How does a nosebleed occur?
Small injuries to the fine vessels in the nasal mucosa lead to nosebleeds . Nosebleeds are usually harmless and can even happen for no reason. The blood loss is minimal in most cases, but disturbing if the blood unexpectedly gets on the clothing. The nasal mucosa is a tissue that is very well supplied with blood because it has to do an enormous amount of work. An average of 10,000 to 15,000 liters of breathing air is heated by the nose over a distance of approx. 7 cm to a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius and is over 90% saturated with water vapour.
Causes of Nosebleeds
Nosebleeds are caused by a blood vessel bursting in the lining of the nose. There are many reasons for the annoying bleeding:
- Acute infections such as the flu
- Injuries or a blow to the nose
- runny nose, hay fever
- Slight vascular injury e.g. B. when blowing your nose
- Dehydration caused by room air conditioning
- Side effect of drugs that affect blood clotting
What should I do?
Elevate your upper body, bend your head forward – not backwards, as was often said in the past – and place a cold compress on the back of your neck to reduce blood flow to the nasal mucosa. In addition, squeeze the nostrils for a few minutes. If blood runs down the throat – do not swallow, but spit out if possible. A nasal packing or compress is also helpful.
Once the bleeding has stopped, you should not blow your nose for a few hours. If you suffer from sensitive nasal mucosa and are therefore prone to nosebleeds, you should rub the inside of your nose with nourishing nasal ointments, especially if you have a cold, and avoid blowing your nose violently.
Nosebleeds – not always harmless
In some cases, you still need to see a doctor: If the bleeding hasn’t stopped after 20 minutes or is bilateral, or if you bleed frequently without a reason. Nosebleeds can also be an indication of other diseases. These include e.g. B. vascular and circulatory diseases such as high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis , but also bleeding diseases and coagulation disorders.