The saying “feeling blue” is an idiom which means you’re feeling sad right, you’re not okay. Now what happens when your skin colour literally starts turning blue and it seems like you’re slowly turning into Mystique?
This is a condition called cyanosis, where skin, lips, or nails turn blue due to a lack of oxygen in the blood, explains the Cleveland Clinic. It is said that if your skin is darker, this condition might be simpler to spot in the areas surrounding your eyes, lips, gums, and nails.
“Normally, red blood cells carry oxygen to the tissues in your body. Your blood is red when it’s filled with oxygen because your blood cells are bright red. As a result, when oxygen-filled blood circulates throughout your body, your skin has a pink or red tone.”
The above clinic also mentions that cyanosis can be categorised into three types: circumoral, peripheral, and central. Circumoral cyanosis is said to occur when blood vessels shrink in cold temperatures, affecting only the mouth or lips. Peripheral cyanosis occurs when hands, fingers, feet, or toes turn blue, “This can happen in very cold weather if your hands and feet aren’t well protected. It’s rarely life-threatening, but it’s important to find out the cause because it may need quick treatment to prevent permanent injury.”
Central cyanosis affects other parts of the body, potentially due to serious heart, lung, or blood conditions, explains Cleveland.
According to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, cyanosis is caused by heart, lung, or blood abnormalities. Under normal conditions, it’s stated that “After receiving oxygen from the lungs, red (oxygen-rich) blood is delivered from the heart to the rest of the body. When it returns to the heart, the blue (oxygen-poor) blood is directed to the lungs to collect more oxygen.”
The publication further mentions that lung abnormalities, such as smoke inhalation, airway blockages, and primary lung diseases, can prevent oxygen from entering the blood, leading to cyanosis.
Very Well Mind states that the following symptoms are indicators of cyanosis:
- Chest pain
- Breathing becomes harder or faster
- Unable to take a deep breath
- Need to lean forward to breathe when sitting
- Use the muscles around your ribs, neck, or shoulders to help you breathe
- Frequent headaches
- Unusual fatigue
- Confusion
- Fever
- Coughing up dark or blood-tinged mucus
- Loss of consciousness
Also see: Yellow flags! What jaundice tells us about our bodies
