Nosebleeds or epistaxis is bleeding that occurs in the nose. Although it looks scary, nosebleeds are not a dangerous condition. The initial steps for handling can be done independently at home.
Almost everyone has experienced nosebleeds. Even so, this condition is more often experienced by children aged 3-10 years, the elderly, pregnant women, people with blood disorders, and people taking blood-thinning drugs.
Blood can come out of one or both nostrils with varying duration. Some last only a few seconds, while others last more than 20 minutes.
Although not a dangerous condition, you still need to be vigilant because nosebleeds can be a symptom of an illness.
Causes of Nosebleeds
The most common causes of nosebleeds are dry air conditions and the habit of picking your nose. Both of these can cause the fine blood vessels in the nose to burst, causing bleeding.
In addition to the two causes above, there are several factors that can increase the risk of nosebleeds. These risk factors include:
- Blowing your nose too hard.
- Injury to the nose.
- The shape of a crooked nose, either due to heredity or injury.
- Excessive use of nasal lozenges in the form of a spray.
- Infections that cause nasal congestion, such as the flu.
- Allergy.
- Chronic sinusitis.
Nosebleeds in children are mostly caused by allergies, colds, or dry air.
When a person has a nosebleed, blood can leak from the veins at the front of the nose (anterior epistaxis) or the back of the nose (posterior epistaxis). Nosebleeds originating from the back veins can be caused by more serious things, including:
- Exposure to chemicals that cause irritation to the nose, such as ammonia.
- The entry of foreign objects.
- A hard blow to the head or an injury causing a broken nose.
- Nasal tumors that grow in the nasal cavity.
- The impact of rhinoplasty.
- Nasopharyngeal cancer.
- Hypertension.
- Atherosclerotic disease.
- Some conditions cause blood clotting disorders, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand's disease.
- Blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin, heparin, or aspirin.
A person needs to be alert if nosebleeds occur repeatedly, because it can be a symptom of a disease, such as hypertension, blood clotting disorders, or sinusitis.
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See a doctor immediately if bleeding from the nose continues for more than 20 minutes, or if the nosebleed is caused by a head injury. This condition can be a sign of a posterior nosebleed and requires immediate medical attention.
In addition, immediately contact a doctor or visit the nearest hospital if the nosebleed is accompanied by symptoms of anemia, such as pale skin, fatigue, palpitations.
Direct examination by a doctor also needs to be done if nosebleeds are experienced by children under 2 years of age and the elderly. This action is taken to determine the cause of the nosebleed.
Nosebleed Diagnosis
If you experience repeated nosebleeds or nosebleeds are accompanied by other symptoms, the doctor will perform a nose exam to find out the cause of the nosebleed or the possible entry of a foreign object that triggers the nosebleed.
If the nose examination has not been able to determine the cause of the nosebleed, the doctor will perform further tests, such as:
- Blood tests, to detect blood clotting disorders.
- Imaging tests, such as X-rays and CT scans, to detect abnormalities in the nose.
- Nasal endoscopy, to examine the inside of the nose.
Nosebleed Handling Steps
When you or your child has a nosebleed, the first thing to do is try to calm down and not panic. Then, perform the initial steps for handling nosebleeds as follows:
- Sit up straight and don't lie down. Sitting position can reduce the pressure of the blood vessels in the nose, so the bleeding can stop immediately.
- Lean forward so that the blood that comes out of the nose does not enter the throat. Swallowed blood can trigger vomiting.
- Squeeze your nose for 10-15 minutes and breathe in through your mouth.
- Compress the bridge of the nose with a cold compress to slow bleeding.
After the nosebleed stops, try not to blow your nose, pick the inside of your nose, bend over, or do any strenuous activity for at least 24 hours. In addition, avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. This action is taken to prevent nasal irritation or the risk of recurrent bleeding.
If the steps above are not effective in stopping the nosebleed, then treatment is needed by a doctor. Some actions that doctors can take to treat nosebleeds are:
- Block the nasal cavity with gauze to create pressure in the area of the blood vessels.
- Closing a ruptured blood vessel, using chemicals or heat energy (cauterization).
- Repairing the blood vessels at the back of the nose that are the source of bleeding, through a surgical procedure performed by an ENT doctor.
Nosebleed Prevention Steps
There are some simple steps you can take to prevent nosebleeds, namely:
- Be careful when picking your nose and don't poke your nose too deep.
- Avoid blowing your nose too hard.
- Quit smoking, because smoking can reduce nasal humidity and increase the risk of nasal irritation.
- Keeping the inside of the nose moist, by applying petroleum jelly (petrolatum) on the walls of the nostrils three times a day.
- Regularly check with your doctor if you are taking blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin or aspirin.
For parents, there are several things that can be done to prevent nosebleeds, including:
- Trim your child's nails regularly to prevent injury when he picks his nose.
- Do not smoke in the house or around children.
- Apply moisturizing cream or petrolatum around the child's nasal cavity.
- Keep the air in the child's room from being too dry.
- Perform routine health checks on children, especially if children have allergies.