Why do I turn blue? Lung dysfunction

“Blue lips” are often found in people who have suffered from hypothermia. The most obvious reason for this is swimming in cold water or simply staying in a body of water for a long time. But this is the result of hypothermia and there is an explanation for this. But why do lips turn blue for no apparent reason?

Why do lips turn blue?

As they believe in medicine, nothing happens without a reason. And if the symptom of blue lips is present, then you need to urgently consult a doctor! With normal hypothermia in a person, the blueness goes away over time, as soon as he warms up - blood circulation normalizes and the capillaries of the mucous membranes expand. In this way, the normal pink color of the skin is restored, and there is no reason for further concern.

The alarm should be sounded if blue lips are caused by:

rapid heartbeat;
difficulty breathing;
elevated temperature;
feeling of heat in the chest;
persistent cough;
if lips and nails turn blue together.

With such symptoms it is necessary immediate help medical worker.

If everything is clear during hypothermia, the point is in the capillaries themselves, which narrow from the cold, and in normal temperature expand, and there is no danger, then other signs pose an undoubted threat to health.

Blue lips may indicate oxygen starvation- i.e. from long enough inhalation of toxic gases or vapors, even from tobacco smoke. Oxygen starvation and, as a result, blue lips may be due to heart problems.

With hypoxemia, the oxygen level in the blood drops, hemoglobin is restored, its values increase, causing pigmentation and a “blue” coloration of the lips. The disease itself is also called cyanosis of the skin in medicine (from the Greek “cyano” - deep blue), accompanied by a sharp bluing of the mucous membranes, including the lips and the surface of the skin (it becomes cyanotic-blue).

With constant blue lips and unusual pallor skin Iron deficiency anemia is suspected. This is a disease in which there is a lack of iron, necessary for the production of hemoglobin, which saturates circulatory system oxygen. Anemia occurs from poor nutrition(starvation), large blood loss (trauma, surgery, copious discharge on critical days, etc.).

What to do if your lips turn blue

If, against the background of general well-being, a person’s pulse begins to quicken, breathing is delayed or lost, or blue lips appear, then these are problems with cardiac dysfunction or respiratory system generally. Ordinary detached from the vessel in lung thrombus, manifestation of a heart attack, bronchial asthma, a surge in pneumonia can cause a serious lack of oxygen in the body. If such a fact is present, be sure to call ambulance and hospitalize the patient as quickly as possible.

In pediatrics, blue lips are noted when severe forms various diseases. The child has difficulty breathing and complains of a lump in the throat and pain in the lips. These symptoms indicate a serious illness, and in order to avoid an unfavorable outcome, immediate treatment in a hospital is required.

In the absence of any health problems, a person's lips have a pinkish or reddish tint. Any changes in color, for example, the appearance of a blue tint, signal the development of a serious pathology and the need to undergo examination at medical clinic, where they can tell why lips turn blue and what to do in such a situation.

general information

Since ancient times appearance lips was considered the main indicator human health, therefore, if the slightest deviations from the natural pinkish tint appear, this may indicate the development of diseases or inflammatory processes in organism. When faced with the appearance of blue discoloration on the surface of the lips, you should contact a specialist and find out the cause of the problem.

Exist natural factors, causing the structure to turn blue. First of all, it is a long stay in cold air, as a result of which the skin becomes bluish. However, if the shade change occurred without apparent reason This may be due to serious health problems.

If, except external changes skin appeared following symptoms, Seeing a doctor should be urgent:

Increased heart rate and shortness of breath.
The appearance of blue on the nails.
Feeling of lack of oxygen.
Increased body temperature or fever.
Coughing.

Cyanosis is characteristic feature many pathologies and is accompanied by changes in the color of the skin and mucous membranes. Such phenomena are caused by a high accumulation of deoxyhemoglobin in the blood - reduced hemoglobin.

A blood mixture that has not received the required amount of oxygen takes on a dark tint. Moreover, it is so intense that it is easily visible through the skin, giving it a bluish appearance. . This is clearly noticeable in places where the skin is very thin:

lips;
front of the head;

Blue lips occur in patients suffering from blood flow dysfunctions causing hypoxemia. If the capillaries cannot be fully filled with blood, this leads to next pathology- acrocyanosis. Its symptoms appear as blue discoloration on the tip of the nose and fingers.

Sometimes we notice that someone around us has a blue or purple tint to their lips. Blue lips may indicate serious problems in the functioning of the body and ignore alarm signal it is forbidden. If you notice that your lips are turning blue, you should medical examination . Blue lips may be accompanied by other symptoms, for example, increased body temperature, blue legs, impaired heart rate, sweating, severe cough and difficulty breathing.

Doctors call lips of blue color cyanotic. The main cause of blue lips is considered to be lack of oxygen in the body or oxygen starvation, which occurs due to cyanosis of the skin. Symptoms of oxygen starvation are characteristic purple skin and all mucous membranes, which is caused by an increase in the level of reduced hemoglobin in the blood.

