Nosebleeds are common. They may be scary, but they rarely indicate a serious medical problem. The nose contains many blood vessels, which are located close to the surface in the front and back of the nose. They’re very fragile and bleed easily. Nosebleeds are common in adults and children between the ages of 3 and 10.
There are two kinds of nosebleeds. An anterior nosebleed occurs when the blood vessels in the front of the nose break and bleed.
A posterior nosebleed occurs in the back or the deepest part of the nose. In this case, blood flows down the back of the throat. Posterior nosebleeds can be dangerous.
What causes nosebleeds?
Nosebleeds have many causes. Fortunately, most are not serious.
The most common cause of nosebleeds is dry air. Dry air can be caused by hot, low-humidity climates or heated indoor air. Both environments cause the nasal membrane (the delicate tissue inside your nose) to dry out and become crusty or cracked and more likely to bleed when rubbed or picked or when blowing your nose.
Other common causes of nosebleeds include:
- Nose picking.
- Colds (upper respiratory infections) and sinusitis, especially episodes that cause repeated sneezing, coughing and nose blowing.
- Blowing your nose with force.
- Inserting an object into your nose.
- Injury to the nose and/or face.
- Allergic and non-allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal lining).
- Blood-thinning drugs (aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, warfarin, and others).
- Cocaine and other drugs inhaled through the nose.
- Chemical irritants (chemicals in cleaning supplies, chemical fumes at the workplace, other strong odors).
- High altitudes. The air is thinner (lack of oxygen) and drier as the altitude increases.
- Deviated septum (an abnormal shape of the wall that separates the two sides of the nose).
- Frequent use of nasal sprays and medications to treat itchy, runny or stuffy nose. These medications – antihistamines and decongestants – can dry out the nasal membranes.
Other, less common causes of nosebleeds include:
- Alcohol use
- Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease or leukemia
- High blood pressure
- Atherosclerosis
- Facial and nasal surgery
- Nasal tumors
- Nasal polyps
- Immune thrombocytopenia
- Leukemia
- Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
- Pregnancy
How Do I Stop My Nosebleed?
Nosebleeds usually aren’t serious. You can treat most by yourself at home by doing the following:
Stay calm. If you start to get nervous, it can actually make you bleed more. Try to relax.
Sit up, don’t lie down. Keep your head above your heart.
Lean a little bit forward. This keeps the blood from draining down the back of your throat.
Pinch your nostrils closed. Use your thumb and index finger to hold your nostrils closed for 5 to 10 minutes while you breathe through your mouth. This puts pressure on the part of your nose that’s bleeding and can make the blood stop flowing.
Once the bleeding has stopped, do not touch or blow your nose. This may start it bleeding again. But if it does restart, gently blow your nose to get rid of any blood clots. You can also spray a decongestant such as oxymetazoline (Afrin, Mucinex, or Vicks Sinex) in both nostrils. Then pinch your nostrils shut and breathe through your mouth for 5 to 10 minutes.
Meet your doctor if:
- You fell or hit your nose on something
- You get nosebleeds often
- Your nosebleed lasts longer than 20 minutes even after you put pressure on it