About this topic
The nose has many small blood vessels. These blood vessels warm and moisten the air you breathe. They lie close to the surface, and that makes it easy for them to get injured. A nosebleed can happen after an injury. When you have a nosebleed, blood comes out of your nostrils. Colds or dryness in your nose can also cause a nosebleed. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- To keep from getting another nosebleed right away, for the next 24 hours avoid:
- Heavy lifting
- Bending over
- Blowing your nose very hard
- Picking your nose
- If your nose starts to bleed again, follow these steps:
- Blow your nose gently. This may increase bleeding for a moment.
- Sit, leaning forward slightly. Do not lay down or the blood will run down your throat.
- Pinch the soft area towards the bottom of your nose, just below the bony part.
- Hold it shut for at least 5 to 15 minutes. Do not check sooner to see if bleeding has stopped.
- If your nose keeps bleeding, repeat these steps one time, but hold your nose pinched shut for 10 to 30 minutes. If it continues to bleed, go to the ER or call your doctor.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Fight an infection
- Prevent dryness of your nose
Will physical activity be limited?
You may need to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the activities you can do. ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Use a saline nasal spray or saline nose drops to avoid dry nose.
- Try keeping the air in your house moist. Run a humidifier.
- Open your mouth when you sneeze.
- Breathe in the steam from a basin of hot water or hot bath when you have a cold. This will help loosen any hard mucus inside your nose.
- Do not pick your nose or put anything solid into your nose.
- Ask your doctor first before taking any drugs.
- Stop smoking.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Often have nosebleeds
- Nosebleed happens after you start taking a new drug
- Nosebleed happens with bruising all over the body
- Nosebleed does not stop after 15 to 20 minutes
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what I will do if my nose starts to bleed again.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have more nosebleeds or the nosebleed does not stop after 15 to 20 minutes.
Where can I learn more?
FamilyDoctor.org ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/nosebleeds/treatment.printerview.all.html ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/first_aid/nosebleeds.html# ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nosebleed/pages/introduction.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