There you are, minding your own business when you absently run a stray finger by the skin above your upper lip or by your nose and sense a wetness that should not be. You visually inspect the moist finger and, rather than seeing the sticky, yellow-green fluid of some excess mucous or some water, see vibrant red droplets resting on the finger. And it almost seems like the universe perfectly synced your realization of "Oh no, I have a nosebleed," with the signal for your nose to start steadily dripping like a leaky faucet of crimson.
While this may be a bit of an exaggeration of the average nosebleed scenario, nosebleeds are an annoying situation to deal with. Keep reading this guide to get a better understanding of their causes, how to stop them from starting in the first place and even how to go about treating one.
Common Causes of Nosebleeds
There are several commonplace circumstances that a person can find themselves in that will contribute toward bleeding from the nose, known as "epistaxis" in the vocabulary of medical jargon. These scenarios can include the following.
- Aggressively picking one's nose. The bleeding can arise as a result of excessive stress of the area or from a cut inflicted by a sharp fingernail scratching at the walls.
- Blunt force trauma to the relevant area, such as during a boxing match or automotive accident.
- Jamming things up into the nose. This particular situation is mostly relegated to cases of small children who have a greater sense of curiosity than they do an understanding of what can hurt them.
- Humidity can also play a role in causing your nose to bleed. The most frequent situation where nosebleeds can occur would be in buildings with centralized heating. Transitioning into an environment with a drastically different level of humidity than the environment you previously came from can irritate the sinuses to the point that bleeding can occur.
- Respiratory tract infections.
- Chronic bouts of inflammation along the sinuses.
- Irritation of the nasal cavity, such as from inhaling dust, animal dander or any other form of particulate.
- Any condition that results in a thinning of the tissue within the nose. The thinner the tissue gets, the closer to the "surface" your blood becomes.
The good news is that almost all of these conditions can be treated without seeking out a doctor or hospital. It should be mentioned that frequent and recurring bouts of nosebleeds may be a symptom of a more serious medical condition.
Preventing and Treating A Nosebleed
If you have a basic nosebleed, you have several options to stop future incidents. Consider sleeping with an active humidifier to counteract drying of your nasal passages or placing some petroleum jelly around the rims of your nostrils.
Most nosebleeds that originate from the front of the nose can be mitigated with pressure; pressure helps facilitate clotting. If you develop a nosebleed, it is important to first empty the nose of as many blood clots as possible before applying pressure for 5-20 minutes. Pressure should be even and firm and you can further stop bleeding by leaning your head forward; this will help reduce the chance of blocking your airway or inducing nausea. Do not tilt your head back as this can send blood flowing backward into the stomach, a situation perfect for causing the body to regurgitate. If the bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes of applying pressure, you may need to see a doctor.
Nasal packing is another extremely common way of dealing with nosebleeds. You insert gauze, tissue paper or some other soft, absorbent material into the nasal cavity and give it time.
Cauterization is another severe way of dealing with nosebleeds, often relegated to chronic bouts of nasal bleeding. This process entails a chemical burn, preceded by a numbing agent, that seals off the bleeding and eventually kills the tissue subjected to the chemical. This is sometimes used with mild bleeds in children as they are still growing. Recurring bleeds may require surgery to tie off the blood vessels found within the nose, if not the carotid artery.