First of all, in patients with cyanosis, problems with cardiovascular system and are referred to a cardiologist for testing. Another common cause of blue lips is a bad habit - smoking. Have an effect on the body harmful influence inhaled with tobacco smoke toxic substances, of which there are about 4000.

In addition to blue lips, a person may have pale skin. In this case, there is a high probability that the person is suffering iron deficiency anemia. Anemia is the most common cause blue lips of a pregnant woman. Iron is the most important trace element that takes part in many processes in our body. Iron is found in hemoglobin, which gives the blood its red color. A low level of hemoglobin can be observed not only with insufficient intake of iron from food, but with heavy blood loss, for example, during menstruation in women or severe injuries and peptic ulcers.

Quite often the cause of blue lips in children is serious illness called croup, which is certainly accompanied severe cough, disturbances in normal breathing.

If red lips change their natural color over time, and the patient experiences shortness of breath and a rapid pulse, then we can talk about obvious symptoms lung or heart problems. The patient may experience heart attack, bronchitis or asthma develop. All this indicates oxygen starvation. Sometimes the lips also turn blue due to the formation of a blood clot in the lungs. In this case, you must immediately seek help from a doctor.

Also blue lips can often be observed during hypothermia. At low temperatures the blood vessels located in the lips narrow, which does not allow blood to completely fill them. As a result, most of the blood begins to flow from these vessels to internal organs: brain, heart and kidneys, which helps maintain a constant temperature throughout the body. Natural pink color lips and skin occurs only if the blood moves through the vessels constantly at the same speed and in the usual volume. Return pale lips their pink color will turn out after warming the body, as well as a number of activities that will help small blue ones blood vessels no longer visible through the thin skin of the lips.

Sometimes blue lips occur in people with Raynaud's disease, when blood vessels in the extremities burst under exposure to low temperatures or from severe stress. Human body tries to replenish the vessels with blood, which ultimately gives the body a blue tint.

Blue lips during pregnancy are a sign that the expectant mother’s body lacks iron. This problem is quite common, so today there are already known drugs that can help resolve it.

If blue lips appear, it is recommended to restore blood circulation as quickly as possible. To do this, first of all, it is necessary warm the body. You can quickly warm up by wrapping yourself in a warm blanket. Helps keep you warm hot tea, but not too strong, since caffeine can, on the contrary, cause vasoconstriction. It is also recommended to avoid bad habits.

Before using the medications listed on the website, consult your doctor.

Blue skin or lips usually indicate low level oxygen in the blood or poor circulation.

When there is a lack of oxygen, the blood darkens, causing the skin to take on a blue tint. Scientific name This phenomenon is cyanosis. In people with dark skin Cyanosis is more noticeable on the lips, gums and around the eyes.

If blue discoloration is observed on the skin of the fingers, tip of the nose, lips, ears or turns blue nasolabial triangle- the area between the nose and upper lip and chin, they talk about acrocyanosis - blue discoloration of the parts of the body furthest from the heart. This happens more often when there is a circulatory disorder. If your entire skin turns blue, we're talking about about general (diffuse) cyanosis, which more often happens with a lack of oxygen: suffocation or bad work lungs.

IN in rare cases it is possible that the skin may turn blue in a separate area, for example, on one finger. The reason for this change may be thrombosis (blockage) of a blood vessel or its sharp narrowing, which happens, for example, with Raynaud's syndrome.

Cyanosis in adults- is always a reason to see a doctor. If an adult's lips quickly become blue, there is an increase in cutaneous cyanosis or the nasolabial triangle turns blue, difficulty breathing, chest pain, weakness, general malaise, or others suddenly appear alarming symptoms, you should call an ambulance by calling landline phone 03, from mobile 112 or 911.

Slowly developing cyanosis usually indicates a chronic heart or lung disease - in this case, you should consult a doctor yourself as soon as possible, and if feeling unwell- call a doctor at home. So, for example, the gradual turning blue of the fingers or toes, hands and feet also indicates a circulatory disorder, which happens in many chronic diseases heart and lungs.

Cyanosis in children- always talks about dangerous condition. In infants, the nasolabial triangle often turns blue. If your child's skin turns blue, you should call an ambulance or go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital yourself. The following symptoms also indicate danger:

shortness of breath - the child breathes faster than usual, flares his nostrils, tenses his muscles chest with every inhalation or exhalation;
the child sits bent over;
groans when breathing;
the baby is lethargic, detached from others, inactive;
eat poorly or refuse to eat;
the child seems irritated.

The main causes of cyanosis (blue discoloration of the skin and lips)

The most common causes of cyanosis are described below, however the information contained in this article should not be used to self-diagnosis- for this you need to consult a doctor.

Lung dysfunction:

thrombus in pulmonary artery(pulmonary embolism);
exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchial asthma;
drowning or prolonged exposure to water;
being at a high altitude above sea level - mountain (altitude) sickness;
severe pneumonia.

