At times, we find blood oozing from the nose due to the reason that one of the many veins in the nose has broken or busted. This act of nose bleeding is rare and many people fear it because of this fact. Technically it is referred to as nasal hemorrhage and is broadly divided into anterior and posterior bleeding. Posterior is the least common form of bleeding implying that anterior is the more common. Both types can lead to death in most serious of cases, though deaths resulting from nosebleed are very uncommon.
Signs and Symptoms
The surest way of knowing whether you have a nosebleed is by seeing the blood come out of the nose. If you are sleeping on your back, then you will feel some liquid in the throat. Shortness of breath and irregular heartbeat, accompanied by the body turning pale are among the other signs.
What Causes Nose Bleeding?
Local factors: Following can be the local factors leading to nasal bleeding:
- Injury to the nose is the most obvious reason.
- Nose picking can injure a certain vein in the nose as these veins are delicate and hence insertion of foreign materials may cause the nose to bleed.
- Exposure to an environment with an irritating gas in air or generally an inflammatory action can cause nosebleed. This can also cause respiratory infections leading to “blocking” of the nose.
- Some people are affected by weather; especially cold low humid areas cause the bleeding.
- Intranasal tumors are also known to cause the nose to bleed.
- Sniffing of drugs like cocaine may lead to bleeding especially if the user has a soft lining in the nose.
- If someone has ever undergone a nose surgery, then increased pressure of whatever kind may lead to bleeding.
- Excessive consumption of protein supplements can be yet another reason.
- Trauma or injury to the face.
Systematic factors: Hypertension and common cold are 2 major systematic factors for bleeding of the nose. Apart from these, over alcohol usage, rhinitis and use of blood thinning medications can be other reasons.
How to Stop It?
Following steps can help stop the bleeding:
- Start breathing through the mouth, and try to stop the bleeding by pinching the soft parts of the nose firmly together.
- Lean forward to prevent the blood from flowing down the throat or inhaling it.
- Sit upright to ensure that the head is at a higher level than the heart to reduce blood pressure.
- Apply ice pack to the nose to soothe the damaged vein.
- After the bleeding stops, do not take up any straining activity until the nose completely heals.
- Seek medical attention if the bleeding does not stop.