This part of the nose, known as Little's area, contains many delicate blood vessels that can be easily damaged.
The cause of anterior nosebleeds is sometimes unknown, but they can be caused by a number of things, including:. Anterior nosebleeds are more common in children and are not usually a sign of anything serious. They can often be treated easily at home. A small number of nosebleeds are posterior nosebleeds, which means the bleeding originates from branches of arteries that supply blood to the space inside your nose between the roof of your mouth and your brain nasal cavity.
These nosebleeds are more common in adults than children. They can be more serious than anterior nosebleeds and bleed more heavily. Medical attention may be required. High blood pressure hypertension is also more common in people with nosebleeds and may make it harder to stop the bleeding, but it's not clear whether this directly causes nosebleeds.
Most nosebleeds can be stopped without the need for medical attention, but occasionally further treatment may be required. However, you should still follow the recovery advice outlined below. If you see your GP or go to hospital with a nosebleed, you will be assessed to determine how serious your condition is and what's likely to have caused it. This may involve looking inside your nose, measuring your pulse and blood pressure, carrying out blood tests and asking about any other symptoms you have.
The main treatments that your GP or hospital doctor may use to stop your nose bleeding are described below. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic ointment. This should be applied by squeezing a pea-sized amount onto the front of the nasal septum wall between the nostrils. This can reduce the inflammation and crusting in the nose and reduce the severity and frequency of nosebleeds.
If your doctor is able to identify exactly where the bleeding is coming from, they may carry out a minor procedure to seal the bleeding blood vessel by cauterising burning it. This is normally done using a stick of a chemical called silver nitrate.
A local anaesthetic will be sprayed into your nose to numb it and the silver nitrate stick will be held against the bleeding point for up to 10 seconds. If cautery is ineffective or your doctor is unable to identify a specific bleeding point, they may recommend packing your nose with gauze or special nasal sponges to stop the flow of blood by applying pressure to the source of the bleeding.
Packing will usually be carried out after local anaesthetic has been sprayed into your nose. The gauze or sponges often need to be left in place for hours before being removed by a health professional.
You'll usually need to be admitted to hospital to be monitored during this time. If the treatments above don't help, you may be referred to a hospital specialist such as an ear, nose and throat ENT doctor for further treatment.
Once your nose has stopped bleeding, you should follow the advice below to reduce the risk of your nose bleeding again and to stop you picking up an infection:. If you see a GP or a hospital doctor about your nosebleed, they may give you a prescription for an antiseptic nasal cream once the bleeding stops. This should be applied to the inside of your nostrils several times a day for up to two weeks to help prevent further bleeding. If your nose does start to bleed again, follow the first aid advice above and seek medical advice if the bleeding doesn't stop.
This is common in children, but also in adults who are prone to itching or scratching inside their nose. To prevent another bloody nose, use saline and topical ointments to moisturize inside your nose, but only once bleeding has stopped. And avoid picking or scratching your nose. Although most nosebleeds can be treated at home, some are severe and require medical attention.
But under certain circumstances, such as if you're taking blood thinners like aspirin or warfarin , nosebleeds can be quite concerning and require medical care.
Having more than one nosebleed a week is also a sign that you should talk to your doctor. He adds that recurrent nosebleeds may point to other, more significant medical conditions. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools. Heart Health. By Jennifer J. Reviewed: February 27, Medically Reviewed.
A nosebleed that recurs 2 to 3 times in a month may mean that a chronic condition such as allergies is causing the nosebleeds. Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
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