Causes of nose bleeding

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Nose bleeding:

It is the loss of blood from the tissue lining the nose. Bleeding occurs most often in one nostril only.

Considerations

Nosebleeds are very common. Most of them occur because of minor irritations or colds.

The nose contains lots of tiny blood vessels that bleed easily. The air moving through the nose can dry and irritate the membranes lining inside. They can form scabs that bleed when irritated. Nosebleeds are more common during the winter, when cold viruses are common and the air of indoor areas tend to be drier.

Most nosebleeds occur in the front of the nasal septum, the piece of tissue that separates the two sides of the nose. This type of hemorrhage can be easy to stop for a trained professional. Less commonly, nosebleeds may occur in the upper part of the wall or into a deeper part of the nose. These hemorrhages can be more difficult to control; however, nasal bleeding is rarely life threatening.

Causes

Nosebleeds may be caused by:

Irritations due to allergies, colds, sneezing or sinus problems.

Very cold or dry air.

Blowing your nose too hard, or nose picking.

Injury to nose, including a broken nose or an object stuck in the nose.

Deviated septum.

Chemical irritants.

Abuse decongestant nasal sprays.

The repeated nosebleeds may be a symptom of another disease such as high blood pressure, a bleeding disorder or a tumor of the nose or sinuses. Anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix) or aspirin (aspirin) can cause or worsen nasal hemmorragia.

Home care

To stop a nosebleed:

Sit down and gently squeeze the soft portion of the nose between the thumb and index finger (so that the nostrils are closed) for 10 minutes.

Lean forward to avoid swallowing the blood and breathe through your mouth.

Wait at least 10 minutes before checking if the bleeding has stopped. Be sure to wait long enough to stop the bleeding time.

Applying cold compresses or ice across the bridge of the nose can help. Do not cover the inside of the nose with gauze.

bedtime is not recommended while you are making a nosebleed. You should avoid sniffing or blowing your nose for several hours after bleeding. If bleeding persists, sometimes you can use a nasal spray decongestant (Afrin, NeoSynephrine) to seal small vessels and control bleeding.

The measures that can be taken to prevent frequent nosebleeds include:

Keep the house cool and use a vaporizer to add moisture to indoor air.

Use a saline nasal spray and water soluble jelly (such as Ayr gel) to prevent the lining of the nose to dry in the winter.

Call your health care provider

Get emergency care if:

The bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes.

Nosebleed occurs after a head injury. This may indicate a skull fracture and x-rays should be taken.

His nose may be broken (for example, the nose is misshapen after a blow or other injury).

Call your doctor if:

You or your child has repeated nosebleeds.

Nosebleeds are becoming more frequent.

Nosebleeds are not related to a cold or other minor irritation.

What to expect at the doctor's office

The doctor will carry out a physical exam. In some cases, you can watch for signs and symptoms of hypovolemic shock.

They can perform the following tests:

CBC

Nasal endoscopy (examination of the nose using a camera)

Measurements of the partial thromboplastin time

Prothrombin time (PT)

CT scan of the nose and sinuses.

The type of treatment to use will be based on the cause of nosebleeds and may include:

Control of blood pressure.

Closing the blood vessel using heat, electric current or silver nitrate sticks.

Nasal packing.

Reduction of a nasal fracture or removal of foreign bodies.

Reducing the amount of blood thinners or stopping aspirin (aspirin).

Treatment of problems that prevent your blood from clotting normally.