Body Care
Let us help you live a better life through
improved health, hygiene, personal safety,
and physical fitness.
From time to time -- whether from fatigue,
stress, illiness, or aging, our body uses
to pain to signal us that it is having probems.
The four elements of our Body Care guide are:
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Health / Complaints /
Nose Bleeds
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There are two basic types of nosebleeds:
anterior and posterior. Anterior nosebleeds,
which are caused by broken blood vessels
in the front of the nose, are common in children
and are often caused by nose-picking or severe
hits to the nose. Posterior nosebleeds account
for only about 10% of nosebleeds (most commonly
seen in adults with hypertension), and are
caused when blood vessels break in the back
of the nose. Posterior nosebleeds can also
be caused by arteriosclerosis, a genetic
disorder known as HHT, or a tumor. The latter
of the two are not common, so don’t worry.
However, if nosebleeds seem to be suddenly
happening often and are difficult to stop,
it may signal a tumor and a specialist should
be consulted.
Anterior nosebleeds are easily
treated at
home, posterior nosebleeds usually
need to
be handled by a physician. How
do you tell
which is which? If the bleeding
seems to
be coming from only one nostril,
it is most
likely anterior. However, if
the bleeding
is exceptionally heavy and is
coming out
of both nostrils, it probably
is a posterior
nosebleed.
Here are some helpful tips to
stop nosebleeds,
especially in children:
- Sit up in a chair and lean forward. Leaning
back will only cause the blood to trickle
down the back of the throat, which will probably
cause an upset stomach later.
- Squeeze the nose between the index finger
and thumb for 10 minutes, without letting
go. After 10 minutes, if the bleeding has
not stopped, blow the clot material out of
the nose, and squeeze again.
- Place a cold cloth on the back of the neck
if the bleeding is heavy, this constricts
blood vessels and slows bleeding down.
- If bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes,
consult a physician.
- If bleeding appears exceptionally heavy (when
pressure is not applied, blood runs out of
the nose in steady stream), consult a physician.
- A physician may prescribe packing or cauterization
to stop the bleed.
- Once the bleeding has stopped, refrain from
nose blowing, picking, or very dry locations
for a few hours, or the bleeding may start
up again.
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