How Does a Nosebleed Start?
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What Causes Nosebleeds?
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While some causes of nosebleeds are fairly obvious, others might not be easily recognizable. Trauma to the face and nasal area will cause nosebleeds, such as getting punched or violently slapped. This is the same if you fall on your face and land mostly on your nose, or run into something with your face, or crush it during an accident.
But trauma is not the only thing that can cause a nosebleed. Climate changes, such as going from very humid air to very dry air, can cause your nasal membranes to crack and bleed.
Medical problems such as hypertension, tumors, and infections can also lead to nosebleeds. Prolonged alcohol or drug abuse, especially involving chemicals that are snorted or inhaled through the nasal passages, are a regular cause of nosebleeds as well. And some medications that you might take that prevent the blood from clotting in a normal manner can lead to frequent nosebleeds with just the slightest trauma to the facial area.
How do Nosebleeds start?
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Some nosebleeds will start immediately following trauma to the nose, such as when it begins to bleed just after being punched or hit. Other nosebleeds with start spontaneously with no obvious reason behind them. These are caused by capillaries in the wall of the nose becoming inflamed and then dilated. A shift in gravity, change in pressure, or alteration in climate can then cause these dilated capillaries to burst suddenly. There will not always be pain when this occurs, though some people do feel a mild burning sensation. Different amounts and colors of blood can be seen when a nosebleed begins, and this can tell you where the bleeding started and may help determine the cause. Bright red blood is coming from an area close to the nostril, while dark blood will be coming from deeper within the nasal passages.
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Signs a Nosebleed May be Serious
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Most nosebleeds are not serious and will taper off within a matter of minutes. If you experience dizziness, light-headedness, clammy skin, or low blood pressure, it could be a sign that there is a problem. Other signs of a more serious problem can include blood flow in the amount of more than a few teaspoons, blood that does not stop flowing after a few minutes, or if blood flow stops and then starts again at the slightest movement. If any of these signs occur, a medical professional should be contacted immediately.
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