Symptom: Cyanosis

Introduction: Cyanosis

Further information about Cyanosis is below, or review more specific information about these types of Cyanosis: blue skin, purple skin, Ankle blueness, Arm blueness, Back blueness, Breast blueness, Buttock blueness, Calf blueness or other types.

Cyanosis is a severe condition indicating a lack of oxygen in the blood supply. This can arise due to various severe illnesses that inhibit circulation or oxygen takeup. Localized cyanosis can also occur in areas of poor circulation such as the hands and fingers in Raynaud's phenomenon. Cyanosis may also be described as purple skin or dark skin in some cases. Any form of cyanosis needs medical investigation.

» Review Causes of Cyanosis: full list

Causes of Cyanosis:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Cyanosis. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Cyanosis
• Some other causes of blue skin include:
  • Cold weather
  • Bruising
  • Mole
  • Visible veins (see Varicose veins)
  • Blue nevus
  • Bulging veins
  • Livido reticularis
  • Mongolian blue spot - a blue/black spot on the buttocks or lower back region.
  • Raynaud's phenomenon - causes blueness usually of hands, fingers or feet.
• Some other causes of acute cyanosis include:
  • Choking
  • Inhaled foreign body
  • Cold exposure
  • Drug overdose
  • Shock
  • Asthma
  • Pneumothorax
  • Heart failure
  • Left ventricular failure
• Some causes of chronic cyanosis include:
  • Lung disorders
  • COPD
  • Emphysema
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Heart failure
  • Left heart failure
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Blue baby

See full list of 269 causes of Cyanosis

» Review Causes of Cyanosis: full list

Causes of Types of Cyanosis:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Cyanosis:

• Blue skin (206 causes)
• Purple skin (16 causes)
• Ankle blueness (10 causes)
• Arm blueness (11 causes)
• Back blueness (9 causes)
• Breast blueness (10 causes)
• Buttock blueness (10 causes)
• Calf blueness (12 causes)
• Chest blueness (9 causes)
• Chin blueness (10 causes)
• Ear blueness (7 causes)
• Elbow blueness (11 causes)
• Eye blueness (2 causes)
• Eyelid blueness (5 causes)
• Facial blueness (9 causes)
• Finger blueness (15 causes)
• Fingernail blueness (12 causes)
• Knee blueness (11 causes)
• Leg blueness (11 causes)
• Nipple blueness (9 causes)

See full list of 53 types for Cyanosis

Cyanosis: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Cyanosis, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Cyanosis: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Cyanosis and Blue skin (183 causes)
• Cyanosis and Skin problems (181 causes)
• Cyanosis and Skin symptoms (181 causes)
• Cyanosis and Skin color changes (180 causes)
• Cyanosis and Respiratory symptoms (141 causes)
• Cyanosis and Breath symptoms (131 causes)
• Cyanosis and Breathing symptoms (131 causes)
• Cyanosis and Breathing difficulties (129 causes)
• Cyanosis and Heart symptoms (99 causes)
• Cyanosis and Pain (87 causes)
• Cyanosis and Nerve symptoms (86 causes)
• Cyanosis and Sensations (86 causes)
• Cyanosis and Lung symptoms (78 causes)
• Cyanosis and Head symptoms (71 causes)
• Cyanosis and Muscle weakness (69 causes)
• Cyanosis and Muscle symptoms (65 causes)
• Cyanosis and Swelling symptoms (65 causes)
• Cyanosis and Heart rhythm symptoms (64 causes)
• Cyanosis and Fatigue (63 causes)
• Cyanosis and Death (63 causes)

See full list of 1106 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Cyanosis

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Skin symptoms (1818 causes)
• Skin color changes (723 causes)
• Blue skin (206 causes)
• Skin problems (1669 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Cyanosis

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Cyanosis:

• Purple skin (16 causes)
• Dark skin (106 causes)
• Skin color changes (723 causes)
• Redness (201 causes)
• Whitening (58 causes)
• Pallor (296 causes)
• Breathing difficulty (952 causes)
• Breathing symptoms (1102 causes)
• Circulation symptoms (37 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Cyanosis

12 MEDICAL SYMPTOM BOOKS: FULL TEXT ONLINE! Read the full text of published book sections related to Cyanosis from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Cyanosis. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Cyanosis

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic tests for Cyanosis:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Cyanosis. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Temperature, Blood pressure and pulse rate - to assess possible shock.
  • Cardiovascular examination for murmur or enlarged heart - may suggest rheumatic carditis, congenital heart disease or congestive heart failure.
  • Examine for reduced or absent peripheral pulses, cool peripheries, absence of hairs on peripheries to diagnose peripheral vascular disease
  • Examine respiratory system for any lung causes of cyanosis

