Nasal bleeding: main causes and what to do

The lining of the nose contains tiny blood vessels that are close to the surface and can therefore be easily damaged, causing bleeding. For this reason, nosebleed is more common after poking your nose or due to changes in air quality, which, if dry, can make nasal membranes more susceptible.

However, in addition to these factors, there are other causes and diseases that can be the cause of nosebleeds and if correctly diagnosed, they can be easily treated, correcting the bleeding problem.

1. Trauma

If a nose injury occurs, such as a heavy blow or even if the nose breaks, it usually causes bleeding. The fracture occurs when there is a breakdown of bone or cartilage in the nose and generally, in addition to bleeding, there may also be other symptoms such as pain and swelling in the nose, the appearance of purple spots around the eyes, sensitivity to touch, deformity of the nose and difficulty breathing through your nose. Here's how to recognize if your nose is broken.

What to do: usually the treatment must be done in the hospital and consists of the relief of symptoms with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs and then a surgery to realign the bones. Recovery usually takes about 7 days, but in some cases, other surgeries can be done by the ENT or plastic surgeon to fully correct the nose. Learn more about broken nose treatment.

2. High blood pressure

Normally, people who have high blood pressure do not show symptoms, unless the pressure is above 140/90 mmHg. In such cases, symptoms such as nausea and dizziness, severe headache, bleeding from the nose, ringing in the ears, difficulty breathing, excessive tiredness, blurred vision and chest pain may manifest. Know other symptoms and know what causes hypertension.

What to do: the best thing to do if the person finds out they have high blood pressure through a simple measurement, is to go to the doctor, who can only advise a more adequate diet, low in salt and fats, or in more severe cases can prescribe medication that help lower blood pressure.

3. Presence of a foreign body in the nose

Sometimes, especially in babies and children, bleeding can be caused by objects placed on the nose, such as small toys, pieces of food or dirt. In addition to bleeding, it is common for other symptoms to appear, such as discomfort in the nose and even difficulty breathing, for example.

What to do: try to gently blow your nose or try to remove the object with tweezers, for example, but with great care, as this process can cause the object to get even more stuck in the nose. If none of these tips work in a few minutes, you should go to the emergency room, so that a health professional can safely remove the object. However, one should try to calm the person down and ask to breathe through the mouth, in order to prevent the object from entering further into the nose.

It is also very important to avoid having small objects within reach of babies and children and always being an adult to watch, especially during meals.

4. Low platelets

People who have low platelets have a greater tendency to bleed, because they have greater difficulty in clotting blood and, therefore, may experience symptoms such as red and red spots on the skin, bleeding gums and nose, presence of blood in the urine, bleeding in the stool, heavy menstruation or bleeding wounds that are difficult to control. Know which ones can cause a decrease in platelets.

What to do: The treatment for the reduction of platelets in the blood must be done according to the cause of the problem, and must therefore be evaluated by a general practitioner or hematologist. Treatment may only include the use of medication or even platelet transfusion. See more about treating this condition.

5. Deviation of the nasal septum

The deviation of the nasal septum can occur due to trauma to the nose, local inflammation or just a birth defect, and causes a decrease in the size of one of the nostrils, which can cause difficulty in breathing, sinusitis, tiredness, nosebleed, difficulty sleeping and snoring.

What to do: it is usually necessary to correct the deviation through simple surgery. Better understand how the treatment is done.

6. Hemophilia

Hemophilia is a genetic and hereditary disease that causes changes in blood clotting, which can cause symptoms such as bruising on the skin, swelling and pain in the joints, spontaneous bleeding in the gums or nose, bleeding difficult to stop after a simple cut or surgery and excessive and prolonged menstruation.

What to do: Although there is no cure, hemophilia can be treated with the replacement of clotting factors that are missing, such as factor VIII, in the case of type A hemophilia, and factor IX, in the case of type B hemophilia Learn more about the treatment of hemophilia and what precautions to take.

7. Sinusitis

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses that can cause symptoms such as nasal bleeding, headache, runny nose and a feeling of heaviness on the face, especially on the forehead and cheekbones. Generally, sinusitis is caused by the Influenza virus, being very common during flu attacks, but it can also be caused by the development of bacteria in the nasal secretions, which are trapped inside the sinuses.

What to do: the treatment must be performed by a general practitioner or otorhinolaryngologist and consists of the use of nasal sprays , analgesics, oral corticosteroids or antibiotics, for example. Learn more about treatment options.

8. Use of medicines

The frequent use of some types of medication, such as nasal sprays for allergies, anticoagulants or aspirin can make blood clotting difficult and, therefore, cause bleeding more easily, such as in the nose.

What to do: if bleeding from the nose causes a lot of discomfort or is very frequent, the ideal is to talk to the doctor, in order to measure the benefits and richness of the medicine in question, and if necessary, make a replacement.

Watch the following video and check out these and other tips on what to do if your nose keeps bleeding: