Bloody Nose or Nosebleed



Factors

  • Infection or bacterial, allergic
  • Self-induced like in the case of excessive nose picking (common to children)
  • Hypertension or high blood pressure
  • Medication, drugs and alcohol abuse
  • Tumors and hereditary bleeding problems or disorders
  • Hormonal changes like during pregnancies
  • Stress and exhaustion

First Aid for Nosebleed

What to do immediately: Lean slightly forward and pinch your nose just below the bridge, where the cartilage and the bone come together. Maintain the pressure for 5 to 15 minutes. Pressing an ice pack against the bridge can also help.

What NOT to do: Tilt your head back. “You may swallow blood, and potentially some could go in your lungs”, says David Markenson, M.D., chair of the American Red Cross Advisory Council on First Aid and Safety.

1. Remain calm.

2. Sit up straight and lean forward.

3. Pinch nostrils together and apply direct pressure for 10 minutes approximately, spit out the blood in your mouth so as to avoid vomiting.

When to seek medical attention: Call your doctor if you can’t stop the bleeding after 20 minutes; if the nosebleed happened spontaneously; or if it accompanies a headache, dizziness, ringing in the ears, or vision problems.

 

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