Read on to learn about the types of cyanosis, what causes this condition, and when you should see a doctor. Under-oxygenated blood is bluer and causes your skin to look bluish purple. Cyanosis can develop quickly due to an acute health problem or external factor.
Life-threatening causes of cyanosis include:. Cyanosis can also be the result of a worsening health condition, or develop gradually due to a chronic or long-term health condition. Many health disorders that involve the heart, lungs, blood or circulation will also cause cyanosis. These include:. Most causes of cyanosis are serious and a symptom of your body not getting enough oxygen.
Over time, this condition will become life-threatening. It can lead to respiratory failure, heart failure, and even death, if left untreated.
Seek emergency medical attention if you develop cyanosis along with any of the following symptoms:. Your doctor can diagnose cyanosis just by looking at your skin. To diagnose the cause of cyanosis, your doctor will perform a complete physical exam. Exposure to sun or ultraviolet UV light, especially after taking a medicine called psoralens, may increase skin color pigmentation. Increased pigment production is called hyperpigmentation , and can result from certain rashes as well as sun exposure.
Skin color changes can be their own condition, or they may be caused by other medical conditions or disorders. How much skin pigmentation you have can help determine which skin diseases you may be more likely to develop. For example, lighter-skinned people are more sensitive to sun exposure and damage. This raises the risk of skin cancers.
But even in darker-skinned people, too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancers. Examples of the most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma , squamous cell carcinoma , and melanoma. Generally, skin color changes are cosmetic and do not affect physical health. But, mental stress can occur because of pigment changes. Some pigment changes may be a sign that you are at risk for other medical problems.
You may use medicated creams that bleach or lighten the skin to reduce discoloration or to even the skin tone where hyperpigmented areas are large or very noticeable. Emphysema is when the air sacs in the lungs are destroyed. Chronic bronchitis is caused by inflammation and thickening of the lining of the airways. People with chronic bronchitis also have excessive mucus in their airways.
These chronic symptoms can worsen with a respiratory infection like a cold or flu. Or from exposure to smoke or polluted air. When this happens, it can cause a dip in oxygen levels, which may lead to blue skin. Both conditions can cause difficulty with breathing and a chronic cough. A doctor can diagnose COPD with a breathing test called a pulmonary function test. Although there is no cure for COPD, treatments can reduce symptoms and make it easier to breathe.
People with COPD should stop smoking right away. They may use inhalers daily or as needed to help open the airways. Steroid medications can be taken by mouth when symptoms flare. Some people with more severe symptoms need to use a portable oxygen tank to keep their oxygen levels in a healthy range. Peripheral artery disease PAD occurs when arteries outside the heart, particularly in the legs, become narrowed.
If you notice your feet or hands turning blue or if they become cold to the touch, it may mean the artery is completely blocked. This is a medical emergency and you should go to the ER. PAD develops gradually. You may notice tingling or numbness in your legs only when you exercise or move. PAD is diagnosed by comparing the ankle blood pressure to the arm blood pressure. A doppler ultrasound uses sound waves to check the pulses in your arms or legs.
You may have an angiogram, which is a type of X-ray after receiving a dye injection. Treatment includes quitting smoking , exercising, and eating healthy food. In severe cases, emergency surgery may be necessary to restore blood flow. Congestive heart failure CHF occurs when your heart can no longer effectively pump blood for your body to function normally. This causes problems with oxygen delivery to the rest of the body, and fluid builds up in the lungs and lower legs.
CHF is diagnosed with echocardiography—an ultrasound of the heart. This detects how much blood in the left side of the heart is pumped out with each heartbeat. Other tests include blood work, chest X-ray, and an EKG. Depending on the degree of CHF, you may need to make lifestyle modifications, take medications, or undergo surgery. Lifestyle modifications include. You may need to take blood thinners. Some people may need a minor surgery to place an automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator AICD that can give a shock to your heart if a life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm is detected.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Illnesses caused by viruses, such as the flu, can develop into pneumonia. Pneumonia can be a medical emergency for very young children or people over age This also applies to people with weakened immune systems or chronic heart or lung conditions.
Pneumonia is diagnosed with a chest X-ray. Blood tests may provide more information. Treatment depends on the type of pneumonia you have.
Bacterial pneumonia must be treated with antibiotics. Hospitalization may be necessary. A pulmonary embolism PE occurs when a blood clot travels from the veins of the legs and causes a blockage of the arteries of the lungs.
This article explores the various causes of discolored skin patches and explains which of them require treatment. Birthmarks are patches of discoloration that people have when they are born. Some types of birthmark fade over time, while others may be permanent. Birthmarks are either vascular or pigmented. Vascular birthmarks are red, and they occur due to abnormal blood vessels in the skin.
Pigmented birthmarks are generally white, brown, blue, or gray. They result from a problem with the melanin in the skin. If a person has lighter or darker skin patches, this may signify a skin pigmentation disorder.
Type of skin pigmentation disorder include:. This is a common skin condition that usually affects facial skin and causes brown patches. It affects women more often than men. Triggers of melasma can include sun exposure and hormonal changes. This disease can affect any part of the body. It causes the cells that produce melanin, known as melanocytes, to stop working correctly, which results in patches of lighter skin.
The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown, but a problem with the immune system may be responsible. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. This is a temporary increase or decrease in skin pigment following skin trauma, such as a blister or burn.
0コメント