Sudden Nose Bleeds
What Causes Sudden Nose Bleeds?
For most of us, sudden nose bleeds can be a true mystery. They start up without seemingly any reason and can stop just as abruptly. We don't know when they will strike--during the night while we sleep or during that all-important board meeting at the office? But there has to be a medical reason for this, right? We're going to delve into the possible causes of sudden nose bleeds as well as take a look at some preventative measures that can be taken against them.
Before we can look into the causes behind nose bleeds, we first have to understand how the nose works. The nose is chock full of blood vessels. Slight changes to the environment in the nose can have a huge affect on the way these sensitive little vessels perform. Something as simple as low humidity in the air can cause the environment in the nose to go through a drastic change. Injuries are also capable of changing the effectiveness of the nose. It doesn't help that the nose protrudes from the middle of the face where it is out there for virtually any kind of injury to occur.
The kicker with nose bleeds is that they don't just happen externally. Blood can drain from the nose out through the nostrils--like we normally envision a nose bleed--but it can also drain into the nose, the throat, and even through the eyes! Frequent nose bleeds could be a sign that a serious underlying condition may be present, such as polyps, high blood pressure, or thinning of the blood. This is why it's always a good idea to consider going to the doctor to explain the situation and receive an evaluation. That is the surest way to determine what the possible issue is.
But, to give us all a better idea as to what causes those out of the blue, sudden nose bleeds, we're going to look at some of the most probable causes. One of the most common causes for persistent nose bleeds, especially in the winter time, is due to dry air. In winter, heaters such as wood stoves, fire places, and even central heat can seriously suck the moisture from the air. When this happens, the membranes in the nose become severely dried out and often produce very sticky, tack-like mucous. Dried blood and a bloody nose are usually soon to follow. A humidifier works great to put moisture back into the air. If you don't have one, you can always boil a large pot of water on the kitchen range until the water has completely evaporated. This can put a little moisture back into the air, but it won't be effective in a two story house or one that doesn't allow for good airflow.
Picking one's nose often or blowing one's nose too hard are also good ways to experience sudden nose bleeds. Remember that the membranes and the blood vessels in the nose are extremely sensitive and it can be quite easy to exert too much pressure against the vessels. This causes them to burst which then turns into a nose bleed. Avoiding these activities is the best way to stop the nose bleeds and will give the interior of the nose a chance to heal.
Severe nose bleeds should never be left to go away on their own. A severe nose bleed is classed as one that does not stop after about ten minutes or one that bleeds so profusely that it repeatedly soaks through tissues with no sign of stopping. These could be signs of high blood pressure or of thinned blood, a common result of taking too much aspirin. Emergency services should be contacted in the event of a severe nose bleed.