Vomiting of blood called as haemetemsis in medical jargon is different from Haemoptysis - coughing out blood. Quite often patients cannot differentiate between the two and undergo un-necessary investgations. Rarely bleeding gums may confuse the issue.

Haemetemesis is a serious complaint. Although 90 out of 100 patients with haemetemsis may settle down without any active treatment, all patients with haemetemesis need to see a doctor and get investigated.

A bleeding ulcer in the stomach is the commonest cause of upper GI bleeding. Ulcer disease or ulcers caused by swallowing pain killers maybe the cause. When bleeding is due to liver disease it can grave.

Rarely bleeding can be so massive requiring hospitalisation, blood transfusions, endoscopy and treatment. Very rarely life-saving emergency operation may be required to stop the bleeding.

So vomiting of blood is an ominous symptom and should never be ignored and is mandatory to see a gastroenterologist at the earliest.