How to Stop a Nosebleed: Causes, Preventions and Remedies

Have you suffered a nosebleed and wondered how to stop a nosebleed from occurring again? The nose is more prone to damage and nosebleeds because of its central placement on the face and the significant number of blood vessels that are near the surface of its lining. Most of the time, a single nosebleed is nothing to worry about. But if your nose keeps bleeding after getting hurt, you should consult a doctor. Doctors can employ numerous methods, and you can ask them how to stop a nosebleed.

Ways to Prevent a Nosebleed

The ways to prevent a nosebleed include:

Cautery

When thinking of how to stop a nosebleed, cautery is the most commonly used method available. In this method, blood arteries are sealed up using heat or chemicals, preventing bleeding. 

Medications

A doctor may pack the nose with cotton or cloth soaked in medicine. These drugs are intended to halt bleeding and promote blood clotting, which reduces the likelihood of nosebleeds.

Trauma Therapy

If your nose is fractured or contains a foreign item, a doctor will, wherever feasible, remove the object or fix the fracture. 

The above methods will help you when you do not know how to stop a nosebleed.

What Causes Nosebleeds?  

In its simplest form, a nosebleed is the loss of blood from the tissue lining your nose. Nasal bleeding is typical. In their lives, 60% of people will experience at least one nosebleed. [1] 

Before knowing how to stop a nosebleed, you should first learn why it happens. Some typical reasons for nosebleeds include: 

• Direct injury: A hit to the face may harm a person's nose's lining, which might result in bleeding 
• Irritation: Constantly picking or blowing your nose increases the risk of bleeding from the inside 
• Foreign objects: When lodged in the nasal cavity, foreign objects can irritate nearby blood vessels and tissue 
• Altitude and air travel: Alterations in air pressure and altitude can cause nasal blood vessels to dilate and constrict. Nasal bleeding might result from these problems 
• Inflammation: Allergic reactions or infections like sinusitis can cause inflammation, which can harm the blood vessels in the nose 
• Humidity: Nasal tissue cracks can be brought on by low-humidity environments. This may then result in bleeding
• Liver illness: Liver disease can prevent blood from clotting, which can cause severe or frequent nosebleeds 
• Medication: Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or blood thinners can result in nosebleeds. In addition to drying up the nasal lining, nasal steroid drugs can cause nosebleeds
• Illegal Drugs: Cocaine and other substances inhaled through the nose might disrupt the nasal lining and result in bleeding 
• Irritants: Smoke and irritating fume exposure can harm the nasal lining and result in nosebleeds 
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy: Chemotherapy can reduce the blood's platelet count. This makes bleeding more frequent and blood clotting more challenging. 

Sometimes, less frequent occurrences and underlying medical issues might cause nosebleeds. These consist of the following: 

• Nose surgery 
• Calcium inadequacy 
• Blood disorders like leukemia and hemophilia 
• Tumors 
• Pregnancy 
• Use of alcohol 
• High blood pressure 
• Nasal Polyps 
• Atherosclerosis 

Symptoms of Nosebleeds

Blood pouring from the nose is the primary sign of a nosebleed. One or both nostrils may be affected, and the intensity of the bleeding might vary. It is more usual for posterior nosebleeds to result in bleeding in both nostrils. A person will generally feel liquid in the back of their throat before getting a nosebleed if it happens when lying down.

How to Stop a Nosebleed? 

Follow the below steps to learn how to stop a nosebleed:

• Relax 
• Lean your head and torso slightly forward while sitting erect. Your throat won't become swollen with blood, preventing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (Avoid lying flat or placing your head between your knees) 
• Use your mouth for breathing when you do not have any other idea of how to stop a nosebleed 
• To collect the blood, use a tissue or a wet washcloth 
• Pinch the soft area of your nose together with your thumb and index finger. Be careful to squeeze the soft portion of the nose tightly against the tough bony ridge that makes up the nose's bridge. Before determining if the bleeding has stopped, continue pinching your nose continuously for at least 5 minutes (measured by the clock). Continue squeezing your nose for another 10 minutes if it's still bleeding
• If you'd want to aid further constricted blood vessels (which will halt the bleeding) and feel more comfortable, place an ice pack on the bridge of your nose. You can attempt this step even if it is not required
• When thinking about quick methods of how to stop a nosebleed, you can apply pressure to the bleeding side of the nose after spraying an over-the-counter decongestant spray. However, prolonged use of these topical decongestant sprays is not advised
• Do not stoop or strain, and do not carry anything heavy until the bleeding has stopped. For a few days, do not blow or rub your nose 

The methods mentioned above of how to stop a nosebleed will help you when you do not have easy access to a doctor.

