Do you get frequent bloody noses?
Bloody noses can be alarming, especially if they happen often. Depending on the frequency and severity, you may be left wondering if you should see a doctor for nosebleeds.
“Your nose has a lot of blood vessels, and nosebleeds are very common,” explains Dr. Anthony Lazaro, family medicine physician at Aurora Health Center in Plymouth. “Nosebleeds can have many different causes, such as dry air, light trauma to the nose, and, especially in children, nose picking.”
Upon getting a bloody nose, Dr. Lazaro first recommends blowing your nose to get rid of any clots that may have formed. This could increase bleeding only momentarily but should then slow down.
To try to stop the nosebleed, sit or stand bending forward slightly at the waist. Grip the soft part of the nostrils at the bottom of the nose, not the bridge. Squeeze your nose for at least ten minutes consecutively without stopping. If the bleeding has not stopped, try spraying a nasal decongestant spray twice in each nostril. Squeeze your nose for another ten minutes and, if still bleeding, seek emergency medical care.
Bloody noses can be dangerous if you lose too much blood. If you are on certain medications, like a blood thinner, this can make it harder to stop the bleeding.
“If you are having massive bleeding from a bloody nose, or bleeding so much that it is hard to breathe, seek emergency care,” says Dr. Lazaro. “Especially after a recent nasal surgery, if you are pale, fatigued, disoriented, or having chest pains, it is important to go to an emergency department.”
Recurring nosebleeds on one side can mean that the blood vessels are very sensitive. If you frequently have mild nosebleeds, an ear, nose, and throat specialist can cauterize these blood vessels in your nose to prevent future ones.
There are a few other preventative steps, such as using a saline nose spray, applying petroleum jelly to the inside of your nose, and using a humidifier when sleeping.
Are you trying to find a doctor? Look here if you live in Illinois. Look here if you live in Wisconsin.
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About the Author
Hannah Koerner is a Public Affairs Specialist with Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. In her free time, she enjoys biking, snowshoeing, and cheering on Wisconsin sports teams.
I have HHT and nosebleeds are severe and hard to stop. So if you do suffer from them, please check the HHT website for more information.
I’ve been a frequent nosebleeder all my life. I take Vitamin K2 and rarely get them anymore. If I quit taking Vitamin K2, the nosebleeds come back. It might not work for everybody, but it works for me.
I cannot believe not one mention of HHT!! Anytime there are nosebleeds, HHT must be considered. I know so many people who have died of this disease, and it keeps happening because many people, including medical people, are not aware of it, even though it is as common as Cystic Fibrosis!! We need to be more aware of this disease and let people know that there are now treatments for it!! Thanks for listening. Please spread the word!!
My elderly uncle used to have nosebleedfs a lot during the winter months, some so bad we took him to the ER. But they always slowed down before we got there. We bought a humidifier for him and the nosebleeds stopped completely. Must have been too dry in the house.