Nosebleed Causes & Treatments

It usually happens to some people that their nose bleeds while sitting, which is also known as nosebleed. In most cases, nosebleeds are nothing to worry about, but if you are in public, it can cause fear, anxiety or embarrassment. Well, nosebleeds can happen at any time, but it is more likely to happen in winter.

"Winter is a dry and cold season, which creates more nasal congestion," says David Benida, MD, a family practitioner at St. Luke's Medical Center and Skyline Primary Care in Denver, Colorado. When the weather is hot, the indoor air also becomes drier. Because of this, we contract more drying and cracking of the mucous membranes inside the nostrils.

Most of the bleeding comes from a small vein near the front of the nose and is relatively minor. It rarely involves the large blood vessels at the back of the nose.This second type of nosebleed is more serious and requires immediate medical attention. It occurs in people who have a bleeding disorder and have hardened nasal arteries.

Nosebleed Causes & Treatments

Who is most likely to get a nosebleed?

By the way, anyone can have a nosebleed, but it happens to some people
the probability is high.

•  Children aged 2 to 10 years.
•  Middle-aged and older people.
•  Pregnant women.
•  People with bleeding disorders.
•  People who take medicines that help in blood clotting.
•  People with colds, allergies or sinusitis are also more likely to get nosebleeds.

"If someone is getting a cold or some kind of upper respiratory infection, they are at a higher risk of nosebleeds weeks later until the lining of the nose is normal," says Prof Haneda. Other causes of nosebleeds include.

• Putting a finger in the nose.
• Frequent runny nose.
• Cleaning materials, fumes or inhalation Chemical burns from medications taken in.
• Staying at high altitudes, where the air is shallow and dry.
• One side of the membrane between the nostrils.
• Frequent use of nasal spray for stuffy nose.

Read More:how to stay healthy and fit during winter

How to avoid bleeding?

Here's how you can help keep your nasal cavity moist and healthy.

Use a humidifier: Humidifiers keep moisture in dry air, otherwise the airways in the nose and throat become inflamed from dryness. "They can be really helpful, especially when you're sleeping," says Haneda.
Stock up on saline spray: Haneda recommends using a saline (salt water) nasal spray to moisturize the dry parts of the nose and prevent dryness and cracking. Buy a spray bottle of saline from the pharmacy and use it every day during the winter, they suggest. It can also improve allergy symptoms and runny nose.
Avoid smoking: Smoking tends to irritate and dry the nose. Try to reduce or quit smoking altogether.
Moisten the membranes: Applying a layer of water-soluble gel or petroleum jelly to the top of the nostrils with the help of bread can also help prevent dryness.
Drink water: Make sure you are drinking plenty of water.

Ways to stop nosebleeds.

If one has nosebleeds, the following steps can be taken.

• Sit up straight and tilt your head slightly forward (not back, as you may have heard before). If blood rushes down your throat, you may experience nausea or vomiting.
• Blow your nose gently, this will flush out the clotted blood.
• Gently rub the soft part of the nose
• Between your thumb and forefinger firmly for at least 5 minutes.
• Breathe calmly through your mouth for at least 5 minutes and stop worrying about whether the bleeding has stopped. If you rush, you may still be bleeding.
• If bleeding continues after doing this, hold your nostrils for another 10 minutes.
• Spraying a decongestant into the nostril that is bleeding May help, after that keep the nostrils compressed for 5 to 10 more minutes.

After the bleeding stops, avoid bending over, straining, or lifting anything heavy. Do not blow or rub your nose for several days. A nose needs time to heal.

When to get help?

• For nosebleeds, get emergency help if any of the following occur.
• Bleeding does not stop even after closing the nostrils for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Faster or more than a cup.
• Bleed.
• Dizziness, mild headache, shortness of breath or feeling like your heart is racing.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Vomiting of blood.
• Bleeding from the nose after a head injury.

Professor Haneda says that if you have nosebleeds three to four times a week, you should see a doctor.