Surely it has happened to you more than once. Without knowing why, without having made any effort or hit yourself, suddenly your nose starts to bleed. Don’t worry, nosebleeds are all too common and are rarely the result of a major problem. In most cases it is a cold or some irritation of the internal tissue of the nose.
Why nosebleeds occur
- The blood vessels that exist in the nose are many, but very tiny, so they can bleed very easily. The very air that we breathe can cause irritation inside the nose, creating scabs that come off when we blow our nose with a handkerchief and that is when bleeding occurs.
- Nosebleeds are more frequent in winter because there are many causes that can irritate or dry out the internal tissue of the nose, such as humidity, colds, allergies, sinusitis, viruses, or even hot air from heaters.
- Having a deviated septum or a foreign object inside the nose can also cause bleeding, as can blowing your nose too hard or hitting yourself. Frequent nose picking, overuse of nasal sprays, some blood-thinning medications, or even facial or nasal surgery are other causes of nosebleeds.
How to treat a nosebleed
- Most nosebleeds can be controlled in a simple way that consists of pressing the soft part of the nose with the fingers in such a way that the nostrils are closed. Meanwhile you have to breathe through your mouth and keep leaning forward so as not to swallow blood. In this way, in less than 10 minutes the bleeding should have stopped. In no case is it recommended to cover the inside of the nose with gauze or similar, nor is it recommended to lie down, and care must be taken for a few hours after the bleeding so as not to aspirate forcefully through the nose.
- It should be remembered that most nosebleeds are not of any importance, but there is a small percentage of cases in which a nosebleed may be indicative of a disease such as hypertension, a bleeding disorder, or a nose tumor. That is why it is advisable to see a doctor if the bleeding has not stopped after 20 minutes, if it has occurred after a head injury or if it occurs repeatedly without apparent cause.
- Once the cause of the bleeding is discovered, the doctor will decide on the appropriate treatment, which may consist of nasal packing, thorough control of blood pressure, closure of blood vessels, or reduction of anticoagulant medications.
- In any case, a good measure to prevent those minor nosebleeds is to keep the house cooler and use a vaporizer for air humidity. In some cases, especially during the winter months, using a saline nasal spray can also prevent some nosebleeds.
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