FREQUENT NOSE BLEEDS? We call it epistaxis.
You can't imagine how many tiny blood vessles there are in your nose alone and most of them are super close to the surface making it really easy to rupture. The blood vessles are in clusters or, more scientifically, a plexus, Kesslebach's Plexus to be exact, which means that bleeding from them can get pretty copious. It's easy to freak out when you see a lot of blood coming from your nose, but try not to panic. The most common reasons for sudden nose bleeds are:
1. Dry air -- especially in the winter when we tend to run the heat more often. The mucus membranes in your nose dries up and the vessles can rupture easily and bleed.
2. Picking your nose -- for obvious reasons.
If your bleeding is recurrent or heavy, you may need a blood vessle cauterized. Only a doc can do that with a special tool. If you're making a mess, try a tampon in your nose until you can get to the doctor. Yup! You heard me...a tampon!
But, there are other reasons that may cause nose bleeds. Check out the list below:
Acute or chronic sinusitis
Allergies -- with or without the use of inhalants and nose sprays
Aspirin use -- it cripples your platelets and makes it harder for you to clot a small bleed
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Hemophilia (and other bleeding disorders)
Blood thinners (anticoagulants), such as warfarin and heparin
Chemical irritants, such as ammonia or bleach
Cocaine use
Common cold
Deviated septum
Foreign body in the nose
Nasal sprays, such as those used to treat
allergies, if used frequently
Nonallergic rhinitis -- Don't underestimate the force which with we blow our nose. And doing it over and over is traumatic to the nasal mucosa
Trauma to the nose
There are still other reasons for nose bleeds, but these are less common. In other words, they're not the first reasons I'd think of if all you have is nose bleed as a complaint. You should have other complaints or a history of something that would make having frequent recurrent nosebleeds a logical explanation:
Alcohol use
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
Leukemia
Nasal polyps
Nasal surgery
Nasal tumor
Second trimester
pregnancy
In general, nosebleeds are not a symptom or result of high blood pressure. It is possible, but rare, that severe high blood pressure may worsen or prolong bleeding if you have a nosebleed.
There's a really nice article from the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery that explains the difference between common (anterior) and less common (posterior) nose bleeds. You can find it on my facebook page: facebook.com/monroviahealth.
Hope this helps
Be Well
--Dr. Sarge
www.mimpc.com; (877)254-4496