What to Do After a Nosebleed? 

Once you have learned how to stop a nosebleed, it is time to know what conspires after succeeding. After experiencing a nosebleed, you should take extra care to avoid irritating your nose again. Let us look over what to do: 

• Gently blow your nose: Forcefully blowing your nose can cause scabs to come off as they mend, which will cause the bleeding to resume 
• Open your mouth and cough: Even sneezing with your lips closed might remove scabs 
• Refrain from heavy lifting: Blood might bleed when stress raises blood pressure 
• Avoid nose-picking: One of the main factors contributing to nosebleeds in young children and adults is nose-picking. Picking can harm blood vessels and aggravate healing scabs

Things to Refrain from Doing After a Nosebleed 

After making sure you know how to stop a nosebleed, you must be aware of what not to do after a nosebleed. Let us read on: 

• Don't lean back on your head: Doing so might result in blood draining into your throat and perhaps causing choking
• Keep your nose open: To stop the bleeding, it would seem logical to put tissues or napkins up your nose; however, doing so could aggravate your nose's lining and increase bleeding when the stuffing is taken out 
• Don't check on it constantly: Continue applying pressure until you've stopped a nosebleed. If you release the pressure more regularly, the bleeding will take longer to cease

Prevention Tips for Nosebleed

A question that runs through the heads of people suffering from nosebleeds is how to stop a nosebleed forever. Following these steps can prevent it from occurring: 

• Keep your nasal passages moist: Use saline nose drops or a saline nasal spray twice or thrice daily in each nostril. These products can be prepared at home or purchased over the counter. (To produce the saline solution at home, use one teaspoon of salt with 1 quart of tap water; bring to a boil for 20 minutes; then let cool to lukewarm) 
• Use a humidifier: To add moisture to the air, add a humidifier to your heater or use it at night in your bedroom 
• Water-soluble nasal gels: Using a cotton swab, apply water-soluble nasal gels or ointments inside your nostrils. You can use some over-the-counter ointments available at your local pharmacy. Make sure not to put the swab into your nose any deeper than 1/4th inch 
• Avoid blowing too hard: Try not to blow your nose too hard. Always blow your nose into a tissue or the crook of your arm 
• Sneeze with your mouth wide open
• Putting your fingers or other hard objects inside your nose is not advisable 
• Limit the amount of aspirin and ibuprofen you take since they might cause more bleeding. Please keep in mind that any medication modification should only be carried out with your doctor's approval 
• Consult a doctor if your nasal allergy symptoms are difficult to manage with over-the-counter or prescribed drugs. When using over-the-counter medications, make sure you follow the directions precisely. Rhinobleeds can result from overusing them 
• Stop smoking: Your nose becomes dry and itchy when you smoke 
• If you're doing anything that might cause damage to your face or nose, put on some protective headgear 
• Maintain short fingernails

How to Stop Nose Bleeding at Home?

Many people ask the same question about how to stop nose bleeding at home. You might try the following natural home remedies to reduce nose bleeding: 

• Ice: Ice successfully controls nasal bleeding as well. Apply ice to your nose to minimize blood vessel swelling. Additionally, the ice will effectively numb the agony, providing immediate relief
• Vitamin C: Make sure to incorporate the recommended natural vitamin C dosage into your diet. It aids in blood coagulation. Guavas, kale, mustard, parsley, oranges, strawberries, and lemons are foods high in vitamin C
• Whole grain bread: Include whole-wheat bread in your diet every day. It is believed to include zinc, which safeguards the body's blood vessels

For more information and help, contact Bajaj Finserv Health to speak to a doctor. You can schedule an online doctor consultation right from the comfort of your home to receive the right advice on how to stop a nosebleed.