Xiao Ming is a lively ten-year-old boy who has just returned from a game of soccer in the yard, his cheeks flushed and sweating profusely. Suddenly, a warm liquid poured out of his nostrils, and he jerked his hands over his nose, and a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.
Lao Li, Xiao Ming's father saw this scene and immediately remembered the teachings of his elders when he was a child: "Nosebleed? Raise your head and put your hands up! He anxiously commanded Xiao Ming, as if this was the master key to all nosebleeds.
Although Xiao Ming was skeptical, at his father's insistence, he still obediently did so. After a few minutes, the nosebleed seemed to have really stopped, but Xiao Ming's face was unusually pale, his breathing became a little short, and the whole person looked weak and weak.
Just as Lao Li breathed a sigh of relief, Xiao Ming's mother, Aunt Wang, hurriedly entered the door, holding the brochure she had just brought back from the community health lecture. She had a serious face and interrupted Lao Li: "This method is not right!" The doctor at the lecture just said that raising your head when you have a nosebleed can be dangerous.
01. Causes of nosebleeds
Local factors:
Traumatic epistaxis: Whether it is a sports collision, a fall, or an inadvertent slight scratch, it can damage the delicate mucous membranes in the nasal cavity, causing blood vessels to rupture and bleed.
Nasal foreign bodies: Small objects stuffed into the nostrils driven by children's curiosity, or irritants such as dust and pollutants, can also damage the nasal mucosa and cause bleeding.
Improper cleaning habits: Frequent or vigorous nose picking, and using hard objects to clean the nasal cavity will aggravate the wear and tear of the nasal mucosa and increase the risk of bleeding.
Nosebleeds xerosa: Dry climates, especially indoor air heated in winter, can cause the nasal mucosa to lose moisture, become dry and brittle, and break easily. Being in an air-conditioned room or airplane cabin for a long time in a dry environment can cause damage to the nasal mucosa.
Allergic epistaxis: The inflammation of the nasal mucosa caused by allergic rhinitis not only causes symptoms such as sneezing and nasal congestion, but also makes the blood vessels in the nasal cavity more sensitive and prone to bleeding.
Infectious epistaxis: Nasal inflammation caused by rhinitis and sinusitis can directly damage the nasal mucosa, causing blood vessels to rupture and bleed.
Systemic factors:
High blood pressure: In hypertensive patients, the pressure on the nasal blood vessel wall increases, and the blood vessels are more fragile and prone to rupture and bleeding.
Hematologic diseases: including aplastic anemia, leukemia, thrombocytopenic purpura, etc., these diseases affect the ability of blood to clot, making bleeding difficult to stop.
Acute febrile infectious diseases: high fever caused by diseases such as typhoid fever and malaria can lead to dilation of blood vessels and increase the risk of bleeding.
Other systemic diseases: chronic liver and kidney diseases, endocrine disorders, hereditary telangiectasias, drug side effects, etc., may be the driving force behind nosebleeds.
02. Proper management of nosebleeds
Forward head tilt: Keep the bleeding person calm and tilt the head slightly forward to avoid blood flowing down the throat or being swallowed. Do not tilt your head to avoid discomfort or danger caused by blood backflow.
Shiatsu hemostasis: Use your thumb and forefinger to gently pinch the soft part of your nose and apply pressure toward your face for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps to directly compress the bleeding blood vessels, promote thrombosis, and achieve initial hemostasis. During this time, the patient is allowed to breathe through the mouth.
Cold compress assistance: Apply a cold compress pack on the bridge of the nose or cheeks, cold compress can help blood vessels constrict, slow blood flow, and assist in the process of hemostasis.
Keep the environment moist: If nosebleeds are in a dry environment, turning on a humidifier or moving the person to a moist environment can help reduce nasal dryness and prevent further bleeding.
Avoid straining: During and for some time after hemostasis, avoid blowing your nose, coughing, and strenuous exercise to prevent tearing the blood clot that has already formed again.
Precautions: Do not stuff tissues, cotton balls and other items into the nasal cavity to avoid damaging the nasal mucosa or causing infection. When dealing with nosebleeds, keep your breathing open and avoid nervousness, which may exacerbate the increase in blood pressure and not help stop the bleeding.
After stopping the bleeding, avoid picking the nose, rubbing the nose and other behaviors, keep the nasal cavity clean, and use normal saline nasal spray appropriately to keep the nasal cavity moist.
03. Prevention of nosebleeds
Adjust the temperature and humidity: Maintain the indoor temperature at 18-20°C and the humidity is not lower than 60%, and the use of a humidifier is especially important during the dry season to help keep the nasal passages moist.
Air circulation: Open windows regularly for ventilation to ensure fresh air and reduce the retention of harmful substances.
Diet: Eat more foods rich in vitamins C and E, such as green leafy vegetables, fruits (apples, mangoes, peaches), beans, eggs and milk, to enhance the elasticity of blood vessels.
Avoid irritation: Reduce the intake of spicy, alcoholic and other irritating foods, and avoid tobacco and alcohol to prevent nasal dryness and irritation.
Regular bowel movements: Keep your stools smooth, eat plenty of fiber-rich foods, and use laxatives in moderation if necessary to prevent nosebleeds caused by straining to have a bowel movement.
Avoid nose picking: Educate children not to pick their nose and rub their noses, get rid of bad habits, and reduce nasal mucosal damage.
Nasal care: When the nose is dry, normal saline spray can be used to protect the nasal mucosa and reduce bleeding caused by dryness.
Gentle cleansing: Use a gentle way to clean your nasal passages and avoid using hard objects or blowing your nose strongly.
Nosebleeds, a seemingly inconspicuous episode that touches the hearts of countless people, can be effectively managed and controlled through scientific cognition and reasonable preventive measures. Whether it is careful care in daily life or calmly responding to emergencies, it is an important part of building a safety barrier for our own health.
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