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Nosebleed Home Remedies
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Whether it's a boxer in the ring, a kid who took a ball to the nose, or an office worker who collided with a door, nosebleeds are always alarming and often painful.
Vast amounts of blood circulate through capillaries in the nose, so bleeding can be copious when blood vessels break. Nosebleeds can also occur when your mucous membranes become irritated by a cold or winter's dry indoor heat. People with high blood pressure or atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) are especially vulnerable to nosebleeds, as are those taking certain medications, such as anticoagulants, anti-inflammatories, and aspirin. Nose blowing, nose picking, excessive sneezing, allergies, and foreign objects in the nose can also prompt it to bleed.
Whatever the cause, you can do many things to stop most nosebleeds.
When to call a doctor
Nosebleeds can be serious. Head for the ER if:
• You've applied pressure for 10 to 15 minutes, but your nose still bleeds.
• Your nosebleed results from a head injury. This may indicate other skull or facial injuries. Bleeding that appears thin and watery could indicate the presence of cerebral fluid.
• You have been diagnosed with atherosclerosis or high blood pressure, and your nose has bled for more than 10 minutes.
• You find yourself bleeding from the back of the nose.
Nosebleeds can be fatal if they go on long enough. In rare instances, continuous bleeding may indicate the presence of a growth.
Finally, if your nosebleeds become more frequent and don't seem to be associated with a cold or an irritation of the mucous membranes, schedule an appointment with your physician.
Panel of Advisors
Mark Baldree, M.D., is an otolaryngologist in Phoenix. He is a staff member in the division of otolaryngology in the department of surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix and Scottsdale Healthcare Shea in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Angelo Dundee, of Weston, Florida, is a boxing trainer who has been a trainer for 15 World Heavyweight boxing champions, including Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard.
John A. Henderson, M.D., was formerly an assistant clinical professor of surgery at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine.
Alvin Katz, M.D., is an otolaryngologist and surgeon director of the Manhattan Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital and New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, both in New York City. He is past president of the American Rhinologic Society.
Gilbert Levitt, M.D., is a retired otolaryngologist and former clinical instructor of otolaryngology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.
Jerold J. Principato, M.D., is a clinical professor of otolaryngology in the department of surgery at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. He is an otolaryngologist in Bethesda, Maryland.
Remedies
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Don't pick
It takes 7 to 10 days to completely heal the rupture in the blood vessel that caused your nose to bleed. Bleeding stops after the clot forms, but the clot becomes a scab as healing continues.
Blow the clot out and spray
If re-bleeding occurs, give your nose one good, vigorous blow says Dr. Katz. That should remove any clots that are keeping the blood vessel open.
Control your blood pressure
People with high blood pressure are prone to nosebleeds. So follow your doctor's advice carefully and stick to a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, says Dr. Levitt.
Be careful in choosing oral contraceptives
Estrogen influences blood supply and mucous production. Anything that changes the estrogen balance in your body—including menstruation—can make you more prone to nosebleeds.
Pinch the fleshy part of your nose
As soon as you've blown your nose, use your thumb and forefinger to squeeze shut the soft part of the nose. Apply continuous pressure for 5 to 7 minutes.
Apply an antibiotic/steroid ointment
Applying a bit of ointment inside your nose two or three times a day will destroy any staph bacteria, says Gilbert Levitt, M.D.
Watch your aspirin intake
Aspirin can interfere with clotting. If you're prone to nosebleeds, don't take unnecessary aspirin.
Get your fair share of vitamin C
Vitamin C is necessary for the formation of collagen, a substance essential to the health of body tissue, says Dr. Henderson.
Watch your salicylate intake, too
John A. Henderson, M.D., advises his patients to avoid foods high in salicylates, an aspirin-like substance found in coffee, tea, most fruits, and some vegetables.
Sit up straight
If you lie down or put your head back, you'll just swallow blood, says Alvin Katz, M.D.
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Pinch the fleshy part of your nose
Apply an antibiotic/steroid ointment
Take iron