Nose bleeding or Epistaxis in medical term is common to both children and adults. The nose consists of many blood vessels and bleeding commonly occurs when the vessels inside the nostrils are ruptured.
Factors and possible causes:
- Dry weather
- Injury to your nose
- Picking your nose
- Repeated sneezing
- Sinus infection
- Blowing your nose hard
- Bleeding disorders
Most bleeding that is minimal and lasts for a few minutes is considered minor and can be managed at home. However, frequent nose bleeding might be a sign of a more serious problem.
Ways to stop nose bleeding:
- Sit and lean forward.
- Ask the patient to breathe through the mouth and apply direct pressure by pinching nose just below the nose bridge for 10 minutes.
- You may also apply a cold compress over the bridge of the nose.
- Advise the patient to avoid blowing the nose, and avoid straining and exertion.
- If bleeding persists, reapply pressure for another 10 minutes.
Seek immediate medical help if the bleeding lasts for 20 minutes or more, or if it occurs after an injury. In addition, a very serious sign to watch out for when a nosebleed follows a head injury is a thin and watery bleeding. It may indicate that cerebrospinal fluid is leaking around the brain.