See full list of 20 diagnostic tests for Cyanosis

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Cyanosis. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you noticed that you have cyanosis? - to determine if acute or chronic.
• Is the cyanosis central or peripheral? - Central cyanosis means that there is an abnormal amount of hemoglobin in the arterial blood without oxygen and the blue discoloration is present in parts of the body with good circulation such as the tongue. Peripheral cyanosis occurs when the blood supply to a certain part of the body is reduced e.g. lips in cold weather are blue but the tongue is spared. If central cyanosis is the problem must consider a problem with the cardiovascular or respiratory system.
• Is it localized or generalized?
• If generalized, which areas of the body does it affect?
• Is the blueness limited to one limb? - may suggest an arterial or venous thrombosis.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Cyanosis (18 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Cyanosis) may include:

• Blue tongue? - may indicate central cyanosis which is due to a lack of oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood vessels and thus may indicate high altitude, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary embolism, cyanotic congenital heart disease, polycythaemia or hemoglobin abnormalities. Any cause of central cyanosis can also cause peripheral cyanosis and thus blue skin.
• Blue peripheries? - may indicate exposure to cold, left ventricular failure, shock, arterial obstruction, venous obstruction or any of the causes of central cyanosis.
• Significant shortness of breath? - should consider a lung or heart origin for the cyanosis e.g. cyanotic congenital heart disease, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary emphysema or asthma.
• Stridor? - may suggest croup, foreign body.
• Symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon (if blue hands)? - e.g. sequential discoloration of the digits from pallor to blueness to redness upon exposure to cold. When fingers become red they are painful.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Cyanosis (18 listings)

Stories from Users for Cyanosis

Real-life user stories relating to Cyanosis:

• I was turned down by Mayo Clinic
• My 15 month old son collapsed, turned blue and was unconscious.......
• I don't know who to turn to
• Turning Purlple, Doctors Can't Help!!
• Im not turned on by him.
• my whole finger (next to pinky) turns blue ????
• Nothing Turns me on
• sclera appearance
• It would appear I'm not immortal anymore.
• Purple/blue tongue + reappearing vein-like appearance (14 month old boy)???
• seeing purple
• Turning Point
• Cyanosis and lack of oxygen
• reddening itching swollen lips filling with pus then turning blue
• purple patches
• Toes cramps and turn blue

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Cyanosis or relevant symptoms:

• Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Circulation) (171)
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath
  • Hand numbness
  • Purple-blue skin color
  • Need help with diagnoses
  • Anxiety and high BP
  • More user stories
• Respiratory (Lungs and Breathing) (136)
  • Chlorine/ammonia odor when I breathe
  • Chest Pain/Pain While Breathing
  • Clearing throat cough and breathing difficulties
  • Chest discomfort
  • Unable to get diagnosis....please help!
  • More user stories

Videos for Cyanosis

Patient Surveys for Cyanosis

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Causes of Cyanosis listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Cyanosis as a symptom include:

• Atrial septal defect (ostium primum)
• Cirrhosis of liver
• Ebstein's anomaly
• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Fallot's tetralogy
• Hydrogen sulfide
• Patent foramen ovale
• Phlegmasia alba dolens
• Pulmonary valve stenosis
• Transposition of great arteries
• Tricuspid valve stenosis
• Ventricular septal defect

See full list of 269 causes of Cyanosis
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Cyanosis:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Cyanosis as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Certain medications
• Amiodarone
• Dapsone
• Potassium chlorate poisoning
• High nitrite ingestion

See full list of 6 medications causing Cyanosis

Definitions of Cyanosis:

Cyanosis: A dark bluish or purplish discoloration of the skin and mucous membrane due to deficient oxygenation of the blood, evident when reduced hemoglobin in the blood exceeds 5 g/100 mL. [G. dark blue color, fr. kyanos, blue substance]
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Blueness of the skin caused by excessive amounts of deoxyhemoglobin in the skin vessels.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

A bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes; a sign that oxygen in the blood is dangerously diminished (as in carbon monoxide poisoning)
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Blueness of the skin caused by excessive amounts of deoxyhemoglobin in the skin vessels.
- (Source - CRISP)

Organs affected by Cyanosis:

The list of organs typically affected by Cyanosis may include, but is not limited to:

• Fingers
• Lips
• Tongue

Detailed list of causes of Cyanosis

The list below shows some of the causes of Cyanosis mentioned in various sources:

• Aberrant subclavian artery abnormality - cyanosis
• Accelerated silicosis - bluish skin
• Acid-Base Imbalance - cyanosis
• Acrocyanosis - blue and cold hands
• Acrodynia - cyanosis

See full list of 269 causes of Cyanosis

How Common are these Causes of Cyanosis?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Cyanosis. Of the 269 causes of Cyanosis that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 12 causes are "very common" diseases
• 8 causes are "common" diseases
• 2 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 18 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 246 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 269 causes of Cyanosis

Conditions listing symptoms: Cyanosis:

The following list of conditions have 'Cyanosis' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Cyanosis Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Cyanosis based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: