Important Facts about Nose Bleeding What Causes It, Prevention and Treatment
Nose bleeding is known medically as epistaxis. It is common at every age, it’s rarely a cause for concern.
Most people experience at least one nose bleeding episode at one time or the other during their lifetime.
In children, the bleeding often is caused by injury to the nose. In elderly people, the bleeding may arise from high blood pressure.
If there was a serious accident, and the head has been injured. And there is a mixture of blood and watery or spinal fluid.
There may be a fracture at the base of the skull. It is important to have a thorough examination, and an X-ray carried out in all such cases.
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Those More Likely To Have Nose Bleeding
Nose bleeding is a fairly common condition although some individuals are more predisposed to having it than others:
- More often in children
- Elderly people especially those suffering from high blood pressure
- Women that are pregnant
- Blood-thinning medication such as aspirin or anticoagulants, such as warfarin can cause nose bleeding.
- those suffering from hemophilia (blood clotting disorders)
- other underlying health conditions
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Causes of Nose Bleeding
Common causes include:
- injury to the nose
- Picking your nose especially when the inside of your nose is dry and cracked.
- Use of Alcohol
- Colds and sinusitis, especially episodes that cause repeated sneezing, coughing, and nose blowing.
- Blowing your nose with force.
- Consistently inhaling hard drugs through the nose e.g. Cocaine.
- High blood pressure.
- Rheumatic fever in children
- Atherosclerosis.
- In some cases of facial and nasal surgery.
- Nasal tumors.
- Leukemia.
- Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
- When exposed to certain chemicals that may irritate the mucous membrane
- Deficiency in calcium
- High altitude – the decrease in oxygen, making the air thinner and drier. This may lead to nose bleeding.
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How to Prevent Nose Bleeding
In the absence of any underlying medical conditions, the following tips will help prevent nose bleeding.
- Always put on protective headgear, especially as a construction worker to prevent head injury.
- Your fingernails should be kept short to avoid picking your nose
- Avoid blowing the nose too hard, or too frequently.
- Avoid climbing high altitudes except absolutely necessary
- Before using any chemicals read the manual
- Take alcohol in moderation
- Avoid drug abuse.
Treatment
- Sit upright in a comfortable position, with your head held back.
- Try to keep your head higher than the level of your heart.
- Apply steady pressure to the side of your nose that is bleeding.
- Press on your nostril and hold it firmly for at least upwards of 13 to 20 minutes.
- Try and breathe through your mouth only during this time. You must not blow your nose.
- Do not strain or bend down to lift anything heavy.
- Have someone apply cold cloths to the back of your neck or to the face, or both.
- If you are still bleeding heavily and the nose bleeding does not stop in a short time, call the doctor right away.
- It may be necessary to cauterize the bleeding area.
