8 ways to stop a nosebleed

Very few of us get through life without having a nosebleed.  When they happen, which is usually sudden and unexpected, they can be unsettling and somewhat scary and sometimes hard to stop.  

Causes of a nosebleed are generally mild and can vary from having a cold or sinus infection, to dry air or a scab being dislodged inside the nose.  Other causes could be certain medications such as nasal steroids or trauma to the nose from an injury.

Most nosebleeds can be treated at home and are rarely life-threatening.  Usually nosebleeds can be easily treated with the following 8 steps:

1.  Remain calm – even though nosebleeds can be scary, they are rarely dangerous.

2.  Lean forward– Leaning slightly forward will avoid swallowing any blood.

3.  Stay upright – By sitting up, the pressure is reduced in the veins of the nose, slowing down the flow of blood. Do not tilt your head back or lie flat.  This could cause you to choke on blood or have it drain into the stomach which can cause nauseousness or vomiting.

4. Try three sprays of a decongestant nose spray, such as Afrin, into the side that is bleeding.

5. Do not pack or place in the nose foreign objects such as a wad of tissues.  This can make the bleeding worse.

6.  Pinch the nose – Pinch the front, soft part of your nose with your thumb and index finger and breathe through your mouth for your five minutes to stop the flow of blood.  If the bleeding hasn’t stopped within five minutes, continue pinching the nose.

7.  After about 10 minutes, let go of your nose to check for any bleeding. If it is still bleeding, soak a cotton ball with the nose spray. Place the cotton ball into the bleeding nostril and pinch for 10 minutes. 

8.  Once bleeding has stopped, do not blow your nose for two days.

To prevent another nose bleed from starting up again, don’t pick or blow the nose for a few days and avoid straining or bending down for several hours.  It the nose bleed is due to trauma or a head injury or if it hasn’t stopped after 30 minutes, seek medical help immediately.

To avoid nosebleeds, keep the interior lining of the nose moist by regularly applying petroleum jelly inside the nose and using a humidifier adding moisture to the air. 

Nosebleeds occurring more than once a week need to be brought to the attention of a physician.  It’s possible that referral to an ear, nose, and throat doctor may be necessary to take a closer look at the nasal passages.  Anyone on a blood thinner and is experiencing frequent nosebleeds, may need to have their doctor adjust the dosage.