Impaired patency respiratory tract:

bronchiectasis, in which areas of the bronchi expand in the form of pouches, sputum stagnates in them and infections often occur;
holding your breath;
choking - read what to do if a person chokes;
croup - inflammation of the upper respiratory tract in children, for example, with diphtheria or viral infections when the lumen of the trachea or bronchi narrows sharply;
epiglottitis - inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis - a mucocartilaginous valve that separates the esophagus and trachea;
convulsions that do not stop for a long time, for example, with tetanus.

Heart dysfunction:

heart failure, in which the heart does not provide adequate blood flow to the organs and tissues of the body;
congenital heart disease - a defect in the heart in which the blood low content oxygen from the right ventricle enters directly into the left, bypassing the lungs, which can lead to cyanosis;
heart failure.

Other causes of cyanosis:

overdose medicines (drugs, benzodiazepines or sedatives);
impact cold water or air;
blood disorders, such as low hemoglobin (the blood cannot carry enough oxygen) or polycythemia ( high concentration red blood cells - red blood cells in the blood).

Which doctor should I contact if I have cyanosis?

If your condition and health remain satisfactory and there is no need for emergency medical care, consult a therapist. The doctor will prescribe a minimal examination to find out the cause of the change in skin and lip color. Depending on the results of the examination, the doctor will send you for a consultation with a cardiologist - if possible problems with the heart and blood vessels or a pulmonologist - to exclude diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract. By following the links, you can choose a doctor yourself using the NaPravku service.

Probably every person at least once in his life has seen a passerby with blue lips. Similar phenomenon In no case should it be ignored, since this indicates significant problems of the human body. If your lips begin to turn even a little blue, be sure to consult a doctor. You should also see a doctor if you experience a rapid heartbeat, blue nails, increased temperature, sweating, severe coughing and problems with normal breathing.

Causes of blue lips

IN medical practice Blue lips are called cyanotic. This phenomenon can be caused by a number of factors that should definitely be paid attention to, since this indicates certain malfunctions in the human body.

The main cause of blue lips is considered to be a lack of oxygen in the body (oxygen starvation), which occurs due to cyanosis of the skin. Symptoms similar disease is a clearly purple color of the skin and all mucous membranes (this happens due to high content reduced hemoglobin in the blood). If the patient has cyanosis, then, first of all, this indicates that he has problems with the cardiovascular system.

The second common cause of blue lips is smoking and constant exposure to the human body increased amount toxic gases.

In some cases, in addition to the presence of blue lips, a very pale shade of the skin can be observed. In this case, we can say that the patient suffers from iron deficiency anemia. Most often, anemia causes blue lips during pregnancy. Iron is one of the most important microelements, which takes part in many processes in our body. In particular, iron is one of the components of hemoglobin, which is responsible for the red tint of blood. Lack of hemoglobin can be associated not only with a lack of iron in food, but also with frequent and heavy blood loss (during menstruation, severe injuries and peptic ulcers).

Quite often, the cause of blue lips in children is a serious disease called croup, which is certainly accompanied by a severe cough and disturbances in normal breathing.

If red lips change their natural color over time, and the patient experiences shortness of breath and a rapid pulse, then we can talk about obvious symptoms of problems with the lungs or heart. The patient may have a heart attack, develop bronchitis, or develop asthma. All this indicates oxygen starvation. Sometimes the lips also turn blue due to the formation of a blood clot in the lungs. In this case, you must immediately seek help from a doctor.

Hypothermia is another most common cause of blue lips. This is explained by the fact that when frozen, the blood vessels located in the lips narrow, preventing blood from completely filling them. As a result of this, most of the blood begins to flow from these vessels to the internal organs: the brain, kidneys and heart, thus maintaining constant temperature of the whole body. Normal color lips and skin occurs only if the blood moves through the vessels constantly at the same speed and in the usual volume. It will be possible to return pale lips to their pink color after warming the body, as well as a series of measures that will help small blue blood vessels no longer show through the thin skin of the lips.

Sometimes blue lips occur in people with Raynaud's disease, when blood vessels in the extremities burst when exposed to low temperatures or severe stress. The human body tries to replenish the blood vessels with blood, which ultimately gives the body a blue tint.

Blue lips during pregnancy are a sign that the expectant mother’s body lacks iron. This problem is quite common, so today there are already known drugs that can help resolve it.

What measures should you take if you have blue lips?

Wrap yourself well in a warm blanket or terry towel, which will allow your body to quickly warm up. Blood will begin to circulate faster through the internal organs and rise from them to the limbs and lips.
You should drink hot tea. You need to be careful when drinking hot coffee, since the caffeine it contains causes vasoconstriction.
Sports activities (running, aerobics, etc.) will quickly warm the body and give it a pink tint, which will help oxygen reach all tissues of the body.
Set yourself a goal to quit smoking. Tobacco smoke and nicotine reduce the flow of oxygen to tissues and lead to rapid vasoconstriction.

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