Coughed up blood in sputum

A week and a half ago I coughed up blood, first bright pink and then dark in my sputum, two or three times. I went to the ER and the doctor listened to my lungs and looked at the sputum I had on a handkerchief and said its probably nothing - a burst capillary, and that I shouldn`t be alarmed, and that if it happens again that I should go and do chest X rays. I went to another doctor (a specialist) two days later, and she said the same thing, plus she said that she wouldn`t send me to take chest X rays because I had them taken 8 months ago and they were fine. I have asthma, and I used to smoke, so I am still panicked by what happened and I can`t bring myself to believe what the doctors have told me (esp cause my dad died of cancer two months ago). I haven`t been coughing much prior to coughing up blood, but I have been out in very cold weather. This hasn`t happened again after that one time.  Does anyone have any helpful input? Tnx

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

If it has been a single episode, you need not worry. As it can occur in throat irritation. If it persists coughing up blood can be due to chronic bronchitis or bronchiectasis. Other possible causes of coughing up blood include COPD, lung cancer, tuberculosis, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia and lung abscess to name a few. So, if it persists consult your doctor for an evaluation.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.