Cyanosis

Cyanosis: Introduction

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
• more causes...»

See full list of 440 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 (376 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 (14 causes)
• Fingernail blueness (12 causes)
• Knee blueness (11 causes)
• Leg blueness (11 causes)
• Nipple blueness (9 causes)
• more types...»

Review causes of types of Cyanosis in more specific categories:

• Cyanosis in children (35 causes)
• Cyanosis in infant (23 causes)
• more types...»

See full list of 55 types for Cyanosis

Cyanosis: Symptom Checker

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

Symptom Checker

• Cyanosis: Symptom Checker

Symptom Checker

• Cyanosis and Blue skin (285 causes)
• Cyanosis and Skin problems (285 causes)
• Cyanosis and Skin symptoms (285 causes)
• Cyanosis and Skin color changes (283 causes)
• Cyanosis and Respiratory symptoms (239 causes)
• Cyanosis and Breath symptoms (228 causes)
• Cyanosis and Breathing difficulties (224 causes)
• Cyanosis and Nerve symptoms (175 causes)
• Cyanosis and Sensations (175 causes)
• Cyanosis and Pain (174 causes)
• Cyanosis and Head symptoms (173 causes)
• Cyanosis and Muscle symptoms (163 causes)
• Cyanosis and Muscle weakness (153 causes)
• Cyanosis and Death (152 causes)
• Cyanosis and Digestive symptoms (149 causes)
• more...»

See full list of 2694 Symptom Checker combinations related to Cyanosis

Cyanosis: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available related to Cyanosis:

• Skin Health
• more product offers...»

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Skin symptoms (3505 causes)
• Skin color changes (1640 causes)
• Blue skin (376 causes)
• Skin problems (3264 causes)
• more symptoms...»

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 (127 causes)
• Skin color changes (1640 causes)
• Redness (501 causes)
• Whitening (60 causes)
• Pallor (463 causes)
• Breathing difficulty (2582 causes)
• Breathing symptoms (2769 causes)
• Circulation symptoms (28 causes)
• Hypoxia (69 causes)
• Nail bed
• Methhaemoglobinemia
• Bronchospasm (222 causes)
• Congenital heart disease (64 causes)
• Heart failure (203 causes)
• more symptoms...»

Diagnostic Guides for Cyanosis

Medical Books Excerpts Read excertps from 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.

Cyanosis: Research Related Doctors & Specialists

• Skin Health Specialists (Dermatology):
  • Dermatology (Skin Health Specialists)
  • Dermatopathology
  • Pediatric Dermatology (Child Skin Health)
  • Dermatological Immunology / Diagnostic Laboratory (Skin Allergies)
• more specialists...»

Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:

• Rate Your Doctor by Taking a Survey Online
• Research Your Doctor
• View Online Patient Surveys from Other Patients of Your Doctor
• Research local doctors and specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Misdiagnosis and Cyanosis

Psoriasis often undiagnosed cause of skin symptoms in children: Children who suffer from the skin disorder called psoriasis can often go undiagnosed. The main problem is that psoriasis is rare in children, and not often seen by physicians for this reason. children may receive treatment for fungal skin infections. See misdiagnosis of psoriasis or symptoms of psoriasis....read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Cyanosis

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
• more tests...»

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.
• more questions...»

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.
• more symptoms...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Cyanosis (18 listings)

Stories from Users for Cyanosis

Real-life user stories relating to Cyanosis:

• fatigue and fog - my turn to ask....
• My Baby Has A Blue/purple Tongue-please Help
• 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!!
• Don't know where to turn...
• my whole finger (next to pinky) turns blue ????
• Dont know where to turn
• Im not turned on by him.
• Tinted Blue
• Nothing Turns me on
• Still no diagnosis in Uk where to turn to next
• It would appear I'm not immortal anymore.
• sclera appearance
• Need help on where to turn
• seeing purple
• Turning Point
• Purple/blue tongue + reappearing vein-like appearance (14 month old boy)???
• Thumb blueness
• Cyanosis and lack of oxygen

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) (333)
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath
  • Purple-blue skin color
  • Palpitations, inner left arm pain
  • Hand numbness
  • Need help with diagnoses
  • More user stories
• Respiratory (Lungs and Breathing) (248)
  • Please help my baby
  • Chest Pain/Pain While Breathing
  • Chlorine/ammonia odor when I breathe
  • Clearing throat cough and breathing difficulties
  • Do I have stage 4 lung cancer?
  • 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
• more causes...»

See full list of 440 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
• Ingestion of nitrates
• more causes...»

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
• ACPS III - cyanosis
• Acrocephalopolydactyly - Cardiac Disease - Ear, Skin and Lower Limb Defects - cyanosis
• more causes...»

See full list of 440 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 440 causes of Cyanosis that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 11 causes are "very common" diseases
• 8 causes are "common" diseases
• 2 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 17 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 418 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 440 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: