Why are lips blue? Causes of blue lips

Cyanosis of the lips or acrocyanosis is observed with anemia, diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory system. The content of reduced hemoglobin in the blood increases, which gives characteristic shade separate parts of the body.

Peripheral acrocyanosis develops when insufficient blood supply small capillaries, impaired blood circulation, increased oxygen uptake by tissues. The intensity of the change in skin color can be from a barely noticeable bluish color to a rich dark, blue-black tone.

The main reasons why the lips turn blue:

chronic heart failure;
poisoning toxic substances or drugs;
"blue" heart defects;
ventricular septal defect;
Iron-deficiency anemia;
after heavy bleeding;
diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
blue lips occur in children under 4 years of age suffering from croup;
rotavirus infection in newborns;
meningitis;
smoking;
allergic reaction to milk;
thromboembolism;
severe hypothermia.

The cause of blue lips in adults is a lack of oxygen in the blood or injury to small capillaries. With circulatory disorders, cyanosis is observed in the mouth area, auricles, tip of the nose, pads of the fingers and toes.

For diseases cardiovascular systems slows down the flow of blood to the tissues of the body. Oxygen starvation leads to an increase in the level of hemoglobin associated with carbon dioxide, which causes blue skin and mucous membranes.

In diseases of the respiratory system, the cause of acrocyanosis is a violation of gas exchange. concentrated in the vessels great content CO₂, which gives the dermis a characteristic shade. Malfunctions of the bronchi, lungs, congenital malformations of the heart partitions most often cause central cyanosis. In this case, blueing is observed not only in the area of the lips, the mucous membranes, face and other parts of the body with thin skin suffer.

Clinical picture

1. With a peripheral form of pathology in adults and children, the darkened dermis is cold to the touch, and with a diffuse form it remains warm. If the lips turn blue in a short period of time, then the cause is asphyxia caused by suffocation or blockage of the vessel by a thrombus.

2. Cyanosis can increase during physical exertion, against the background of emotional shock, prolonged hypothermia, with exacerbation of chronic ailments.

3. When the symptoms appear gradually and intensify during the day, this indicates intoxication of the body or an attack bronchial asthma. More a long period clinical signs observed in chronic diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

4. With heart ailments, there is a dull pain in the sternum, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle, fingers and toes, swelling of the lower extremities.

5. If the lips turn blue due to lung diseases, patients are worried about shortness of breath, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing. In pneumothorax, air enters the pleural cavity, compresses the lungs, heart and large vessels, as a result, blood circulation is disturbed, cyanosis develops. Attacks of bronchial asthma are accompanied by slow breathing, suffocation, lips, ears and extremities begin to turn blue, become cold to the touch. If a person does not provide timely assistance, coma and death may occur.

Causes of blue lips in young children

Mothers of babies often notice that when newborns cry, the color of the skin around the mouth changes. The cause may be congenital heart disease, septic shock, neonatal pneumonia, asthma. In addition to cyanosis, other symptoms of malaise are also observed, the baby does not eat well, does not gain weight, is drowsy, he is worried about coughing, rhinitis, fever. In such cases, urgent medical attention and medical advice are required.

When a child cries, a spasm of the larynx occurs, which is called affective respiratory syndrome. This condition is not dangerous and refers to age characteristics, increased nervous excitability of the baby. Children's body requires an increase in calcium levels, a trace element deficiency causes throat spasms, turns blue underlip, the area around the mouth, nasolabial triangle, face. In most cases, the pathology disappears with age; in children older than 3–4 years, such attacks are not observed.

Blue lips can be in newborns after intracranial hemorrhage, with cerebral edema, meningoencephalitis. Metabolic cyanosis occurs with titanium. In the blood serum, there is a significant deficiency of calcium and an excess of phosphates.

Blue lips in children may be due to congenital heart defects. Pathology is characterized by a violation of blood circulation, venous blood, not enriched with oxygen, is added to the arterial blood. Babies are born with normal weight and skin color, but by 8-12 weeks of life attacks of shortness of breath develop, the nasolabial triangle begins to turn blue, the baby loses consciousness, convulsions. Treatment is carried out surgically at the age of 3-6 years.

The cause of cyanosis in children may be respiratory disease- croup, babies and toddlers under 3 years of age suffer from it. Pathology is characterized by inflammation vocal cords and severe stenosis of the larynx. Worries dry, barking cough, wheezing, fever. With a critical narrowing of the lumen of the pharynx, salivation intensifies, turns blue upper lip, there is severe shortness of breath, suffocation.

