LITTLE ROCK — Nosebleeds are rarely serious. Lots of people get them, but common as they are, most people don’t know how to stop one.
Before I tell you how to stop a nosebleed, let’s talk about your nose. Stick a finger inside each nostril and push together, and you will feel a piece of cartilage called the nasal septum. Yes, this is gross - especially at breakfast - but think of it as a science experiment.
Like most parts of your body, your nasal septum needs blood. Four arteries carrying oxygen-rich blood come together at the front of the nasal septum to form a web like area of tiny blood vessels known as Kiesselbach’s plexus, where most nosebleeds start.
The air we breathe can dry out the nose. This effect is exaggerated in dry weather or if someone has a cold or allergy. Trauma can also result in nosebleeds, whether it came from a basketball hitting you in the face or your finger doing the thing it should not do, and that you know it should not do.
Which brings me to some of the odd ways people try to stop nosebleeds. The following are incorrect ways to accomplish this task:
Putting pressure on the bridge of your nose
Putting a cold compress on your forehead or the back of your neck
Putting your head between your knees
Tilting your head back.
The correct way to stop a nosebleed is to sit up with your chin level and your nose pointing forward. Pinch your nostrils together with medium pressure and hold this position for five minutes - without looking to see if the bleeding has stopped.
If the bleeding continues, pinch your nostrils for 10 minutes. If that doesn’t work, call the doctor.
Once the nosebleed stops, keep your hands away from your nose and do not blow your nose.
Simple steps to prevent nosebleeds include:
Increase the humidity in your home during the winter.
Apply a thin coating of petroleum jelly or similar product to your nasal septum twice a day.
Keep your fingers away from your nose.
That last step could also greatly decrease your risk of catching colds.
ActiveStyle, Pages 29 on 09/27/2010