Small injuries to the fine vessels in the nasal mucosa cause nosebleeds. Nosebleeds are usually harmless and may even occur for no reason. The loss of blood is minimal in most cases, but disturbing if the blood gets unexpectedly on the clothes. The nasal mucosa is a very well supplied with blood tissue, as it has to do an enormous amount of work. An average of 10,000 to 15,000 liters of breath are heated by the nose to a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius over a distance of about 7 cm and saturated with more than 90% water vapor.
Causes of nosebleeds
Nosebleeds are caused by the bursting of a blood vessel in the nasal mucosa. There are many reasons for the troublesome bleeding:
- Acute infections such as flu
- Injuries or a blow to the nose
- Rhinitis, hay fever
- Slight vascular injury, for example, when blowing the nose.
- Drying out due to room air conditioning
- Side effect of drugs that affect blood clotting.
What to do.
Elevate the upper body, bend the head forward – not backward as often said in the past – and put a cold compress on the neck to reduce blood flow to the nasal mucosa. Additionally, squeeze the nostrils for a few minutes. Should blood flow down the throat – do not swallow, but spit it out if possible. A nasal tamponade or compress is also helpful.
Once the bleeding has stopped, do not blow your nose for a few hours. Anyone who suffers from a sensitive nasal mucosa and is therefore prone to nosebleeds should rub the inside of the nose with nourishing nasal ointments, especially during a cold, and avoid blowing violently.
Nosebleeds – not always harmless
In some cases, the doctor must still be consulted: If the bleeding has not stopped after 20 minutes or is bilateral, or if there are frequent nosebleeds for no reason. Nosebleeds can also be an indication of other conditions. These include vascular and circulatory diseases such as hypertension and arteriosclerosis, as well as bleeding disorders and clotting disorders.
