How to Stop Chronic Nosebleeds

For many people a nosebleed can be a small nuisance, easily remedied and forgotten. For some, a nosebleed is a constant reminder of an underlying condition. Whether you have chronic, or infrequent nosebleeds these treatment's are simple and effective.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Afrin Nasal Srpay
• Ice pack
• Cotton Gauze
• Cold Rag

1. 
   Kid with a Nosebleed

   Nosebleed's can be a common occurrence if you have a houseful of children. Children may pick or scratch their nose in a way that can cause it to bleed. Occasionally a foreign object can be found in the nose of a child. These types of bleeds are easily remedied by having the child tilt the head forward and applying pressure to the soft tissue of the nose.

2. 
   Nosebleed Humor courtesy of the Simpson's

   A child who chronically picks their nose is merely trying to itch it or clear it. An easy way to stop this habit is to apply antibiotic ointment to the inside of the nose. This will destroy any staph bacteria and decrease the itching sensation the child feels, as well as prevent scabs from forming within the nose.

3. 
   Afrin Nasal Spray

   For chronic nosebleeds with an underlying cause it may be harder to stop bleeding. Many conditions prevent blood from clotting, and make the vessels in the nose weak. If you have tried to stop a bleed with pressure and have failed try a vasso-constictor. Nasal Decongestant sprays such as Afrin are great for this purpose. Apply Afrin to a cotton ball or gauze and pack the nose with it. The bleeding should subside within a few minutes.

4. 
   Ice packs

   Icepack's can be a helpful way to stop bleeding from the nose. An ice pack applied to the back of the neck can stimulate the body's mammalian dive reflex. This reflex works by shedding blood away from the face and concentrating it to your heart and brain. It is also the reason why a drowning victim can be revived after being in cold water. Keys applied to the back of the neck have also been known to work when an icepack is not available.

5. For an adult pressure can be put on the upper gum to stop a nosebleed. Using your finger or rolled up paper (1 square inch in size) apply pressure at the very top of the upper gum closest to the nose. I don't recommend this treatment for children as they can become agitated with this remedy.

6. 
   Blow your nose after a nosebleed

   When the bleeding has stopped blow the nose. Make sure you clear the nose completely. This prevents scabbing that a child will only pick again, and also prevents a large sore from forming at the bleed site. Coat the inside of the nose with Vaseline or the oil from a vitamin E capsule to increase the healing and prevent the nose from drying.

Tips & Warnings

• Add humidity to the air to prevent drying and eventual bleeding in the nose.
• Control your blood pressure, hypertension can make a person more prone to nosebleeds.
• Watch your aspirin intake as aspirin can cause clotting problems.
• Seek medical attention immediately if you are taking Warfarin, Coumadin or Heparin. These medications are anticoagulants.
• Limit your salicylate intake after a bleed. Coffee, tea, almonds, apples, apricots, all berries, mint cloves, cherries, currants, grapes, raisins, oil of wintergreen, bell peppers, peaches, plums, tangelos, tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickles all have aspirin like qualities.

Resources

• Nosebleed Information

[xxdesertash]

on 2/21/2009 Great article! Very good to know if i ever experience this kind of problem! Thanks!!

[LissaK]

on 2/19/2009 Thankfully I don't have these, it would really freak me out if I did...lol