The blue coloration of body parts often indicates a lack of oxygen. While blue lips are not necessarily a health-threatening condition, the underlying causes should still be treated.
What are blue lips?
Particularly on the lips, blood vessels are located in close proximity to the skin surface. If there is a lack of oxygen, this is where it first becomes noticeable because the vessels shine out from under the skin. The blood is responsible for the transport of various substances in the human organism. On the one hand, it brings nutrients such as vitamins to every cell, and on the other hand, it supplies all organs with the necessary oxygen so that the body can maintain its function. As part of the gas exchange, used oxygen is constantly replaced by fresh oxygen. In this process, the hemoglobin in the blood takes care of binding oxygen and carbon dioxide. At the same time, this is responsible for the typical red color. As soon as the blood is loaded with oxygen, its color shimmers in a lighter tone. If there is an undersaturation of the important substance, the blood appears bluer. Especially on the lips, the vessels are located in close proximity to the skin surface. If there is a lack of oxygen, it is first noticeable here because the vessels appear to be protruding from under the skin. Thus, blue lips indicate an insufficient supply of oxygen.
Causes
Blue lips due to a lack of oxygen are also known as cyanosis. Ultimately, the phenomenon occurs due to several triggers, such as a slowdown in blood circulation. Different factors are responsible for the vessels contracting and the blood flow decreasing in speed. As soon as the human organism loses temperature and freezes, the vessels constrict. In this way, the body tries to avoid further loss of heat. Because the skin on the lips is particularly thin, the phenomenon is noticeable here. Circulatory disorders are triggered, for example, by blood clots in the course of thrombosis. This is a life-threatening condition and should be treated quickly under medical supervision. At the same time, circulatory disorders in general can be behind the symptom. Various processes can change the properties of the blood so that it can no longer transport sufficient oxygen. The decisive factor here is above all an increased concentration of methemoglobin. However, the oxygen supply can also be disturbed in other places, such as the gas exchange in the lungs due to lung diseases. If the heart no longer performs its function properly, an undersupply also cannot be ruled out.
Diseases with this symptom
- Cyanosis
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Ventricular fibrillation
- Heart failure
- Circulatory disorders
- Infection
- COPD
- Frostbite
- Pulmonary embolism
- Thrombosis
- Anemia
- Pulmonary diseases
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Pulmonary emphysema
Diagnosis and course of the disease
When making a diagnosis, the physician must be particularly successful in differentiating between peripheral and central cynosis. While in central cynosis the blood is not loaded with sufficient oxygen due to disturbances, in peripheral cynosis there is a reduction in the flow velocity. In this case, the physician looks at the tongue, for example. A bluish discoloration indicates the presence of central cynosis. Nevertheless, such a test cannot guarantee one hundred percent reliability. Generally, the diagnosis includes a visual examination focusing on the lips, nose, earlobes, mucous membranes and fingernails. By analyzing the patient’s blood, the level of oxygen carried by the red blood cells can be measured. Oxygen saturation can also be determined by pulse oximetry. In this process, the finger is illuminated by infrared light, whereby the color of the blood gives an indication of the oxygen saturation. If the physician suspects central cynosis, further examinations are ordered, the main purpose of which is to test the heart and lungs. The course of the disease depends on the underlying cause.
Complications
First of all, it should be noted that “blue lips” are only a symptom and not a disease. Accordingly, the blue lips in themselves can not provide complications. The diseases that cause the symptom of blue lips, on the other hand, may very well result in serious complications. If the blue lips occur as a result of cold, there is no need to worry. It is a normal reaction of the body to the cold. The blood is transported more slowly and the oxygen-poor blood, which is in the veins, shines bluish through the rather thin lips. This is at most a cosmetic problem, if any. However, if the blue lips occur as part of a lung or heart disease, they are no longer harmless, but the symptom of a serious condition. Complications of these diseases can include permanent heart failure, a chronic undersupply of oxygen, and other diseases of the heart and lungs. In the context of an undersupply of oxygen, for example, unconsciousness can occur. Other possible “complications” include death. If a circulatory disorder due to a blood clot is behind the blue lips, this can lead to death. Normally, however, blue lips can be attributed to cold and are harmless. Only if they occur more often and not in connection with cold, complications must be feared. Seeing a doctor is advisable.
When should you go to the doctor?