When should you see a doctor?

It is necessary to consult a doctor in the following cases:

disturb dull pain chest, shortness of breath, palpitations;
elevated arterial pressure;
fingers, lips for no reason began to turn blue;
cyanosis is accompanied by convulsions and loss of consciousness;
not enough air;
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite;
if the child is lethargic, capricious, refuses to eat;
the lips turn blue, and the blueness does not go away for more than a day.

If cyanosis is accompanied by suffocation, increased heart rate, severe malaise, it is necessary to loosen the tight collar of clothing, to ensure the flow of fresh air into the room. The patient is seated in comfortable position rubbing limbs. Need to call an emergency ambulance.

Adults should consult a general practitioner, cardiologist, endocrinologist or pulmonologist. Children with signs of cyanosis are examined by a pediatrician or other specialized specialists depending on the cause of the blue around the lips. Restoration of blood circulation, normalization of blood pressure will help restore the natural color of the skin, stop the attack and avoid the development of serious complications.

Blue lips are a symptom of diseases manifested by a change in the color of the lips to blue. The reason is the blood deprived of a significant dose of oxygen, in which deoxyhemoglobin accumulates.

If you stay in the cold for a long time, freeze, then the question - why does the mouth change color in an adult - does not arise. If visible reasons no, you should consult a doctor to help the body.

The medical name for bluish lips is cyanosis. Where the epidermis is thinner, darkening of the blood becomes noticeable. Cyanosis is manifested in diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, anemia.

In children

Newborns often develop acrocyanosis. A bluish tint appears on the palms and feet. This phenomenon is not dangerous - with the progression of the circulatory system, peripheral cyanosis of the lips will pass by itself. Do not worry if the skin around the mouth turns blue, the so-called perioral cyanosis. This sometimes happens when the child is active, very angry, does not stop crying, for example, from colic, when the baby seeks to tighten his legs. The mucous membrane of the mouth, while the tongue is healthy pink.

If blueness is noticed on the lips, tongue and nails, consult a doctor.

If the baby's lips turn blue, analyze the following points:

whether the child is losing weight, is his development normal;
whether there are symptoms such as difficulty breathing, coughing - this is how asthma can manifest itself;
Are there any heart murmurs?
isn't it fatigue, lethargy and drowsiness, whether the baby is active.

Blue lips can occur with birth defect hearts. arterial blood connects with the venous vein that is not enriched with oxygen, blood circulation is disturbed. In the absence of symptoms at birth, after 2-3 months, shortness of breath attacks may appear, the nasolabial triangle acquires a bluish color, convulsions appear. Treatment occurs by surgery at 3-6 years.

A childhood croup disease can also cause cyanosis. Signs - stenosis of the larynx, inflammation of the respiratory tract. The temperature rises, dry cough torments, especially in the morning and evening, wheezing is heard. With a strong narrowing of the pharynx, salivation increases, the upper lip turns blue, and asthma attacks are disturbed.

Children with cyanosis are observed by a pediatrician. After identifying the reasons, he will refer the child to a specialized specialist.

In adults

Blue lips in an adult are not necessarily due to illness. Take into account the following factors:

long-term stay in places with insufficient content oxygen (metro, airplanes, closed vehicles);
hypothermia;
being at high altitude;
operations under general anesthesia;
strong physical activity;
smoking;
alcohol abuse;
pregnancy (with iron deficiency).

Health problems that cause blue lips:

Violation of the respiratory system. Signs of pathology - dry or moist cough wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain. May indicate the presence of a pulmonary thrombus, bronchial asthma, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pneumothorax.
Violation of the cardiovascular system. Cyanosis can occur when the blood supply to small blood vessels is poor. Often the cause is heart failure - the body does not provide full access of blood to the organs. Other diseases - high blood pressure, rhythm disturbance, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy can cause discoloration of the lips.
Severe poisoning of the body, in which enzymes in the tissues are blocked.
Shock condition with large blood loss (trauma, menstruation in women), anaphylactic shock, septic shock, fluid loss. Symptoms of the disease state - dizziness, weakness, rapid pulse, pale skin with a blush.
Reynaud's disease - rupture small vessels at stressful situations, exposure low temperatures, overvoltage.

If turned blue and, this may indicate inflammation or neoplasms of the skin. Changes inside the vessels lead to a failure of the blood microcirculation system. It can turn blue due to a blow or a bite.

