through a
Rugby impact.]]
A or '''nose bleed''', medically known as '''epistaxis''', is the relatively common occurrence of
Hemorrhage (bleeding) from the
Nose , usually noticed when it drains out through the
Nostril s. There are two types: anterior (the most common), and posterior (less common, and more severe). Sometimes in more severe cases, the blood can come up the sinus and out from the eye. Fresh blood and clotted blood can also flow down into the stomach and cause upset stomachs and vomiting.
There are several causes for the nosebleed including
Trauma (such as hitting the nose),
Fracture (broken nose),
Pressure (such as may be caused by
Altitude ),
Anticoagulant (anti-clotting) medication, excessively dry air, excessive
Nose-picking ,
Allergic Rhinitis and
High Blood Pressure among the elderly. Some rare diseases that may cause nosebleeds are
Wegener's Granulomatosis and
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT, Rendu-Osler-Weber disease);
Sarcoidosis , when it involves the nose, has been reported to cause nosebleeds.
Von Willebrand Disease may cause nosebleeds.
Both the frequency of spontaneous epistaxis and the length and severity of bleeding can be increased by
Anticoagulant s. These may include prescription medications such as
Warfarin or
Aspirin as well as herbal supplements such as
Ginkgo . Cultures with a diet rich in fish sources that include high levels of
Omega-3 Fatty Acid s (especially the
Inuit ) have also been observed to experience a higher incidence of nosebleeds. Athletes and bodybuilders who supplement their diets with fish oil also report increased frequency of nosebleeds.
All nosebleeds are due to tears in the mucosal lining and the many small blood vessels it contains. Fragility or injury may cause the tears, while inflammation, coagulation problems and other disorders may make the injury harder to repair.
The flow of blood normally stops when the blood
Clots , which may be encouraged by
Direct Pressure . Medical opinion is divided on whether the best position to apply pressure is the bridge of the nose or the fleshy part. It is also undecided as to whether it is better to tilt the
Head forward during this procedure (to drain the blood and prevent it from flowing down the
Throat and into the
Stomach ) or backward (to minimize the volume of blood in the nose).
Petroleum Jelly is often used to stop the blood from seeping out.
Chronic epistaxis resulting from a dry nasal mucosa is often treated by spraying
Saline in the nose up to three times per day.
If pressure, ice on the bridge of the nose, application of a vasoconstrictor, or other techniques do not work, a
Nasal Tampon is usually the next step. The nasal tampon stops the bleeding by applying pressure from inside of the nose and is usually kept in for 1-3 days.
Persistent epistaxis is an indication for urgent medical consultation. Nasal packing,
Cryosurgery ,
Electrocautery or application of
Trichloracetic Acid are options that may be used in severe epistaxis.
It is uncommon to exsanguinate (die from bleeding) through nosebleeds. However, damage to the maxillary artery can lead to rapid blood loss via the nose and present difficulty in treatment, pressure, vasoconstrictor and rhinocort occasionally proving ineffective. Ligation of the artery, risking damage to the facial nerves, may be the only solution.
Nevertheless, severe protracted nosebleeds may cause
Anemia due to iron deficiency.
Attila The Hun , a legendary commander and the founder of an empire, is reputed by the contemporary historian
Priscus to have died of a nosebleed after his wedding. However, the nosebleed only proved to be fatal as the blood ran down Attila’s throat causing him to choke to death. This occurred as a result of
Attila The Hun being
Intoxicated and horizontal during the onset of the nosebleed.
In
Anime and
Manga , it is very common to see sexually aroused characters getting nosebleeds, sometimes brutal ones. This rarely occurs in real life, but is based on
Japanese Old Wives' Tale s, which say that getting too sexually excited leads to a nosebleed. Such occurrences are generally played for laughs and signify
Loser hood and/or
Virginity .
stop-nosebleeds.org - describes the Thumbs Up method of stopping nose bleeds
