nose bleeds, very frequently?

Question

Hi. Lately I have been having nose bleeds at least twice a day. They started a couple of months ago and are getting worse and more frequent as time goes on. I have never had them before, does anyone know anything about their causes and what i should do? Thanks alot!

Answer 1

A nosebleedage or nose bleed, medically known as epistaxis, is the relatively common occurrence of hemorrhage (bleeding) from the nose, usually noticed when it drains out through the nostrils. There are two types: anterior (the most common), and posterior (less common, and more severe). Sometimes in more severe cases, the blood can come up the sinus and out from the eye. Fresh blood and clotted blood can also flow down into the stomach and cause upset stomachs and vomiting.

All nosebleeds are due to tears in the mucosal lining and the many small blood vessels it contains. Fragility or injury may cause the tears, while inflammation, coagulation problems and other disorders may make the injury harder to repair.


[edit] Treatment
The flow of blood normally stops when the blood clots, which may be encouraged by direct pressure and reducing the blood pressure in the head by sitting upright with the head tilted forward for about 10 minutes. Tilting the head back is not advised, as it can lead to blood flowing into the respitory system, and possibly resulting in death.

Petroleum jelly is sometimes applied to stop the blood from seeping out of and prohibit the loss of moisture in the nasal cavity. However, the jelly can drain into the lungs producing a buildup that leads to lipoid pneumonia. [1]

If other techniques do not work, an anterior packing is a possible remedy. An anterior pack works by applying pressure from the inside of the cavity, thus stopping the bleeding. This procedure can be performed at home for minor nosebleeds by gently packing tissue or gauze into the nasal cavity. Nasal sponges[2] are readily available at most drugstores and supermarkets.

If bleeding continues, seeking emergency medical attention is important. Continued bleeding is an indication of more serious underlying conditions.[3] First aid includes inserting either a balloon inflated nasal tampon or dry hydrophilic nasal tampon.[4]

Chronic epistaxis resulting from a dry nasal mucosa is often treated by spraying saline in the nose up to three times per day. There are also non-petroleum based gels that can be used.

Persistent epistaxis is an indication for urgent medical consultation. Nasal packing, cryosurgery, electrocautery or application of trichloroacetic acid are options that may be used in severe epistaxis.

It is uncommon to die from bleeding through nosebleeds. However, damage to the maxillary artery can lead to rapid blood loss via the nose and present difficulty in treatment, pressure, vasoconstrictor and rhinocort occasionally proving ineffective. Ligation of the artery, risking damage to the facial nerves, may be the only solution.

A simple treatment for those who have nosebleed on a regular basis is to increase your daily dietary fiber intake. This would make the blood coagulation faster and help quickly stop the hemorrhage.

Nevertheless, severe protracted nosebleeds may cause anemia due to iron deficiency.

If a nosebleed lasts for more than 15 minutes, occurs following a serious injury, or is accompanied by severe blood loss, you should call your doctor or go to the emergency room.

Answer 2

I don't know how old you are or if you live in the mountains or if you know both of your parents and their parents but something like this happened to me as a child. I began having constant nosebleeds around the age of 6-7. I COULD EVEN SMELL THE BLOOD BEFORE IT STARTED! Turns out my father also had the same problem. I would bleed sometimes for over 3-4 hours!!! My mother had my nose "cauterized" several times (a process where a DOCTOR goes into the nose and nasal cavities and burns them like cauterizing an open wound , sealing it shut) But the problem continued.When I "became a woman" the nosebleeds stopped. My father told me about his nosebleeds when I was older. His stopped on their own when he reached puberty. SO it could be hereditary,check your family tree for others who may have also had this problem.

Answer 3

Have you been in extreme physical activity lately? Like softball or soccer, etc.

I remember that I didn't have a nose bleed for 3 years straight, then I went ATV riding on day and I started having nose bleeds like crazy.

So my advice is to take it easy for awhile.