article will worth reading and you will be better able to understand the SYMPTOMS & CAUSES of black vomit
