Epistaxis is the scientific name for nosebleeds. A large number of capillaries circulate in the nose and can easily rupture

The air circulating through the nose can dry out or irritate the mucous membranes, causing the formation of micro lesions that rupture and bleed when removed by blowing or rubbing the nose.

Nosebleeds occur mainly during winter, when viruses are more common and warm air indoors dries out the mucous membranes in the nostrils.

The most common causes of nosebleeds are allergic rhinitis, the presence of foreign bodies inside the nose, irritation, trauma, blowing the nose too hard, upper airway infections, the use of certain medications, nasal or maxillofacial surgery, and barotrauma.

What to do if you have a nosebleed

If you have a nosebleed, sit down and press your nostrils for about 5 minutes; it is important never to bend your head backwards, but to keep it straight or slightly bent forward, to avoid swallowing the blood.

It may be useful to apply ice compresses to the nasal septum to stop the bleeding.

During the winter period, to prevent nosebleeds, the use of a humidifier in closed rooms and nasal sprays to maintain the right amount of moisture inside the nostrils is recommended.

The doctor should be called if the nosebleed is caused by a head injury (e.g. during an accident) or if the bleeding occurs repeatedly or is not associated with one of the common causes.

Diagnosis of nosebleeds

The diagnosis is made by the doctor on the basis of the interview.

He may ask about the amount of blood that usually escapes or whether the bleeding stops as soon as the nostrils are pinched or ice is placed on the nasal septum.

He may also ask if these bleedings have occurred recently, how long they have been occurring, if they are recurrent, what symptoms accompany them or if there are traces of blood in vomit or stools.

Other tests may help in the diagnosis: a blood cell count, an X-ray of the skull for possible trauma, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, a nasal endoscopy.

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Source:

Pagine Mediche