But some nosebleeds (technical name – epistaxis) may be signs of something more serious than a momentary lapse of judgment or an injury. They may be caused by a foreign body in the nose, drug abuse or other serious conditions that warrant a closer look by a medical professional.
When to Worry About a Nosebleed
About 38 percent of patients suffer nosebleeds that are so voluminous or last so long they require hospitalization. Of those, one in 10 requires invasive treatment to stop the bleeding, according to a study published in the medical journal JAMA Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.
That report said the majority of physicians treat nosebleeds in the same manner a mother would minister to a child, stuffing the nose with cotton. A smaller percentage may cauterize broken blood vessels using electricity, heat or chemicals, and a tiny portion need surgery or embolization, which requires invasive sealing from within using a catheter to create a seal.
The embolization process can cause a stroke, so it’s highly unlikely to be used except in desperate situations. About 1.5 percent of people who underwent embolization suffered a stroke, and 1.3 percent died from arterial ligation, a form of surgery that ties off a ruptured blood vessel.
Keep in mind that those radical treatments are rarely used and usually involve patients with other underlying medical issues.
Nosebleeds can be caused by allergies, acute sinusitis, bleeding disorders like hemophilia, chronic sinusitis, the common cold, non-allergic rhinitis, trauma to the nose, and overusing aspirin or other blood thinners. Bleeding from the nose may occur with frequent cocaine use, a deviated septum, too-frequent use of nasal sprays, or exposure to chemicals like ammonia.
In rare cases, nasal bleeding is a sign of alcohol abuse, leukemia, a disease called hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, nasal surgery, nasal polyps, or tumors. Women also may have more frequent nosebleeds in the second trimester of pregnancy.
Despite some beliefs, high blood pressure does not cause or act as an indicator of nosebleeds, although severe high blood pressure may worsen or lengthen the bleed-out.
WHY NOSEBLEEDS HAPPEN
Nosebleeds generally occur as bleeding inside the nose. Although they can be scary for younger children, they are mostly harmless and just a messy inconvenience. The inner lining of the nose contains many blood vessels that are damaged easily and close to the surface, causing the reaction.
Dry air is a big prime mover in the creation of a nosebleeding, and when the heat is turned on as the weather grows colder, doctors refer to it as “Nosebleed Season” because of the increased frequency of complaints.
When dry, warm air is present, nasal membranes dry out and become more susceptible to infections and damage. That age-old and socially abhorred action of nose picking is also a big cause of damage to the vulnerable vessels because the probing finger scrapes the lining of the nose raw.
How to Treat the Bleed
In the vast majority of cases, time-tested methods of stopping the bleeding can usually arrest the problem in a short period.
Medical professionals recommend the following methods:
1) Sit upright – You reduce the blood pressure in the veins of your nose when you maintain an upright posture. Lean slightly forward to avoid swallowing any blood, which can travel down to the stomach and irritate that region.
2) Blow the nose – Grab a tissue and gently blow to clear out any accumulated or clotted blood. Use a saline nasal decongestant to moisturize the area if needed.
3) Pinch the nose – Shut both nostrils using the thumb and index finger to close them off, even if only one side of the nose is bleeding. Continue to breathe through your mouth as you hold the nose closed for five to 10 minutes. This will create pressure on the bleeding area and often will clog the flow of blood, stopping the bleeding.
4) Repeat the process – If bleeding doesn’t stop on the first try, don’t panic. Just repeat the process for 10 to 15 minutes.
If you were successful at stopping the bleeding, insert some cotton for a while to sop up any extra blood. Do not blow your nose, bend down for a while or pick your nose for several hours. It’s important to keep the head elevated to a position that’s higher than the heart.
When Bleeding Doesn't Stop
In certain cases, these easy home remedies may not provide blood flow cessation. This may happen after a serious injury, a car accident or some other mishap. If the patient has tried the various methods above and blood still flows after 30 minutes, it may be time to head to a medical professional for treatment. This is particularly true if there is a huge amount of blood loss or is ongoing in very young children, typically those age 2 or younger.
Plan Ahead for Nosebleeds
Because nosebleeds can happen to anyone at any time, it’s a good idea to plan ahead, particularly for the winter months. Get a humidifier to help with the dry, hot air that will circulate in your home. You can also work to keep the nose lining moist during the winter by using petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or an antibiotic treatment like Neosporin to swab the inside of the nose several times a day. Saline nasal sprays are also useful as a tool to keep the region moist and prevent dryness and cracking.
Because kids will be kids, anticipate that nose-picking will occur. If nosebleeds have happened in the past thanks to picking, you can help fight the problem by trimming the fingernails very short to making digging more difficult.
Of course, you should talk to your doctor if nosebleeds are happening so frequently that they are more than the occasional nuisance. There may be an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.