Haemoptysis (Nafs-ud- Dam) – Khansi Mein Khoon Ka Thookna

Haemoptysis (Khansi mein Khoon ka thookna) is the coughing up of bloody sputum from the lungs and bronchial tubes (airway bleeding). Hemoptysis is a serious medical condition that needs immediate medical attention. Airway infections, cancers, as well as problems in blood vessels can cause hemoptysis.

If you are young and healthy, coughing up blood can be an alarming situation, however it is not a sign of a serious problem. It can be the result of chronic cough or chest infection. Therefore, needs appropriate diagnosis. Furthermore, it also can be a result of trauma to neck and chest, swallowing of something sharp or edgy that can cause blood in the sputum.

Hemoptysis can be classified as massive or non-massive based on the lost blood volume. Massive blood in sputum is a condition that is described as massive hemoptysis. On the other hand, non-massive hemoptysis refers to the low volume of blood in sputum.

Massive And Non-Massive Hemoptysis

Coughing up more than 4-5 g of blood is considered a medical emergency. Medical officials set a quantitative measure to explain the severity of hemoptysis, in which if you are coughing up blood less than 4-5 g, it is considered as non-massive hemoptysis and when you cough up almost 100 cc of blood, it is called massive hemoptysis.

Accompanying Symptoms

• High fever
• Chest Pain when coughing
• Coughing
• Purulent sputum
• Mucocutaneous bleeding
• Jaundice

Causes & Risk Factors Of Hemoptysis

There are many causes and risk factors that also can lead to hemoptysis (Nafs-ud-dam) and these may include;

1. Acute And Chronic Bronchitis: This one is the more common cause of Haemoptysis.
2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A type of obstructive lung disease characterized by long-term breathing problems.
3. Autoimmune And Inflammatory Conditions: this may include granulomatosis, lupus, both polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis as well as inflammation of the blood vessels (Churg-Strauss syndrome).
4. Bronchiectasis: This is a disease in which the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened.
5. Congestive Heart Failure: It can also be the cause of Haemoptysis due to the narrowing of the mitral valve opening causing obstruction in blood flow.
6. Paragonimus Westermani: One of the major species of lung flukes causing parasitic infections that can also lead to hemoptysis.
7. Tuberculosis (tb): Tuberculosis is a disease that usually attacks the lungs and can cause hemoptysis.
8. Lung Cancer: Hemoptysis can occur as a result of tumor erosion of a blood vessel.

Note: There are several sources of bleeding within the lung and endobronchial tree that can be responsible for Haemoptysis.

How is haemoptysis diagnosed?

Haemoptysis is managed according to the amount and rate of bleeding. If your condition is life threatening, you may need urgent treatment before any investigations are done.

To find out the cause of coughing up blood, the doctor will ask questions that may include the following:

• How much blood are you coughing up?
• How many times have you coughed up blood?
• How long have you been coughing up blood for?
• What other symptoms do you have?

You will probably be asked about your past and current medication and conditions, and whether you smoke.

Your doctor will check you for any signs of diseases that can cause you to cough up blood. They may take your temperature to check for an infection and look up your nose to make sure the bleeding is not from there.

Depending on your condition, you may need to have a chest x-ray or CT scan to detect any problems. You may also need to have a bronchoscopy, which is a procedure to see the inside of the airways and lungs.

If a blood clot in the lung is suspected, you may need a lung ventilation-perfusion scan, which looks at air flow and blood flow in the lungs.

Other tests that may be done include blood tests and a test to look for infection-causing bacteria in your saliva.

When To Seek Medical Attention?

If you are coughing up blood, you need to seek medical attention immediately. Contact your doctor and tell him about the symptoms that you are experiencing. Your doctor will perform some testing to accurately diagnose either you are experiencing hemoptysis or not. Coughing up blood can be a sign of a serious respiratory condition as well.

Single Herbs To Treat Hemoptysis

• Neel Khanti (Bugleweed)
• Num-Giyah/ Red hot cat’s tail (Acalypha Hispida)
• Waltheria Indica
• Baobab (Adansonia digitata)
• Khatmi (Althaea Officinalis)
• Tukhm e Khatmi (Marsh Mallow)
• Katan /Alsi (flax seeds)
• Roghan Alsi (Flax seed oil)
• Sat Leemun (Lemon extract)

Compound Unani Formulations For Haemoptysis

• Lauq Katan
• Lauq Sapistan
• Qurs Kehruba
• Sharbat Anjbar
• Khamira KhashKhash

EndNote: Unani drugs should be taken under the guidance of a certified Unani Physician. In order to get optimum results, patients are required to follow the regimen strictly.

Haemoptysis