Bluish lips can become due to herpes, its treatment oxolinic ointment. Herpes - viral disease, characterized by a blistering rash on the skin and mucous membranes. It is transmitted mainly by contact, including through kissing. In the treatment of rash with oxolin, it often occurs side effect- blueing of the skin. It is harmless and does not require therapy.

In women, lips of this color can be the cause of an unsuccessful tattoo by a non-professional master. We will correct the deficiency - you need to contact a specialist, he will correct the situation in several procedures.

How to get rid of cyanosis of the lips

If symptoms of cyanosis are present, the patient is given oxygen therapy. Only a doctor can find the cause of blueing - it is advisable to be examined by a cardiologist, pulmonologist and endocrinologist. It is necessary to pass the prescribed tests, to identify the cause of the disease.

If the cause of blue lips is impaired circulation, treatment can be applied folk remedies, which give positive reviews. It's easy to make them at home:

Mask of aloe juice and honey. The ingredients are diluted in equal proportions and applied to the blue area. Suitable for adults and children.
Tincture horse chestnut. The fruits are infused in cool water half a day. Boil the infusion. Drink 12 days 30 minutes before meals, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Folk remedies cannot be the only treatment! Seeing a doctor for cyanosis is mandatory.

First aid

If the mouth turns blue sharply, there is shortness of breath, dizziness, rapid pulse, vomiting, call an ambulance. It is necessary to ensure the flow of oxygen, loosen the collar of the clothes, seat in a comfortable position.

If the patient is cold, you need to warm the body, cover it with a blanket, rub the limbs. Hot drinks will also help raise your body temperature. The exception will be strong coffee, caffeine constricts blood vessels.

Warm up will help physical activity, jumping, running. The vascular tone will increase, blood circulation will be restored, and the tissues will be provided with oxygen in the required volumes.

If you turn blue during pregnancy, an urgent consultation with a gynecologist is necessary - anemia is likely, self-medication is contraindicated.

Prevention of the appearance

In the presence of chronic diseases respiratory and cardiovascular systems, blood diseases, it is necessary to undergo regular preventive examinations. stick right image life - take walks more often on fresh air, give the body moderate exercise, eat right. If you smoke, try to get rid of this habit, as well as from drinking alcohol.

Blue lips should not be ignored. Timely seeking medical help and properly selected treatment will return good health and alive healthy color faces.

The causes of blue lips can be very different, in this material you will learn about the main ones.

lack of oxygen

The main cause of blue lips is considered to be a lack of oxygen in the body - oxygen starvation. The phenomenon occurs due to cyanosis of the skin. The symptoms of such a disease are a clearly purple color of the skin and all mucous membranes, and this is due to high content reduced hemoglobin in the blood. If a person has cyanosis, then, first of all, this indicates the presence of problems with the cardiovascular system.

Smoking and toxins

Smoking and chronic exposure human body increased amount Toxic gases are the second most common cause of blue lips. In some cases, in addition to having of blue color lips, you can also observe a very pale shade of the skin, and this already speaks of iron deficiency anemia. Anemia is the most common cause of blue lips during pregnancy. A lack of hemoglobin can be associated not only with a lack of iron in food, but also with frequent and profuse blood loss (during menstruation, severe injuries and peptic ulcers).

Croup disease

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

Lung and heart problems

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

Hypothermia of the body

Hypothermia is another most common cause of blue lips. This is due to the fact that freezing blood vessels located in the lips narrow, not allowing blood to completely fill them. As a result, most of the blood begins to flow from these vessels to the internal organs: the brain, kidneys and heart, thus supporting constant temperature of the whole body.

Now you know why the lips turn blue in an adult and in what cases you need to seek help from a specialist. Treatment for each of the causes will be completely different.

Blue lips in a child is a symptom that indicates internal disorders or diseases. The hue changes due to fluctuations in the level of hemoglobin in the blood and its saturation with oxygen. Such manifestations in children become common cause diseases of the respiratory system and heart. First you need to provide first aid, then contact a medical facility.

The most common reasons why the lips turn blue are malfunctions of the heart, blockage of blood vessels. The phenomenon is due to tissue hypoxia. If the lower, upper lip turns blue, then a violation occurs as a result of a weak outflow venous blood and imbalance of arterial inflow.

The reason is a subcutaneous tumor, inflammation. The process is due to closely spaced vessels in the muscle of the lips. Such manifestations occur in a child when bathing in cold water or when it is cold.

