Almost all of us have experienced a nosebleed at least once in life. Nose bleeding or epistaxis in medical terms usually occurs when blood vessels are damaged due to the drying of nasal membranes.
Some of the causes of nose bleeding include; frequent picking or blowing the nose especially in children, a low humidity environment, chronic allergies, medications such as blood thinners, aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs, health conditions that affect normal blood clotting such as high blood pressure, old age and allergies like sinuses.
Although the sight of large amounts of blood can be alarming and warrant medical attention, nosebleeds are rarely fatal. However, if your nose bleeding causes you to feel faint, seek medical help ASAP. Otherwise most nosebleeds are minor, only last a few minutes and can be stopped at home. Here are some of the things you can do to deal with the problem:
The pinch technique
The pinch technique
Pinch all the soft parts of the nose together between the thumb and index finger. Press firmly toward the face- compressing the pinched parts of the nose against the bones of the face. Breathe through your mouth as you do this. Hold the nose for at least five minutes. Repeat the technique until the bleeding subsides.
Relax
Take a seat, lean forward slightly with the head tilted forward. This allows the blood to run back into the sinuses and throat but can cause gagging of blood. Spit out any blood that may collect in your mouth and throat as it may cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea if swallowed.
Blow blood clots
Very gently, blow any blood clots out of your nose. Although this may worsen the nose bleed, it will help get rid of any clots. After the bleeding subsides, it is recommended to wrap some ice in a cloth and use it to massage nose and cheeks to reduce inflammation.
What you shouldn’t do
If you suffer nosebleeds whether it is random or something that happens to you often, you ought to avoid lying flat or putting your head between your legs; avoid picking nose; and straining or bending down to lift anything heavy.