Nosebleeds are a very common medical problem. It usually begins in cases of physical impact or damage to the blood vessels of the nasal cavity. Nosebleeds occur in both children and adults. Older people often require more intensive treatment due to comorbidities.
The amount of blood flowing out can vary from a few drops to heavy bleeding. Large blood loss without help is life-threatening. However, you should not panic. Tips and ways to stop nosebleeds described in this article will help eliminate the problem in the shortest possible time.
Description
The nasal cavity has a fairly rich blood supply, and the blood vessels are close to the surface. In view of this, with minor injuries, bleeding may begin. Nosebleed code according to ICD 10 (International Classification of Diseases): R04.0. Nosebleed.
Usually blood flows from one nostril. In severe casesit flows down the throat, into the stomach. In this case, the patient has hemoptysis or hematemesis. In addition, severe nosebleeds often cause weakness and dizziness.
There are two types of nosebleeds: posterior and anterior. The former is usually heavier and more difficult to control. Posterior bleeding is more commonly associated with complications such as airway obstruction, inhalation of blood into the lungs and coughing, and abnormally low plasma volume.
Most of the time, blood stops flowing on its own without medical attention. In rare cases, nosebleeds can be life-threatening. For example, in elderly patients, as well as in those who suffer from various diseases or abnormalities, one way or another related to the nose.
Reasons
The blood vessels inside the nasal mucosa are close to the surface and therefore not protected. In most cases, due to their damage, bleeding occurs. Spontaneous rupture of blood vessels is rare, such as during extreme sports or exercise.
Main causes of nosebleeds (ICD 10: R04.0) include:
Local
- Idiopathic (unspecified cause).
- Injury. This includes picking the nose, trauma to the face, or a foreign body entering the nasal cavity.
- Inflammation. For example, infection, allergic rhinosinusitis, or polyp formation innose.
- Neoplasia. Occurrence of benign (eg, juvenile angiofibroma) or malignant (squamous cell carcinoma) lesions.
- Vascular. Congenital (for example, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia) and acquired (Wegener's granulomatosis) factors.
- Iatrogenic (complications). This includes the consequences of surgical intervention, in particular maxillofacial, ophthalmic, ENT operations. As well as complications after using a nasogastric tube.
- Structural. Abnormal development, deviated or perforated nasal septum.
- Drugs. Abuse of nasal sprays, contraceptives, and various drugs such as cocaine.
General
- Hematological. These include coagulopathy (eg hemophilia), thrombocytopenia (eg leukemia), platelet dysfunction (von Willebrand disease).
- Environmental: elevated ambient temperature, low humidity, rarefied air.
- Drugs. Use of anticoagulants (eg, heparin, warfarin) or blood thinners (aspirin, clopidogrel).
- Organ failure: uremia (acute or chronic autointoxication syndrome), cirrhosis.
- Other reasons. For example, atherosclerosis, hypertension or alcohol abuse, beriberi.
Depending on the cause of nosebleeds, there are different ways to stop it. But first of all, in any situationfor the purpose of prevention, one should be protected from injuries, physical impact, and also avoid drying out of the nasopharynx.
Ways to stop
Normally, mild nosebleeds will stop on their own without any effort. But sometimes the blood can't stop. In such cases, various methods and techniques for stopping nosebleeds will come to the rescue. It can be squeezing, cooling, plugging. With a large blood loss, it is necessary to provide assistance to specialists from medical institutions.
First Aid
How to stop nosebleeds? The first aid technique is as follows:
- The victim's head should be elevated and above the level of the heart. Head tilting can cause blood to enter the airways.
- Close your nostrils tightly.
Using tampons
In cases where simple squeezing with the fingers does not help, you can resort to the help of aids. To do this, use the installation of cotton or gauze swabs in the nostril. They can be wetted with a solution of hydrogen peroxide. Also, cotton or gauze can be sprinkled with nasal drops or sprays. Any vasoconstrictor drugs will do, for example, Naphthyzin, Xylen, Tizin and others.
Cold compress
If the squeezing technique and insertion of tampons do not help, it is recommended to use refrigeration. Apply to the bridge of the nose for 5 minutescold compress. For this, an ice pack or a towel moistened with cold water is suitable. Cooling has a vasoconstrictive effect, which is suitable for stopping nosebleeds.
