Nose
What causes a nosebleed?
The quick answer is dryness leading to exposed vessels in the nose. There can be a variety of underlying reasons:
Allergies, infections, or dryness can cause itching and lead to picking of the nose.
Vigorous nose blowing can rupture superficial nasal blood vessels in the elderly and the young.
Clotting disorders that run in families
Medications like Aspirin that impair clot formation
Fractures of the nose or the base of the skull can cause bleeding and should be regarded seriously when the bleeding follows a head injury.
Rarely, tumors (both malignant and nonmalignant) have to be considered, particularly in the older patient or in smokers.
Allergies, infections, or dryness can cause itching and lead to picking of the nose.
Vigorous nose blowing can rupture superficial nasal blood vessels in the elderly and the young.
Clotting disorders that run in families
Medications like Aspirin that impair clot formation
Fractures of the nose or the base of the skull can cause bleeding and should be regarded seriously when the bleeding follows a head injury.
Rarely, tumors (both malignant and nonmalignant) have to be considered, particularly in the older patient or in smokers.
What can be done to stop a simple nosebleed?
First, help the person stay calm, especially a young child. A person who is agitated may bleed more than someone who’s been reassured and supported. Then:
- Pinch all the soft parts of the nose together between your thumb and the side of your index finger or soak a cotton ball with Afrin, Neo-Synephrine or Dura-Vent spray and place this into the nostril. Placing several squirts of Afrin into the nose can help also.
- Hold that position for a full five minutes by the clock.
Keep the head higher than the level of the heart. Sit up or lie back a little with the head elevated.
- Apply ice – crushed in a plastic bag or washcloth – to nose and cheeks.
- Call the office or go to the Emergency Room if the bleeding cannot be controlled