Diagnosis
The diagnosis of nosebleeds and headaches is initially made by conducting a detailed interview with the person concerned about their medical history (anamnesis). How often the symptoms occur, which additional symptoms are present and whether there are certain triggers for the nosebleed, these questions are the main focus of the interview. In addition, the blood pressure and pulse are measured and, under certain circumstances, some blood is taken to determine a possible high blood loss due to the nosebleed and possibly to detect an increased blood pressure. Examination of the nasopharynx can provide further indications of a possible cause of the symptoms. In rare cases, imaging procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) are also used.
Therapy
The treatment of nosebleeds initially consists of stopping the bleeding. Under no circumstances should the head be placed in the neck, as this would allow the blood to flow into the throat, which can lead to nausea and vomiting. It is recommended to bend the head slightly forward while holding the affected nostril and breathing through the mouth.
A cool cloth or an ice pack in the neck can also help to stop the nosebleed. Usually the nosebleed stops after a few minutes, then the nose should not be brushed for the rest of the day and jerky movements of the head (e.g. during sports activities) should be avoided so that the nosebleed does not come back. If the nosebleed is very severe, has not stopped after a quarter of an hour or is accompanied by severe headaches, a doctor should be consulted to find the cause of the symptoms. If the nosebleed is severe, a doctor can also stop the bleeding by tamponades or other hemostatic measures.
