Causes of nasal bleeding

Nasal bleeding occurs as a result of damage to the blood vessels of the nasal mucosa. Approximately 60% of the world's population had bleeding from the nose at least once in their life. The "risk group" includes children under 10 years of age and older people over 50 years of age. In men, nasal bleeding occurs more often than in women.

More often the source of bleeding is the mucosa of the anterior part of the nasal septum (the so-called Kisselbach place), in whichthere are many small blood vessels. Approximately 20% of all cases of bleeding occur in other areas of the nasal cavity. The most dangerous are bleeding from the back, as they are caused by damage to large arteries.

All causes of nasal bleeding can be conditionally divided into two groups: local and system factors. Local factors are directly related to the nasal cavity, systemic factors are associated with the state of the organism as a whole. Systemic factors are most often associated with the cardiovascular system.

Among the local factors, the most common causes of nasal bleeding are nose injuries and foreign bodies in the nasal cavity (this can be attributed to the habit of picking one's nose).

Also, common local factors include inflammatory processes, for example, ARVI, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis. Another bleeding from the nose can be caused by low relative humidity: the nasal mucosa dries up and becomes more vulnerable.

Less common local causes nasal bleeding - these are anatomical deformities and tumors of the nasal cavity, barotrauma, the use of a nasal spray (especially a steroid) and some others.

TO systemic factors capable of provoking nasal bleeding, include colds, allergies, andalso arterial hypertension (persistent increase in blood pressure). By the way, this is why nosebleeds are common among the elderly: they have an age-related tendency to hypertension combined with a drier and thin nasal mucosa.

Other possible systemic causes of nasal bleeding - these are blood diseases, vascular diseases,systemic connective tissue diseases, heart failure. Also, nasal bleeding may result in a deficiency in the body of vitamin K or C. Bleeding from the nose can be a side effect of taking certain medications (most often non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen), and the result of vasodilation with alcohol.

If nasal bleeding is caused by systemic causes, Identify and eliminate the main problem, then you can cope with bleeding from the nose.

Particular attention should be paid to the so-called "Signaling" nosebleeds. Such bleeding starts suddenly and quicklyend, with a significant loss of blood, and the blood can have an unusual color. The causes of such nosebleeds may be rupture of a large blood vessel or aneurysm, decay of a malignant tumor, pulmonary bleeding (with blood being scarlet and foamy) or bleeding of the upper gastrointestinal tract (dark and coagulated blood).

A single bleeding from the nose, which quickly passed and was not accompanied by a significant loss of blood, usually does not pose a particular danger. Seek medical advice should, if the nosebleeds you happen quite often and for no apparent reason, as well as with heavy prolonged bleeding, which can not be stopped within 20 minutes.

Finally a few words about first aid with nasal bleeding. A common mistake is to throw your head back,so that blood does not drip on clothes. In this case, there is a risk of getting blood in the respiratory tract. On the contrary, it is necessary to lower the head downwards, pressing the napkin with hydrogen peroxide (or simply clutching the nose) to the nostrils. You can put a cold compress on the bridge of the nose.