Nose bleeding
Bleeding or nosebleed is common, but it can be alarming and frightening especially for parents. Fortunately, most cases of haemorrhage are not considered serious and can be treated fairly easily. Nasal bleeding is caused by the rupture of blood vessels in the nose, and can be divided in terms of where bleeding occurs to:
- front: Bleeding occurs from the blood vessels in the front of the nose and forms 90% of the cases, and control is easy in most cases.
- behind me : Bleeding occurs from the blood vessels located in the back of the nose and accounts for 10% of the cases, and usually occurs in the elderly, and this bleeding is complex and usually need to enter the hospital.
Nasal bleeding can occur at any age but is more common in children between the ages of 2 and 10, and also in adults between the ages of 50 and 80.
Studies have indicated that nearly 60% of people will be demented in their lives, of whom 6% need specialized medical care. Its causes are generally unspecified (or unknown), but can result from trauma, certain medications, tumors, nasal or sinus surgery.
Causes of nasal bleeding
The causes of nasal bleeding are numerous and can be divided into:
- Topical causes Such as exposure to trauma or a sore nose, which is one of the most common causes, as well as exposure to infection or inflammation such as sinusitis or inflammation of the respiratory tract or allergies, causing damage in the lining of the nose to become irritable and bleeding, in addition to the deviation of the nasal barrier and fractures of the nose The presence of a hole in the nasal barrier leads to the airflow through the nose in an irregular manner, causing dryness and bleeding sometimes, and there are also medical reasons; such as a process of noseoscopy, or any surgery for the brain or eye quarry.
As well as tumors of the nasal cavity can lead to recurrent bleeding in the nose. It is worth mentioning that recurrent nosebleeds on one side should be examined by endoscopy in order to detect tumors.
- General reasons Such as high blood pressure, genetic bleeding, anticoagulant drugs such as aspirin and warfarin, vascular disease, immunodeficiency, liver failure, platelet insufficiency, and coagulation disorders, which can cause frequent haemorrhage And many happen. Patients with recurrent bleeding should also be asked about taking alternative medicines or vitamin E supplementation because of their role in increasing the chance of bleeding in general.
In one study of people who had been demented (repeatedly tested), the risk of nasal bleeding was increased in cases of allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, high blood pressure, tumors of the blood, or any disease that caused disruption In the blood clotting process. In addition, researchers in this study found that nasal bleeding increases when age and in colder climates.
Cases where you should see your doctor
Most cases of nosebleeds do not require proper medical care. However, there are several cases where you should see your doctor.
- If there are frequent episodes of nasal bleeding.
- If the casualty suffers from bleeding in a place other than the nose, such as urine or feces.
- If the victim is bruised easily.
- If the patient is taking anticoagulants such as aspirin and warfarin.
- If the patient suffers from any diseases affecting the process of coagulation; liver and kidney diseases and hemophilia.
- If the patient is recently treated with chemotherapy.
- If bleeding continues for 10 minutes after pressure on the nose.
- If bleeding occurs several times in a short period of time.
- If the blood comes out with coughing or sneezing.
- If the person has dizziness, heart rate or difficulty in breathing.
- If a skin rash occurs on the patient or the temperature rises.
Diagnosis of nasal bleeding
Laboratory tests in the case of nasal bleeding are based on the clinical condition of the patient. However, simple non-recurrent bleeding does not require any tests. Tests can be divided as follows:
- In the case of continuous severe bleeding, the blood mass examination and its examination should be performed.
- If the bleeding is repeated and has already occurred before, a complete blood count count with the differential count should be performed.
- If a hemorrhagic disease is suspected, the duration of bleeding should be checked.
- If the patient is taking warfarin, a test should be done to measure the international standard / prothrombin time.
Home treatment for nasal bleeding
Simple nasal bleeding does not require many treatment procedures, but to stop the bleeding without resorting to the doctor prefer to follow the following steps:
- Keep calm and sit straight.
- Tilting the head forward; his backward tilt will not work but will swallow the blood.
- Press the nostrils with the thumb and index finger for 10 minutes.
- Spitting blood from the mouth; it can cause vomiting.
There are also some points to consider after bleeding from the nose:
- Try to prevent any irritation of the nose such as sneezing or nasal breathing for 24 hours.
- Cold compresses do not work.
- Exposure to dry air can increase bleeding or even cause it to occur. This can be avoided by running the air humidifier with the air conditioner to prevent dehydration in the lining of the nose.