Pregnancy hypertension
Nosebleeds can also occur in cases of high blood pressure. From an upper blood pressure value of 180 mmHg, this is called a blood pressure derailment. At these high blood pressure values, nosebleeds can occur as a symptom of circulatory disorders.
In most cases, this is the case in older patients who suffer from high blood pressure that is difficult to control with medication. High blood pressure can also be extremely difficult to treat during pregnancy. A blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher is known as pregnancy hypertension.In itself, high blood pressure is not initially a problem, but it is known that in many cases other symptoms such as increased protein excretion via urine and edema formation in the extremities follow.
If this condition, also known as pre-eclampsia in medicine, is not treated, seizures (eclampsia) or the decomposition of the maternal red blood cells with subsequent damage to the maternal liver (HELLP syndrome) can occur. If an elevated blood pressure, which in some cases occurs for the first time due to frequent nosebleeds, is detected in time, late consequences for mother and child can be prevented by appropriate measures. In the event of bleeding, the nostrils should be squeezed together for about 5 to 10 minutes to exert pressure on the torn area and thus promote wound closure.
In addition, the head should not be placed in the neck so that the blood flows out of the nose and not down the throat. For this reason, one should also not lie down in case of nosebleeds. The blood that you would swallow in this way causes nausea and there is a danger of swallowing the blood.
Local cooling by means of an ice pack in the neck or sucking an ice cube can also often alleviate the discomfort, as the cold causes the vessels to contract, which can stop the bleeding. After the bleeding has stopped, you should refrain from snorting your nose for a few more hours so that the newly formed scab is not immediately detached. For this reason, one should also not stuff tissues or similar into the nose, since on the one hand the blood flows into the throat, and on the other hand, when removing the scab, it can be loosened again and a new bleeding can occur.
However, if the nosebleed is exceptionally strong or lasts longer than 20 minutes, a doctor should be consulted. If nosebleeds have occurred very frequently recently and never before during pregnancy, it is advisable to have your blood pressure measured or to measure it yourself. This should also be mentioned at the next gynecological examination.
Increased nosebleeds during pregnancy can also be an indication of pregnancy hypertension, which must be treated. In addition, there are many other possible causes for frequent nosebleeds, for example, a blood clotting disorder is also possible. Even though frequent nosebleeds may be annoying during pregnancy, they are almost always completely harmless, subside quickly and usually end just as quickly after pregnancy as they occurred.
It is important to keep the nasal mucous membrane as moist as possible. A sufficient amount of drinking helps to moisten the mucous membranes. You can also prevent it by regularly rubbing the nose from the inside with fatty, moisturizing nasal ointments, which also keeps the mucous membranes supple.
Regular nasal rinsing with isotonic saline solution or “sea water” is also useful. You can also make sure that the humidity in the house does not get too low, especially in winter, by either setting up a humidifier or simply placing a pot of water on the heater in the bedroom, so that the water gradually evaporates. You should also be a little more careful when sniffing.
Strong blowing can also cause the vessel wall to burst and cause nosebleeds due to the strong increase in pressure. In order to promote better breathing at night, it can also be beneficial to sleep with a raised upper body or to use so-called nostril lifters, for example. These are elastic plaster strips from the pharmacy (or cut to size yourself) that are applied under tension to the nostrils, causing them to be passively pulled apart.
