Correct understanding of nose bleeding

In winter, the heating in our north makes the indoor air extremely dry, and it is the peak season for nosebleeds. Nosebleeds are a common disease in life, and perhaps everyone has experienced it personally. I still remember when I was a child, my mother told me: "Don't be afraid of nosebleeds, you must plug your nose with a tissue, and then tilt your head back, so that the blood will not flow out, and it will stop!" This may be the folk "remedy" that most people think of, just like everyone thinks that you should "drink vinegar" to dissolve the fish bone after getting stuck. Is this "folk remedy" really correct? We will reveal the answer below...

1. Correctly understand nosebleeds

Definition of nosebleed: Nosebleed, also known as epistaxis, is mostly caused by nasal lesions, but can also be caused by systemic diseases. Occasionally, bleeding may flow out of the nasal cavity due to lesions adjacent to the nasal cavity.

2. Common causes of nosebleeds

There are two causes of nosebleeds: local and systemic.

(1) Local causes: ① Trauma: such as fractures of the nasal bones, nasal septum, and sinuses, sudden changes in sinus air pressure, etc., which damage the local mucosa and blood vessels. Picking the nose, blowing the nose hard, violent coughing, foreign objects in the nasal cavity, etc. can also cause it. ② Deviation, erosion, ulceration, perforation, etc. of the nasal septum. ③ Tumors: Tumors of the nose and nasopharynx mainly include nasal septum capillary hemangioma, nasopharyngeal fibroangioma, nasal and sinus malignant tumors, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which can cause nosebleeds. ④ Inflammation: All types of rhinitis, such as dry rhinitis, atrophic rhinitis, acute rhinitis and sinusitis or nasal tuberculosis, syphilis, etc., are often accompanied by rhinitis symptoms such as nasal congestion and runny nose.

(2) Systemic causes: Any systemic disease that causes increased blood pressure, coagulation dysfunction, changes in vascular tension, etc. can cause nose bleeding, such as hypertension, rheumatic fever, leukemia, uremia, nutritional disorders and vitamin deficiency, endocrine disorders, organophosphorus poisoning, etc. can cause nose bleeding.

3. Targeting different causes

Different treatment methods are generally used for mild nose bleeding:

For adults, pinch both nostrils with your fingers or press the bleeding nostril against the nasal septum for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Children should keep standing or sitting upright with the help of an adult, and should not lower their heads or lean back. At the same time, pinch the nostrils on both sides of the child and ask them to open their mouths and breathe until the bleeding stops. You can also press the upper lip horizontally with your fingers, and use a cold towel or ice wrapped in a towel to place it on the patient's forehead.

① Patients with heavy nosebleeds will feel nervous and fearful. Both the patients and their families should remain calm, otherwise the patient’s blood pressure will rise due to nervousness, causing more severe bleeding.

② Generally, the patient should take a sitting or semi-recumbent position. If the patient has symptoms of collapse or shock such as pale face, general weakness, cold sweat, chest tightness, etc., the patient can take a supine position with the head lowered.

③Try not to tilt your head back, as this will allow blood to flow easily to the posterior wall of the pharynx. Do not swallow the blood to avoid irritating the stomach and causing vomiting.

④Since most nosebleeds occur in the anterior and lower part of the nasal septum, patients (especially children and adolescents) can take self-help measures: pinch the nostrils on both sides with the index finger and thumb and press them against the anterior and lower part of the nasal septum for 10 to 15 minutes. As long as the patient does not have a blood disease and high fever, the bleeding can usually be coagulated and stopped by itself. If the blood still flows from the mouth, it may be that the bleeding point has not been compressed. You can press it upwards a little tighter and prolong the compression time. At the same time, apply a cold water bag or a wet towel to the forehead and back of the neck to promote blood vessel contraction and reduce bleeding.

If these methods fail to stop the bleeding, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible and seek treatment.

After arriving at the hospital, the doctor will first find the bleeding point, then use drugs or electrocautery to coagulate the bleeding point. For those with extensive bleeding, packing will be used to compress the nasal cavity to stop the bleeding. For severe nosebleeds, or when the above methods cannot stop the bleeding, double packing of the anterior and posterior nostrils can be used to stop the bleeding. If it is still ineffective, the patient will be hospitalized for examination and treatment.

4. So, how to prevent nosebleeds?

1. Get rid of bad habits such as picking your nose, blowing your nose hard, and plucking your nose hair;

2. Eat a balanced diet, eat more vegetables, fruits and foods rich in minerals and trace elements;

3. When the nasal cavity is dry, use 1% peppermint paraffin oil or streptomycin paraffin oil to drop into the nose;

4. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption, avoid spicy food, drink plenty of water, and keep bowel movements smooth;

5. Prevent acute respiratory infectious diseases and avoid colds, pneumonia, etc.