Execution technique
Some rules for first aid for nosebleeds.
- The victim must be in an upright position. The head must be raised or slightly tilted forward.
- Respiratory activity should be done through the mouth.
- It is not recommended to talk, swallow, cough during nosebleeds.
- When bleeding resumes after it has stopped, it is necessary to start pinching the nose again for 10 minutes. During this time, clots should form, and the release of liquid should stop.
- Applying a cold compress can be combined with sucking on a piece of ice.
- Next, you need to protect your nose from physical impact. You can’t blow your nose for about a day.
- Swallowing blood can cause nausea, coughing or vomiting blood.
- If you have frequent nosebleeds, you should contact a medical facility for consultation and examination.
If you follow the instructions above, nosebleeds will usually stop. In case of uncontrolled processes, it is necessary to call an ambulance.
Bleeding in children
How to stop a nosebleed in a child?
- First of all, don't panic,calm down. The child may be frightened and start crying. Crying can cause more bleeding.
- Then you need to put the child upright. Keep your head straight or tilt forward slightly.
- After that, you need to squeeze your nostrils with your fingers.
- Check every 10 minutes to see if the bleeding has stopped.
- Applying cold, such as an ice pack, will also help with helping the baby.
- The next important step is control. It is necessary to ensure that during the day the child does not blow his nose, does not injure the nasal mucosa, does not try to remove dried blood or clots from the nasal cavity on his own.
- If your child has frequent nosebleeds, you should visit a pediatrician and an otolaryngologist for examination and consultation.
When to go to the doctor?
It is important to pay attention to the following symptoms. If they appear, seek medical attention immediately:
- despite the measures taken, the bleeding does not stop within 20 minutes;
- pallor of the skin of the victim;
- appearance of unexplained bruises on the body;
- injured less than two years old;
- frequent relapses;
- vomiting blood.
Medical assistance
In severe cases of nosebleeds, the patient should go to the hospital. After assessing the condition, the otolaryngologist will perform an anterior tamponade to stop the nosebleed. This is a pretty efficient way.
The specialist will insert a swab soaked in adrenaline into the nasal cavity. After stopping the bleeding, the damaged vessel is cauterized. In addition, the patient can apply a cold compress to the nose or back of the head.
If blood seeps through the gauze pads, a posterior tamponade should be performed. In this case, tampons are inserted into the nasopharynx using a catheter.
To prevent recurrence, tampons must be left for up to 24 hours. For any method of stopping nosebleeds, topical antibiotics are recommended.
Prevention
To reduce the risk of nosebleeds, the following precautions should be taken.
- Most nosebleeds are caused by dry mucous membranes. This can be facilitated by a dry climate, cold winters, dry indoors during the heating season. Humidifiers should be used to prevent bleeding at home, especially in the bedroom. In the absence of a humidifier, you can hang sheets moistened with water around the apartment, hang batteries, and ventilate the room more often. You can also lubricate the nasal passages with petroleum jelly.
- During colds and nasal congestion, it is recommended to use saline solutions or sprays to wash and irrigate the nose.
- Avoid physical contact with the nose. For example, injuries or blows.
- It is necessary to explain to the child that picking one's nose is not only unhygienic. This may alsocause nosebleeds. Don't forget to cut your baby's nails short so he can't scratch the nasal mucosa.
- Pushing foreign objects (balls, pens, ear sticks and other objects) into the nostrils is unacceptable.
- See a specialist for evaluation and treatment for any underlying conditions that may contribute to bleeding.
- To avoid recurrence, it is not recommended to lift weights, strain and blow your nose after stopping a nosebleed.
- Limit aspirin use.
- Monitor blood pressure with a blood pressure monitor if there have been cases of its increase before.
Therapy
Frequent nosebleeds usually require appropriate medication. Depending on the etiology of the condition, these may include pain medications, vitamins, blood pressure medications, antibiotics, and others.
It is advisable to prescribe "Askorutin" for nosebleeds to children. This drug is used to compensate for the lack of vitamins P and C, strengthen blood vessels and prevent their fragility.
Surgery
One of the treatments for frequent recurrences of nosebleeds is arterial ligation. This procedure is based on the ligation of the veins that cause nosebleeds. This may require local or general anesthesia.
