Vomiting blood

Vomiting blood (called haematemesis) needs to be checked. It often needs emergency treatment.

Vomit can vary from bright red to brown or black. It may be like liquid or more solid, or look like coffee granules.

Causes of vomiting blood

There are many possible causes of vomiting blood.

It's often a sign of bleeding somewhere in your food pipe (oesophagus), which runs from your mouth to your stomach.

Common causes of vomiting blood include:

• gastritis
• stomach ulcers
• heart burn and acid reflux
• alcohol-related liver disease
• damage to your food pipe from being sick or coughing a lot

Less common causes include:

• oesophageal cancer or stomach cancer
• blood conditions, such as haemophilia
• some medicines, including aspirin, anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen and anticoagulant medicines (blood thinning medicines)
• poisoning

It's also possible to vomit blood that was swallowed. For example, from a nosebleed or a baby breastfeeding on a bleeding nipple.