Often when crying small child lips turn blue. If breast baby will cry for a long time, this provokes blood flow to the area of \u200b\u200bthe lips, chin, spraying oxygen accelerates the pace as a result of high lung activity. If the child has calmed down, the cyanosis has subsided, do not worry.

The reasons why the baby's lips may turn blue, not related to the disease:

lack of oxygen in enclosed spaces;
hypothermia on a walk at low temperatures;
strong physical activity.

A possible cause of discoloration of the lips is a combination of all factors.

The main causes of blue lips in a child:

pneumonia;
pneumonia;
asthma attack.

If the baby has no appetite, he is losing weight, lethargic, there is crying, coughing, fever, then you need to urgently go to an ambulance.

There is such a reason for the blue triangle near the mouth, as respiratory syndrome. The disease is not very dangerous, direct relationship has to age-related changes. Associated with excitement.

Symptoms:

blue lower lip;
triangle near the mouth;
face;
throat spasms.

There is a lack of calcium in the child's body. In children older than 4 years, the disease resolves on its own.

Metabolic cyanosis can cause bluish lips in newborns.

In such cases, an excess of phosphates occurs in the body, and a lack of sufficient calcium. Such phenomena occur after hemorrhage inside the skull, cerebral edema.

Congenital heart disease in infants provokes blue lips. A sign of pathology is a violation of blood circulation. In such babies, by 9-12 weeks, the following symptoms appear:

dyspnea;
loss of consciousness;
blue nasolabial triangle;
convulsions.

Treatment requires surgical intervention aged 3 to 6 years.

Cyanosis is due to the presence respiratory disease- croup. It affects children under 3 years of age.

Symptoms:

dry cough;
wheezing;
heat.

A dangerous condition is accompanied by salivation, suffocation, the upper lip turns blue.

What danger is cyanosis, is determined by the condition of the tongue and nails of the baby.

If they are pink, healthy look, there is a possibility of perioral cyanosis that does not cause danger.

If a bluish tint appears on the tongue, nails, mouth, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Possible complications

If the lips of a child turn blue, this may be due to asphyxia. It causes such complications:

suffocation;
blockage of blood vessels by a thrombus.

It is urgent to call an ambulance.

When determining shock, an infant may have:

weakness;
hard breath;
pallor, grey colour skin;
pulsation acceleration;
weak consciousness.

Poisoning of the body, an attack of bronchial asthma are accompanied by an increase in symptoms in a period of 24 hours:

shortness of breath appears;
dizziness occurs;
bluish mucous membranes, nails.

For a long time, the presence of signs of blue may indicate chronic diseases.

Complications associated with methemoglobinemia:

an overdose of antibiotics;
hereditary pathology.

In a child whose lips turn blue during the first weeks of life with a hereditary pathology, there is a change in the color of the earlobes, nails and the triangle. Complications - subsequently, such children often lag behind in psychomotor development.

If treatment is not prescribed on time, the infant may subsequently develop the following complications:

Psychoneurosis.
Structural damage to the brain.
Asomnia.
are declining protective functions organism.
Loss of appetite.

In severe cases, a coma is possible.

How to get rid of blue lips

If cyanosis is accompanied by a lack of air, breathing and malaise in the child become more frequent, first aid at home:

open the collar and chest so that the clothes do not squeeze;
provide air flow by opening the window;
rub your feet and hands;
call for emergency help.

In a hospital setting, the child is examined by a pediatrician and specialized doctors to determine the cause of the blue mouth.

What will help make the color of the lips pink:

restore blood flow;
normalize pressure;
prevent a seizure.

These steps will help you avoid complications. Then you need to find out the reason that caused the blueing.

The following diagnostic methods are used:

blood test;
x-ray of the respiratory organs;
tomography;
calculation of blood flow velocity;
determination of the composition of exhaled air;
electrocardiography.

The method of treatment will depend on the diagnosis. The goal of therapy is to eliminate oxygen deficiency.

After hypothermia for a crying baby, the following measures must be taken:

Wrap your body in a warm blanket.
Give warm tea.

Such actions will help to warm up faster, blood circulation will resume, blood flow will provide pink color mouth.

If your lips turn blue at a temperature, you should immediately consult a doctor. Children under 1 year old are assigned special medicines in extreme cases.

Drug treatment for older children will allow:

improve the flow of air to the lungs;
increase blood concentration.

The influx of a sufficient amount of hemoglobin with oxygen leads to normalization of color, eliminates cyanosis. In case of hypoxia and heart diseases, a hardware procedure is prescribed - inhalation of concentrated oxygen.

positive action: