Nose Bleeds
The medical term for nose bleeds is epistaxis. Blood can flow from one or both nostrils, it can be heavy or light and can last from a few seconds to 15 minutes or more.
CAUSES
The causes are many but are not that serious the most common being dry air in hot and low humidity climates or heated indoor air. These conditions make nasal membranes dry out, become crusty or cracked, and therefore more likely to bleed when picked, rubbed, or when blowing the nose.
Other causes include;
Infections
Allergies
Blood thinning medication
High altitude
Nasal sprays.
WHICH PEOPLE ARE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE NOSE BLEEDS?
Children between 2 to 10 years of age
This is often due to colds, allergies, sticking fingers and objects into their nose.
Adults between 45-80 years
Blood may take longer to clot in mid-life and in older adults.
Pregnant people
Due to expansion of blood vessels in the nose during pregnancy and any more pressure on the already delicate blood vessels could easily cause them to rapture.
People taking blood thinning medication
For example aspirin and warfarin, makes it difficult for blood to clot.
People with blood clotting disorders for example hemophilia and von
Willebrand disease
TYPES OF NOSE BLEEDS.
Nose bleeds are grouped basing on the site of bleeding.
Anterior nose bleeds.
This is the most common type of epistasis and it’s usually not serious. Its starts Infront of the nose or lower part of the septum and its more common in children
Posterior nose bleeds.
This occurs deep inside your nose from the larger blood vessels in the back of the nose near the throat. It can be heavy, flowing down the back of the throat. It’s more common in adults and needs medical attention right away.
WHAT TO DO.
• Sit upright leaning your body and head slightly forward to keep blood from running down your throat.
• Use your thumb and index finger to pinch together the soft part of your nose against the hard bony septum.
• Breathe through your mouth.
• Keep pinching the nose continually for at least 5minutes before checking if the bleeding has stopped and if it hasn’t, continue pinching the nose for more 10 minutes.
• If you would like, apply an ice pack to the bridge of the nose to further help narrow the blood vessels which slows the bleeding.
After bleeding has stopped, don’t strain and/or lift anything heavy and don’t blow your nose or rub for several days.
WHEN TO SEE THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER ABOUT EPISTAXIS
You get it often
You have symptoms of anemia
Children under the age of 2 with a nose bleed
Taking blood thinning medications or having a blood clotting disorder e.g hemophilia
Nose bleed that seems to have occurred with the start of a new medication.
With that knowledge, let us confidently intervene in similar cases so as to restore health. See you next time.
Written by
KISAKYE BRENDA YEAR TWO, BMAM
MAKCHS.