Bloody Nose Causes

A bloody nose, or epistaxis in medical terms, is manifested as blood draining from the nostrils, either from one or both of them. In most cases, it is mild and resolves on its own with proper self-care tips. Nevertheless, in some, a bloody nose can be a sign of some underlying disease, which should be addressed as soon as possible. For example, elderly people who have high blood pressure are prone to nosebleeds than others of the same age group.

Based on the location of injury inside the nose, a bloody nose is classified into two types - anterior and posterior. The former encompasses bleeding from the front of the nose; whereas the posterior type causes bleeding in the back side of the nose. In terms of severity, anterior nosebleed is mild and more common as compared to the posterior type, which at times results in back flow of the blood.

Experiencing nosebleeds can be a scary moment for everyone. A bloody nose is caused due to damage of blood vessels on the inner side of the nose. However, there is more than this that contributes to frequent nosebleeds. Understanding bloody nose causes and risk factors will help in minimizing the occurrence of this condition, especially amongst children who are very prone to this problem.

What Causes a Bloody Nose?

The causes of a bloody nose need not be a very serious medical problem. In fact, exposure to very dry environmental conditions and nose injury are risk factors for causing nosebleeds. And bloody noses causes in children are basically due to insertion of fingers, cloths or foreign objects inside the nostrils. Mentioned below are some of the causes for nosebleeds:

Dry Nose: Very dry nose is one of the main problems, which usually leads to a bloody nose condition. During cold winter months when the atmospheric humidity falls below the convenient range, the skin as well as nasal passage remains dry, making them susceptible to cracks, injury and bleeding.

Nose Picking: Toddlers and children tend to touch their nose most often, thus irritating the blood vessels that line the nasal membrane. Also, their skin linings are extremely sensitive, thus increasing the risk of injuring the blood vessels inside the nose. A nosebleed problem is the same in adults, who frequently pick their nose.

Excessive Nose Blowing: Another common cause for a bloody nose is hard and excessive nose blowing. You might have noticed a tinge of blood in post nasal drip, when you frequently blow your nose. This is because of inflammation and damage of the blood vessels inside the nose, which eventually leads to nosebleeds.

Medicine Side Effects: Many times, it is the side effects of drugs that trigger a bloody nose condition. For individuals who are on medication that contain blood thinning ingredients, the medicine may be the prime factor for causing bloody nose. In case of any such complications, immediate help from the doctor is imperative to solve the problem.

Hypertension: As mentioned already, very high blood pressure (hypertension) for an extant period is also a causal reason for a bloody nose. In general, hypertension is asymptomatic in the initial stages, which when left untreated, results in frequent incidences of nosebleeds. Hence, people who experience a bloody nose quite often should seek medical attention for correct diagnosis.

Alcohol Abuse: Excessive consumption of alcohol can also be a triggering factor for nosebleeds. The alcohol beverages after entering the body influences the metabolic processes, which also include abnormal regulation of the blood vessels. Thus, people who drink excess alcohol may experience nosebleeds more frequently than others.

Other Causes: Using nasal sprays and inhalation of chemical irritants are also risk factors for nosebleeds. Other health conditions that may initiate bloody nose are physical trauma of the face, hay fever, rhinitis, sinusitis, infections and anemia. Very rarely, tumors and inherited bleeding problems cause profuse bleeding from the nose.

The first aid tips for treating nosebleeds are simple and you can follow the same at home. Do not panic at the sight of blood oozing from the nose, rather be calm and stay upright, while facing forward. Then, hold the soft part of the nose (just below the bridge) for about 10 minutes. This will effectively help in treating bloody nose. If not, retry pressuring the soft part until the nose bleeding stops.

This was in brief regarding bloody nose causes and tips on how to stop a bloody nose. For frequent nosebleeds, one should get the condition checked by a physician in order to avoid excess loss of blood and associated complications. With prompt treatment, a bloody nose condition is can be handled effectively.