Are nose bleeds harmful? Doctor explains causes, effective prevention tips

Qn: My 15-year-old son has suffered from nose bleeds for some time. Is this a symptom of any severe disease? His blood pressure elevates when the nose bleeds happen.

Ans: Around 60 percent of the population might suffer from nose bleeds at some point. In 95 – 99 percent of cases, nose bleeds happen not because of any underlying diseases. This is mostly seen in people around 15 years of age and after 50 years of age. Nose bleeds in children will subside as they grow older. Although it is impossible to diagnose the actual reason, nose bleeds are mostly seen in children who pick their noses. Those who have a curved nose bridge often feel discomfort when the dried mucus gets deposited in the nasal cavity. Scratches and lesions may appear when they try to take out the dried mucus using their finger. This happens mostly during winter when there is low moisture content in the air.

Another reason for nose bleeds in children is inserting certain objects into the nose. Those who are severely allergic might get constant infections, leading to nose bleeds. In 99 percent of cases, the bleeding occurs from the front side of the nasal bridge. It is possible to stop the bleeding by pressing both sides of the nasal bridge using two fingers for at least 10 – 15 minutes. Although nasal bleeding could be a symptom of nasal cancer, it is rare, and the bleeding could be severe. Usually, nose bleeds aren’t seen in children under two years.

Meanwhile, in adults, nose bleeds could happen due to many reasons. High diabetes, elevated blood pressure, continuous infections and usage of anticoagulant medicines like aspirin and warfarin are some of the reasons for nose bleeds in adults. Although high blood pressure alone cannot cause nose bleeds, it would be difficult to control the bleeding if the pressure is high when nose bleeds happen. The risk is higher in those who suffer from severe liver and kidney diseases, drop in platelet levels, deformed blood vessels and those who are alcoholics.

If your child has the habit of picking his nose, then try to avoid the habit. Besides, the fingernails should always be trimmed to avoid scratches or wounds inside the nose. Consult a doctor and get nasal sprays if you have a dry nasal cavity. Pressing on both sides of the nose bridge or applying ice packs could reduce or control the nasal bleed. Although your son is not likely to have any severe disease, it is better to consult an ENT specialist in case nasal bleeds happen repeatedly.
The writer is a general medicine consultant at the General Hospital, Kottayam.