Cyanosis got its name from the word cyan; a bluish-green colour. It is a medical term that is used to describe a condition where some body parts turned to blue. The usual body parts involved are hands, fingertips, nail bed, feet, lips or tongue. Cyanosis happens when there is a lack of oxygen at the body part involved. The usual colour of oxygenated blood is red. When blood does not receive an adequate amount of oxygen, hence it will show a blue colour.
The one that is responsible for carrying oxygen through the blood is called haemoglobin. The haemoglobin will take oxygen from the lung and then carry it to the other body parts. After that, they will go towards the lung again to repeat the same process. Cyanosis happens when either there is an abnormal haemoglobin that cannot do their job properly, or overall lack of oxygen that is usually caused by some diseases. Either way, cyanosis can be a symptom of a serious disorder. It is recommended to meet your doctor as soon as possible if you experience an extreme blue discolouration of your skin. The following symptoms can be seen if you have cyanosis:
- The skin on the hands, fingertips, nail bed, feet or mucous membrane such as lips and tongue will turn to bluish colour.
- The body part involved will feel cold when touched.
- The colour of the skin or mucous membrane affected will return to normal after warming up that part.
Other symptoms may also occur if you have cyanosis. These include:
- Confusion
- Headache
- Fever
- Lethargy
Cyanosis can be caused by a lot of causes. Some diseases also can be responsible for causing cyanosis. This article will list possible common causes of cyanosis.
- Clothing or jewelry that is too tight. Sometimes wearing very tight clothing and jewelry can cause cyanosis. This happens because the blood cannot flow properly to its desired location.
- Raynaud’s phenomenon. This is a condition when our fingertips and toes become blue in colour due to cold temperature. Usually, the affected parts will also be painful. This happens as our blood vessels shrink during cold temperature, hence interfering with oxygen transfer to our hand and feet.
- Heart failure. A person with heart failure will not be able to pump blood to the other part of the body efficiently. Again, cyanosis will happen when some body parts did not receive an adequate amount of oxygen.
- Deep vein thrombosis. This is a disease that is caused by clots that form in the blood vessel of the leg or lower extremities. The clot will prevent the blood from reaching the furthest location, making it susceptible to cyanosis.
- Severe hypotension. A severe hypotension or low blood pressure can cause a significant decrease in oxygen transfer. This condition usually happens in septic shock, a fatal condition that occurs due to organ damage caused by infection.
- Hypothermia. This is a condition where our body temperature falls to a very low level. It usually happens when a person is stranded for too long in the snow or in a sea. Hypothermia is a medical emergency.
In some cases, cyanosis can be a life-threatening condition that needs immediate attention. Symptoms that can suggest a medical emergency include gasping for breath, fever, headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, numbness and painful hands, fingers, feet or toes. If you are experiencing cyanosis together with any of these symptoms, immediately seek medical attention as soon as possible. Your fast action will surely prevent any dangerous health complications in the future.
