Frequent Nosebleeds

Children are more prone to suffering from nosebleeds than adults. Occasional nosebleeds are termed as 'epistaxis'. As long as these occurrences are sporadic, it's alright. However, be it frequent nosebleeds in adults or in children, repeated episodes of loss of blood through the nose can be scary. Why is it that the nose is so prone to bleeding? The answer lies in the fact that the nose is lined with blood vessels that warm and increase the level of moisture in the air that we breathe in. These blood vessels lie close to the surface which makes them easily susceptible to being injured and broken. Nosebleeds that occur more than once a week are referred to as frequent nosebleeds.

Common Causes of Nosebleeds

The most common cause of bleeding from the nose is dry air due to hot climate or hot indoor air. This condition causes the membrane inside the nose to become thinner. As a result the blood vessels in the nose become more prone to bleeding. Picking nose, injury or blowing nose too hard to clear the passages during cold are common reasons of bleeding nose in kids. Some of these causes can also lead to nosebleeds in adults. All these conditions usually cause sporadic instances of nosebleeds. In case nosebleeds are experienced frequently, preventive measures should be taken to reduce the occurrence of such episodes.

Other Causes of Nosebleeds

If one often experiences nosebleeds, it can be due to serious health conditions. Some of those conditions are:

• Bleeding Disorders: Some people suffer from bleeding disorders in which the ability of blood to clot and seal a wound is impaired. By sealing the wound the clot ensures that excess blood is not lost from the body. Such disorders tend to run in the family and hence are not difficult to be identified as a nosebleed cause.
• Vitamin K Deficiency: Vitamin K has an important role to play in blood clotting. Lack of this vitamin makes one prone to nosebleeds and other bleeding problems.
• Leukemia: Frequent nosebleeds and bruising is one of the early symptoms of leukemia. Leukemia is a disease in which the number of white blood cells increases. They flood the blood stream but can't perform their usual function. Instead they affect the amount of other blood cells like red blood cells and platelets thus causing anemia.
• Pollution: Inhaling chemical irritants like ammonia or a foreign body stuck in the nose can lead to bleeding from nose.
• Injuries: Nasal trauma, from a car accident or from a direct or indirect blow to the nose, may result in a serious injury or a broken nose. Nosebleeds after an injury need prompt medical attention.
• Side Effects of Drugs and Medicines: Frequent use of nasal sprays, sniffing cocaine (or other drugs that are snorted through the nose), taking aspirin (NSAIDs), etc. can result in bleeding from nose.
• High blood Pressure: It is commonly believed that when the blood pressure of an individual shoots up, the blood vessels in his nose burst causing bleeding. But experts say that this is not true. Doctors say that high blood pressure does not lead to nosebleeds.
• Other Causes: People who have nasal tumors, allergies, sinusitis, or deviated septum, may experience nosebleeds, many times in a month. One who is taking blood thinners (for example, warfarin or heparin) may also suffer from nosebleeds.

How to Treat Nosebleeds

Whether frequent or not, it is very important to stop the bleeding from nose. When one experiences a nosebleed, make the person stand or sit erect. This is to ensure that the heart is at a level lower than the head so that there is less amount of blood flowing into the blood vessels of the nose. Wipe the blood with wet cloth or tissues. Do not ask the person to blow his nose. Now, press your fingers half way up the nose where the bone and cartilage meet. Apply light pressure on this spot for 10 minutes. By this time a blood clot must form at the site of bleeding that would stop blood flow. In case blood continues to trickle out, apply pressure for a couple of minutes more. If bleeding continues for more than 20 minutes, or if the person is experiencing breathing difficulty, or if relatively higher amount of blood is released, then it can be due to a serious problem and you should seek medical help.

Thus, nosebleeds can be triggered due to a number of reasons. It is best to consult one's doctor to ascertain that these episodes are not a sign of some serious health condition.