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Cyanosis is a condition characterized by a bluish appearance of the skin, lips and nails caused by a lack of oxygen or hypoxia. Various other medical conditions can lead to hypoxia, and the treatment options depend on the severity and type of this condition.
Proper diagnosis can help prevent serious situations and understand the signs and symptoms of cyanosis. In this article, we bring you all about this condition along with the treatment options available.
Types of cyanosis
This condition can be classified into three types, which are circumoral (perioral), peripheral and central.
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Circumoral (perioral)
The circumoral type is when the mouth or lips turn blue. It often occurs due to the shrinking of blood vessels in cold temperatures. This type can be common in newborns. In older children, it usually occurs in cold weather.
Peripheral
The peripheral type is when only the hands, fingers, feet and/or toes turn blue but not the mouth or lips. The condition is not life-threatening and can be prevented by taking proper precautions. Early treatment can reduce the risk of permanent injury.
Central
In this type, other body parts are also affected apart from the hands and feet. Affected areas may include the chest, cheeks, tongue, gums and lips. Medical conditions may be among the major causes of this type. Treatment should be given immediately to prevent death.
Cyanosis causes
This condition is predominantly caused by a lack of oxygen. Cold temperatures decrease blood flow and reduce the amount of oxygen circulating in the body.
A decrease in inhaled oxygen can also be considered as an external factor.
- Suffocation
- Inflammation around the vocal cords (known as croup).
- Eepiglottitis
- High altitudes
- Asthma
- Respiratory tract infection
- Pulmonary embolism
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Pneumonia
- Congenital heart defects
- Congestive heart failure
- Cardiac arrest
- Wearing tight clothes
- Extreme cold weather
- Raynaud’s phenomenon
- Certain medications
- Seizures
- Drug overdose
Proper diagnosis by a doctor is required to understand the cause since multiple factors can cause this condition.
Cyanosis symptoms
As this condition can be caused by various other medical, physical and environmental conditions, its symptoms can vary.
The main symptom is the blue coloration of the skin. Other common signs and symptoms of cyanosis are:
- Hhypothermia
- Numbness or tingling in the limbs
- Coughing
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Wheezing
- Difficulty in breathing
All the signs and symptoms might not be observed, and treatment depends on the severity of the condition.
Cyanosis treatment
Oxygen therapy is the most sought-after treatment for the condition. Regular oxygen therapy is usually prescribed for mild cases.
In severe cases, ventilators are also used. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients usually go through oxygen therapy.
Other treatment and management options include:
- Massage: A warm massage can improve blood circulation and treat the condition immediately. However, in case of other medical conditions, warmth or massage might not be effective.
- Antibiotics: Infections like pneumonia are treated using regular antibiotics.
- Inhalers: If a lung condition like asthma or COPD is present, doctors sometimes recommend using an inhaler.
- Surgery: Congenital heart defects like tetralogy of Fallot need surgery just after birth.
Various other medications are also prescribed depending on the severity of the condition. Oxygen therapy being the most common first aid, is effective and easier to provide. If any medication is causing cyanosis, it's discontinued by the doctor.
Indranil Biswas is a nutritionist and personal trainer with a diploma in dietetics and personal training with a specialization in sports nutrition and strength training.
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