Nosebleed, also known as epistaxis, is a common disorder that can arise spontaneously. It usually occurs when the internal mucosa of the nose is damaged or is particularly dry; as a result, the thin blood vessels that run through it break and begin to bleed. Almost all episodes of epistaxis are due to blood coming out of the capillaries in the anterior part of the nasal septum, which is the central internal tissue that separates the nostrils from each other. This is a more common problem in those with allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, high blood pressure or bleeding disorders. If you know the causes that can cause it and know how to manage them, you can better treat your nosebleed problem.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: First Aid Measures
Step 1. Position your body correctly
If the nosebleed is not particularly severe, you can treat it by implementing first aid measures at home. To start, sit down because you will be more comfortable. Tilt your head forward so that blood can flow out through your nostrils.
- It may be helpful to put a towel under the nose to soak up the blood.
- Avoid lying down, as blood may enter your throat.
Step 2. Compress the nose
Use your thumb and forefinger to pinch the fleshy end of the nose and completely block the nostrils. This way you apply pressure directly to the damaged capillaries. If you press at this point, your intervention is more effective, as it blocks the flow of blood. Keep your nose stuffed like this for 10 minutes and finally release the pressure.
- If the bleeding continues, put pressure on for another 10 minutes.
- While doing this, breathe through your mouth.
Step 3. Cool the area
By lowering your body temperature, you can decrease the flow of nosebleeds. To do this, put ice cubes in your mouth that allow you to lower the temperature of the area faster than cooling the outer area of the nose. In addition, the temperature remains low for a longer period.
- This remedy is more effective than the cold compress over the nose, recent medical studies have shown that the latter is rather useless.
- You can also possibly suck on a popsicle to achieve the same result.
Step 4. Use an oxymetazoline nasal spray
During a nosebleed episode, as long as it's not common, you can try a medicated nasal spray if you don't have hypertension. This drug causes the blood vessels in the nose to constrict. To use it, take a small clean cotton ball or gauze, add 1-2 drops of this spray and insert it into your nostrils; keep pinching them and after 10 minutes check if the bleeding has stopped.
- Even if the nosebleed has stopped, do not remove the cotton or gauze for about an hour, as your nose may start to bleed again.
- Be cautious with this drug, as too frequent use, such as more than 3-4 days each time, can lead to addiction and nasal congestion.
- You should only use it if the bleeding doesn't stop after pinching your nostrils for the first 10 minutes.
Step 5. Wash your nose and rest
Once the nosebleed has stopped, you can clean the entire nostril area with warm water. After washing your face, you should rest for a while to prevent recurrence.
You can also lie down to rest
Part 2 of 3: Preventing Future Nosebleeds
Step 1. Be gentle with your nose
Since nosebleeds can also be caused by some personal actions, there are a few ways to prevent it in the future. For example, avoid picking your nose. This behavior can cause damage to the delicate blood vessels. Additionally, you may also detach blood clots covering damaged capillaries and trigger further bleeding. You should also sneeze with your mouth open to avoid expelling air through your nose.
- Another important aspect is to keep the nasal mucosa moist, you can then gently apply, twice a day, a layer of vaseline or nasal gel by inserting it with a cotton ball.
- Make sure you always blow your nose gently and from one nostril at a time.
- You should also trim your baby's finger nails regularly, to avoid any injury.
Step 2. Get a humidifier
You should buy one to increase the humidity in the environment. You can use it at home or in the workplace to prevent excessive dryness of the nostrils, especially in the winter season.
If you can't get one, you can put a metal container with water on the heaters to humidify the air
Step 3. Increase your fiber intake
If you suffer from constipation you are prone to make efforts to allow the passage of stools, thus causing an increase in episodes of nosebleeds due to the capillaries that are under pressure. This in turn causes a momentary increase in blood pressure and blood clots that have formed on previous injuries can break off, leading to new bleeding. You can avoid constipation and all that comes with it by eating high-fiber foods and increasing your fluid intake.
Step 4. Eat fiber to soften stool
Don't push too hard when you have to defecate, as this will cause your intracranial pressure to rise, which in turn increases your risk of breaking the fragile and thin blood vessels in your nose.
- If you eat 6 to 12 prunes every day, you will get more results than if you take fiber supplements; also reduce constipation.
- Also avoid spicy foods, as the heat they produce in the body facilitates the dilation of blood vessels and stimulates bleeding.