Blue lips belong to the medical phenomenon of cyanosis, which is caused by lack of oxygen or exposure to cold. Less threatening is usually the appearance of blue lips due to the influence of cold. In this case, just going to warm rooms usually helps. A doctor is rarely needed. The syndrome of blue lips is an undersupply of oxygen. The color of the lips is largely determined by the blood flowing in them. Oxygen-rich blood is freshly red, while the color of oxygen-deficient blood has a darker and bluish tint. Thus, blue lips, because of their thin skin, clearly indicate an oxygen deficiency, and by no means only directly in the lip area, but in addition in the wider body, since the blood eventually flows, although in cyanosis possibly more slowly than usual. Many causes are possible for the symptom of blue lips, including life-threatening bodily conditions. For example, blue lips may indicate impending thrombosis, which warrants summoning an emergency physician. Lung diseases and heart diseases such as cardiac insufficiency are also frequent triggers of blue lips. Here, too, it may be better to call an emergency physician right away and possibly save a life. After the first emergency treatment, the family doctor, internist, cardiologist or pulmonologist will later take over the further control examinations. These should definitely take place to avoid further emergencies.
Treatment and therapy
Therapy depends on the trigger. The focus is on treating the cause that led to the oxygen deficiency. For example, thrombosis, heart failure or asthma must be treated. In this way, it is also possible to control the blue discoloration of the lips. After all, these do not represent an independent disease, but only the symptom of another. Thus, therapy may consist of medication, bed rest, or even surgery. Heart failure, for example, is treated by various components. Thus, those affected should first avoid heavy physical work, eat a low-salt diet and reach or maintain their normal weight. At the same time, drug therapy is initiated. This often consists of beta-blockers and diuretics. If severe cardiac arrhythmias have developed, it may be necessary to insert a pacemaker. Asthma is alleviated with mainly two agents. These are capable of dilating the bronchial tubes or alleviating existing inflammation. In addition, the medication is used to reduce swelling of the mucous membranes. Affected patients usually have to continue treatment throughout their lives. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) primarily requires the patient’s cooperation regarding tobacco use. In order to avoid the triggers of the disease, smoking is not allowed. Otherwise, certain sprays cause the bronchial tubes to enlarge.
Outlook and prognosis
Blue lips are a well-known phenomenon that indicates it’s time to head for the warm weather. However, few people know that they can also be dangerous. Parents, in particular, pay attention to their children to see if they get bouts of blue lips, for example, when they play in the pool in the summer or outside in the snow in the winter. If blue lips already appear, it is high time to warm up the body again, because they are the first supposedly harmless sign of hypothermia. As long as something is done quickly now, the appearance of blue lips will not cause any further consequences. However, if the immune system is in poor shape, hypothermia may have been enough to open the door to bacilli. A cold is no longer unlikely. If the body is not warmed up again when blue lips appear, hypothermia will continue unchecked. Of course, it is extremely unlikely that this will happen in a summer swimming pool. In other situations, however, blue lips turn into serious hypothermia, which can end in all sorts of further complications such as cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac and respiratory arrest, and in extreme cases, death of the patient. In these cases, however, it is already not just a matter of blue lips, but of cases in which the patient could not be brought out of hypothermia quickly enough.
Prevention
Blue lips can be prevented to a limited extent. The main focus here is a healthy lifestyle without cigarettes and with sufficient exercise. Existing excess weight should be reduced. To avoid deposits, a balanced diet with few animal fats and plenty of vegetable food is recommended. After operations, an injection against possible thrombosis may be necessary. In general, especially people who are prone to circulatory problems should not spend long episodes standing or sitting. Cyanosis can be prevented only by preventive treatment of the underlying causes.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Blue lips are always an early indicator of inadequate oxygenation of the blood. A number of self-help measures are available for treatment. However, it should be ensured that the symptoms are not caused by serious organic diseases or poisoning, which require the fastest possible medical attention. In the many cases where insufficient protection from cold temperatures has caused blue lips, a gentle application of heat from both the outside and the inside will help. Hot tea or other hot beverages – even hot tap water – directly conduct heat to the inside of the body. From the outside, heat can also be carefully applied actively by means of a hot water bottle or other suitable means. If such objects are not at hand, a woolen blanket or a heat foil will help, leading to the fact that the heat generated by the body is not radiated to the outside. For general support of the blood circulation essential oils or Franzbranntwein are suitable, with which for example legs and arms are rubbed. Cold arm casts, which start on the back of the right arm and slowly work their way up to the shoulder, also have a particularly stimulating effect on the circulation. The left arm is then treated in the same way. Muscle movements provide for the generation of additional internal heat, because part of the energy resulting from the conversion of ATP to ADP is converted into heat.
