Nosebleed

A nosebleed is rarely a sign of anything serious, and you can often treat it at home. Blood flows from one or both nostrils, and the bleeding can be heavy or light. It may stop in a few seconds, or it may go on for 15 minutes or more.

To stop a nosebleed:

• Sit down at a table, lean forward and pinch the soft part of your nose, just above your nostrils, firmly for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
• Keep leaning forward and breathe through your mouth. Spit any blood that collects in your throat or mouth into a bowl. Don't swallow any blood.
• Put an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables, covered by a towel, on your forehead or the back of your neck.
• Stay upright or seated rather than lying down. This lowers the blood pressure in the blood vessels of your nose and helps reduce further bleeding.

If the bleeding stops, you won't usually need to seek medical advice. But in some cases you may need further treatment from your doctor or in hospital.

• the bleeding goes on for longer than 20 minutes
• the bleeding is heavy and you've lost a lot of blood
• you're having difficulty breathing
• you feel weak or dizzy
• you swallow so much blood that it makes you vomit
• the nosebleed started after a serious injury, such as a car crash

Speak to a doctor if:

• you're taking a blood-thinning medicine (anticoagulant) such as warfarin
• you have a condition that means your blood cannot clot properly, such as haemophilia
• you have symptoms of anaemia such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath and a pale complexion
• a child under 2 has a nosebleed
• you have nosebleeds that come and go regularly

If you can't reach a doctor, call a doctor or the 16263 health line.

Your nose has delicate blood vessels, and they can get damaged and bleed quite easily.

Common causes of nosebleeds include:

• picking your nose
• blowing your nose very hard
• recently drinking alcohol
• a minor injury to your nose
• changes in humidity or temperature causing the inside of the nose to become dry and cracked

Now and then, the bleeding comes from blood vessels deeper inside the nose. A blow to the head, recent nasal surgery or hardened arteries (atherosclerosis) can cause this.

Nosebleeds are fairly common, and most people will get one every now and again. Anyone can have a nosebleed, but they happen most often in:

• children aged between 2 and 10
• elderly people
• pregnant women
• people who take blood thinning medicine such as aspirin, or anticoagulants such as warfarin
• people with blood clotting disorders, such as haemophilia

There are a few things you can do to stop nosebleeds from happening.

• avoid picking your nose, and keep your fingernails short
• blow your nose as little as possible, and only very gently
• keep your home humidified
• wear a head guard during activities in which your nose or head could get injured
• always follow the instructions that come with nasal decongestants, because overusing them can cause nosebleeds

Talk to your doctor if you often get nosebleeds and aren't able to prevent them.

If you see a doctor or go to hospital with a nosebleed, the doctor will assess you to find out how serious it is and what's likely to have caused it. This may involve:

• looking inside your nose
• measuring your pulse and blood pressure
• carrying out blood tests
• asking about any other symptoms you have

If needed, your doctor will talk with you about further treatment. You may need ointments for your nose, cautery to seal blood vessels in your nose, or nasal packing.