Dealing with Nosebleeds: A Practical Guide
Seeing blood come from your nose can be intimidate. But nosebleeds are incredibly common, and most of the time, they're nothing to worry about. Just about everyone gets one at some point.
Knowing why they happen and what to do in the moment can make all the difference. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from stopping the bleed to figuring out what caused it in the first place.
Why Does the Nose Bleed So Easily?
It all comes down to its design. The inside of your nose is lined with tons of tiny, fragile blood vessels that sit right near the surface. Their main job is to warm up and moisten the air you breathe, which requires a lot of blood flow. The downside? It doesn't take much to damage them.
The Two Kinds of Nosebleeds
1. The Common One (Anterior Nosebleed) This is the one you’ve probably had before. It makes up more than 90% of all nosebleeds.
Where it's from: The bleeding starts at the front of your nose, on the wall that separates your nostrils (your septum).
What causes it: dry air, picking your nose, or blowing it too hard when you have a cold.
Should you worry? Nope. These are almost never serious and are easy to handle yourself.
2. The Rarer, More Serious One (Posterior Nosebleed) This one is much less common, but it's the kind you need to take more seriously.
Where it's from: The bleeding comes from an artery way in the back of your nose.
What causes it: It's more likely to happen in older folks and can be related to things like high blood pressure or a serious face injury.
Should you worry? This one is a bigger deal. A key sign is feeling blood drip down the back of your throat, even when you're leaning forward. It can be hard to stop on your own, so this is when you'll want to get medical help.
How to Stop a Nosebleed: The Right Way
Here's exactly what to do. The most important thing is steady pressure.
First, don't panic. It's almost certainly not as bad as it looks.
Sit up and lean slightly forward. Forget what you saw in movies—do not tilt your head back! Leaning forward makes sure the blood goes out your nose, not down your throat where it can make you feel sick.
Pinch the soft part of your nose shut. Use your thumb and pointer finger to pinch both nostrils closed. Make sure you're pinching below the hard, bony bridge.
Breathe through your mouth.
Hold it for a full 10 minutes. This is the most important part. Set a timer and resist the urge to peek. If you let go too soon, you'll just break up the clot that's trying to form.
After the timer goes off, let go gently. Still bleeding? Pinch it again for another 10 minutes.
Take it easy. Once it stops, try not to blow your nose or do any heavy lifting for the rest of the day. A little dab of petroleum jelly inside your nose can keep it from drying out again.
What Causes Nosebleeds, Anyway?
Dry Air: This is the number one culprit. Whether it's the winter heater or a dry climate, it can parch your nasal passages until they crack and bleed.
Nose Picking: We all do it, but it's a way to nick a blood vessel.
Being Sick: Having a cold, allergies, or a sinus infection means lots of inflammation and nose-blowing, which is a perfect recipe for a nosebleed.
Getting Hit in the Nose: A pretty straightforward cause!
Nasal Sprays: Overdoing it with medicated sprays can dry out your nose and cause irritation.
Certain Medications: Blood thinners (like aspirin or warfarin) make it harder for your blood to clot, so even a tiny scrape can bleed a lot.
A Deviated Septum: If the wall inside your nose is crooked, it can mess with the airflow and cause dry spots that are prone to bleeding.
When a Nosebleed Is a Bigger Deal
While most nosebleeds are harmless, there are times when you should get it checked out by a professional. Call a doctor or head to urgent care if:
You can't get it to stop after two attempts of 10 minutes of solid pressure.
The bleeding is really fast, or it feels like you're losing a lot of blood.
You start to feel weak, dizzy, or like you might pass out.
The nosebleed happened after a serious injury, like a fall or a car accident.
You're having trouble breathing.
They're happening all the time (like, more than once a week).
Also, if you're on blood thinners and get a nosebleed that won't quit, it's a good idea to see a doctor.
How Doctors Stop Frequent Nosebleeds
If you're tired of dealing with nosebleeds all the time, an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) doctor has a few treatments:
Cauterization: This sounds intense, but it's a simple procedure. The doctor uses a chemical or a bit of heat to seal off the blood vessel that's causing all the trouble.
Nasal Packing: For really stubborn bleeds, a doctor might pack your nose with special gauze or a tiny balloon. It puts pressure right on the source to stop the bleeding.
Reviewing Your Meds: Sometimes, the problem is a side effect of another medication. Your doctor can help figure that out and see if there are other options.
Survey and do the cauterization of main vessel in operating room. This is call endoscopic sphenopalatine artery ligation (ESPAL).
The bottom line is, you don't have to just live with them. Knowing what to do can help you handle most nosebleeds on your own, and for the rest, help is available.
Asst Prof. Wirach Chitsuthipakorn