Step 5. Use a saline nasal spray
You can apply it several times each day to create a moist environment inside the nose. This product is not addictive, unlike medicated ones, as it contains only salt. If you don't want to buy it, you can make a saline solution yourself at home.
To make it, get a clean container. Combine 3 heaped teaspoons of non-iodized salt with a level teaspoon of baking soda and mix the two ingredients together. Then take a teaspoon of this powdered solution and add it to 240ml of warm distilled water or plain boiled water
Step 6. Eat more flavonoid-rich foods
It is a group of natural nutrients, found mainly in citrus fruits, which help strengthen fragile capillaries. For this reason, consider increasing your citrus consumption. Other foods with a high content of flavonoids are parsley, onions, blueberries and other berries, black tea, green tea, oolong tea, bananas, all citrus fruits, ginkgo biloba, red wine, sea buckthorn and dark chocolate (as long as it contains at least 70% cocoa).
You should not get flavonoids through supplements, such as ginkgo biloba tablets, quercetin tablets, grape seed extract, and flax seeds, as they contain a high amount and can even be toxic
Part 3 of 3: Read up on Epistaxis
Step 1. Find out about this disorder
There are different types of nosebleeds and they depend on which area of the nose is bleeding. Anterior epistaxis occurs when bleeding originates from the anterior area of the nose, while posterior epistaxis originates in the innermost part. Bleeding can also occur spontaneously without a clear and recognizable cause.
Step 2. Know the causes
There are several reasons that can cause epistaxis. When you have a bleeding episode, you should try to figure out what the trigger was and try to avoid it in the future. You may be causing the bleeding yourself, traumatizing the internal mucous membranes by picking your nose. This is typically the most common cause among children. Other reasons that can cause epistaxis can be drug abuse such as cocaine, vascular problems, blood clotting disorders or trauma to the head or face.
- An environmental factor responsible for this bleeding is low humidity in the air, which is quite frequent during the winter, which can irritate the mucous membranes and cause them to bleed. In fact, the incidence of epistaxis episodes is higher during the cold season.
- Rhinitis and sinusitis can also be responsible for epistaxis, as well as allergies that inflame the mucous membranes, often causing bleeding.
- In some special cases, migraines in children have also been shown to be a possible cause.
- Facial trauma can also be responsible for nosebleeds.
Step 3. Avoid certain situations
If you suffer from nosebleeds, you should avoid situations and actions that can aggravate the problem. Do not lift your head back, as the nosebleeds may flow down your throat, causing you to vomit. Also avoid talking and coughing, as this will irritate the mucous membranes and the nose may start to bleed again.
- If you have to sneeze during a nosebleed episode, try to expel air through your mouth so as not to further injure your nasal passages and increase blood flow.
- Do not blow or pinch your nose, especially if the blood loss is decreasing, as this may remove the clots that have formed and stimulate a resumption of bleeding.
Step 4. See your doctor
In some circumstances it is necessary to visit the doctor. If the bleeding is severe, more than just a few drops, lasts more than 30 minutes and recurs frequently, you need to go to the hospital. You need to get medical attention even if you start to turn extremely pale, feel fatigued, or feel disoriented. These symptoms usually occur after significant blood loss.
- If you have difficulty breathing, particularly if blood is flowing down your throat, you should go to the emergency room, as the disorder may cause irritation and cough, which in turn could facilitate the development of an infection and create breathing problems.
- You should always go to the hospital if the nosebleed is the result of a serious injury.
- You should also seek medical attention when bleeding occurs while you are taking blood thinning medications, such as warfarin, clopidogrel, or an aspirin every day.
Advice
- You should not smoke during a nosebleed episode, as smoking irritates and dries up the nasal passages.
- Do not use an antiseptic cream, many people are sensitive to this type of product and it may worsen the inflammation. Apply bacitracin ointment only if prescribed by your doctor and only after checking for an infected scab.
- Always stay calm, even if the blood flow is abundant. If you stay calm, you avoid getting too frightened or even fainting.
- Remember to humidify the environment, moisturize the nasal passages, maintain a healthy diet and keep your fingers out of the nose!
- Don't panic if you see a lot of blood, as it may seem like a lot more than it actually is. If a lot of material comes out, it may be other fluids present in the nose, as there are a lot of blood vessels inside the nasal passages!
