Life Hack : Nose Bleeds

 

I see people who have had nose bleeds all the time.  So let’s talk a little about them. Nose bleeds are usually caused by a blood vessel in the front of the nose cracking open when the lining of the nose gets too dry. I could say a lot more about other causes and also about bleeding from the back of the nose (“posterior nose bleeds”), but I’ll save that for another day. 


First let’s talk prevention.

What can you do to prevent bleeding? Short answer: Moisture.  

Do you know why fish don’t get nose bleeds? If you think it’s because they get plenty of nasal moisture, you’d be….wrong.  It’s because they don’t have noses. I digress.

Someone who suffers from frequent nose bleeds should focus on keeping their nose moisturized with nasal saline sprays, topical lubricants such as Vaseline or saline gels, and by putting a humidifier by their bed at night.  

So what do you do when you or your child get a nose bleed?

Here’s the best way I know to stop it quickly.  

You need two things: a cotton ball and a nasal decongestant spray like Afrin (this is one of the VERY few times I recommend using Afrin...otherwise, I believe it’s of the devil and should be avoided at all costs. I’m sure I’ll post a rant about Afrin soon).  

It’s easy: 

  1. Take your cotton ball and rip it in half. Take one half and roll it between your palms.  It should make a little narrow football shape.  

  2. Now, soak it with Afrin.  

  3. Next, stick it in the the side of the nose that’s bleeding.  

  4. Squeeze the soft part of your nose tight for 5 minutes.  Literally set a timer because most people think this means only 1 minute and they release too soon.  I really want you to squeeze your nose tight for 5 whole minutes.  

  5. Then let go and take out the cotton ball. 

If the bleeding doesn’t stop, call me.  817-261-3000

If you’re having a bunch of nose bleeds every week, call me.  Same number.

There are a lot of other things that I can do for nose bleeds and golden nuggets of wisdom that I could pass on about them, which I’ll share in future posts. This is still my first go-to.

 
 
 

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Nose, Daily LifeErin Shellenbergernose, nosebleed, DIY