Nosebleeds can happen when you least expect it. At the
very least, they are alarming especially with small children, and at the worst,
possibly life threatening. So what can you do about the bleeding nose and what
action should you take after it has stopped bleeding?
The
first thing is to stop the “stoppable” bleeding. Bleeding that comes from the
front of the nose can be stopped by pressure. All other bleedings from the
middle or back of the nose stops only by your own blood clotting or with
medical attention. The first thing to do in a nose bleed is place your head
forward, breathe through the mouth and press gently but firmly on the soft part
of the nose. This is the lowest third of the nose that you can wiggle with your
fingers. Placing your head forward means that you will be less likely to choke
and swallow your blood, and any continuing bleeding is clear to see. Pressure
should be applied for 15 minutes and this is usually more than enough to stop
the small bleed, as our blood will effectively clot in less than 3 minutes. If
you are on blood-thinning medication, this can take much longer.
After
releasing the pressure, if there is no further active bleeding, this suggests
that the bleeding is from the front of the nose. Dry weather and a long flight
travel in a dry cabin may be the cause and applying some Vaseline ointment
inside the nostrils will help. Seeking the early attention of your ENT
Physician would be recommended so that a good check up can be done to prevent
further bleeds and treating the underlying cause. You can usually expect that
the nose will be clearly visualized with an endoscope of the front, middle and
back of the nose. Sometimes a scan of the sinuses may be required as the
cavities of the sinuses are not usually visible to the naked eye or endoscope.
If a bleeding point is identified, it can be electro-cauterized and this is
very successful in preventing future bleeding in 90% of cases. If a nasal
allergy causing rhinitis exists, this is also easily treated with medication.
If
the bleeding is especially heavy and/or does not stop, it is usually from the
middle to the back of the nose. Here the reason is because the vessels are
larger and we cannot physically press on them as they are situated inside the
face. Situations such as this will require immediate attention at your nearest
hospital as you may have lost a lot of blood. Your attending doctor’s priority
would be to stop the bleeding first. This is usually undertaken with nasal
packs placed into the nose. They are uncomfortable to put in but their
intention is life saving. They may then possibly refer you to the ENT
Physicians to identify with their special endoscopes where the bleeding is
coming from, and treat you accordingly. Nowadays modern endoscopes for the body
cavities have revolutionized epistaxis care. After identifying the bleeding
point, if appropriate, the source maybe cauterized.
Nosebleeds
are frightening for the sufferer as well as family and friends. Thankfully the
majority of nosebleeds are minor and easily stopped by pressure as mentioned
above. If the bleeding is unduly heavy and does not stop, urgent hospital
attention should be sought.
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Reference: www.entific.com.hk/
The information aims to provide educational purpose only. Anyone reading it should consult ENT Specialists before considering treatment and should not rely on the information above.
