Nose bleeds why they happen

Sometimes tiny blood vessels inside the nose become irritated and don't heal. This happens more frequently in teens who have ongoing allergies or frequent colds. A doctor may have a solution if you have this problem. If your doctor rules out a sinus infection, allergies, or irritated blood vessels, he or she may order other tests to see why you're getting frequent nosebleeds. Rarely, a bleeding disorder or abnormally formed blood vessels could be a possibility.

Cocaine or other drugs that are snorted through the nose can also cause nosebleeds. If you suspect a friend is using cocaine, try talking about it and get help from a trusted adult. An occasional nosebleed may make you worry, but there's no need to panic — now you know what to do!

Reviewed by: Michelle P. Tellado, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. How Can I Stop a Nosebleed? Try these simple tips to stop a nosebleed: Get some tissues or a damp cloth to catch the blood. Sit up or stand. Tilt your head forward and pinch your nostrils together just below the bony center part of your nose. Applying pressure helps stop the blood flow and the nosebleed will usually stop with 10 minutes of steady pressure.

Don't stop applying pressure to keep checking if the bleeding has stopped. Now that your nosebleed is over, let's take a look at what a nosebleed is and what can cause it. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Alter H. Approach to the adult with epistaxis. Accessed Aug. Nosebleed epistaxis. Mayo Clinic; Flint PW, et al.

Elsevier; Elsevier Point of Care. Clinical overview: Epistaxis. Messner AH. Management of epistaxis in children. See also Medication-free hypertension control 7 signs to watch for if you have ITP Acute lymphocytic leukemia Acute myelogenous leukemia Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?

Aplastic anemia Aspergillosis Beta blockers Beta blockers: Do they cause weight gain? Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise? Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm? Blood pressure chart Blood pressure cuff: Does size matter? Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?

Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather? Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight? Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides? Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?

You may need to stay in hospital for a day or two. Page last reviewed: 22 January Next review due: 22 January Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:. Video: How to treat a nosebleed This video shows you how to treat a nosebleed.

Media last reviewed: 5 June Media review due: 5 June