When you see blood coming out of your nose, most people might panic because they think it's a sign of a serious condition. However, generally the cause of epistaxis or nosebleeds is not dangerous.
Nosebleeds occur when blood comes out of the nose, can come from the front of the nose (anterior) or back of the nose (posterior), and blood can also come out of one or both nostrils. However, most epistaxis originates from the anterior and only comes out of one nostril.
Causes of Epistaxis You Need to Know
Anterior epistaxis is usually easy to treat, not a serious sign and can be treated at home. Meanwhile, posterior epistaxis (blood flowing into the oral cavity and throat) is more complicated and requires treatment from a doctor.
This condition can occur at any age, but is more often experienced by children aged 2-10 years and adults aged 50-80 years. Bleeding that occurs can last for a few seconds to 10-15 minutes, or even longer.
The following are some of the causes of anterior epistaxis:
- Dry air, which makes the inside of your nose dry and prone to bleeding and infection.
- Hot air.
- Picking your nose with sharp nails.
- Get rid of snot too hard.
- Was in the highlands.
- Minor injury to the nose.
- Nasal congestion due to colds or flu.
- Sinusitis.
- Allergy.
- Using excessive decongestants.
- Crooked nose (septal deviation) congenital or due to injury.
While the causes of posterior epistaxis are:
- Broken nose.
- Hardening of artery walls (atherosclerosis).
- Nose surgery.
- Genetic diseases that affect blood vessels.
- Hard blow or impact to the head.
- The use of drugs that can trigger bleeding, such as aspirin and anticoagulants.
- Blood clotting disorders.
- Tumors in the nasal cavity.
- Leukemia.
Do This If You Have Epistaxis
Seeing blood coming out of your nose might surprise you so that you don't know what to do. Actually, how to handle epistaxis is easy and you can do it yourself. Here is how to handle epistaxis independently:
- Sit up straight and lean forward. Upright position reduces pressure in the blood vessels in the nose, and can prevent more bleeding. The forward leaning position is to avoid swallowed blood bleeding. If swallowed, can irritate the stomach.
- Exhale from the nose, like blowing your nose, but do it slowly to clear the nasal passages from blood clots.
- Then pinch your nostrils using your thumb and index finger to stop the bleeding. Do it on both holes even though bleeding only comes out in one hole. Do it for 5-10 minutes. During clamping, you can breathe through your mouth.
If the bleeding still does not stop, repeat the methods above. After the bleeding stops, it is advisable to hold your head up (do not bend) for several hours so that blood does not flow again.
Although there is no need to panic when having a nosebleed, but you are still advised to consult a doctor if a nosebleed or epistaxis does not subside immediately after being treated at home. In addition, also consult a doctor if nosebleeds occur repeatedly.
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