Want more iVillage? Sign up for our
Newsletters
Nosebleeds
About this symptom
The following tips may reduce your risk for developing nosebleeds.
- Use saltwater (saline) nose drops or a spray.
- Avoid forceful nose-blowing.
- Do not pick your nose or put your finger in your nose to remove crusts.
- Avoid lifting or straining after a nosebleed.
- Elevate your head on one or two pillows while sleeping.
- Apply a light coating of a moisturizing ointment, such as Vaseline, to the inside of your nose.
- Limit your use of aspirin, warfarin (such as Coumadin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), clopidogrel (Plavix), or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, may be used to relieve pain.
- Do not use nonprescription antihistamines, decongestants, or medicated nasal sprays. These medicines can help control cold and allergy symptoms, but overuse may dry the inside of the nose (mucous membranes) and cause nosebleeds.
- Keep your blood pressure under control if you have a history of high blood pressure. This will help decrease the risk of nosebleeds.
- Do not smoke. Smoking slows healing. For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
- Do not use illegal drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines.
Make changes in your home
- Humidify your home, especially the bedrooms. Low humidity is a common cause of nosebleeds.
- Keep the heat low [60°F (16°C) to 64°F (18°C)] in sleeping areas. Cooler air does not dry out the nasal passages.
- Breathe moist air, such as from a shower, for a while if your nose becomes very dry. Then put a little moisturizing ointment, such as Vaseline, inside your nostrils to help prevent bleeding. But do not put anything inside your nose if your nose is bleeding. Occasional use of saline nasal sprays may also help keep nasal tissue moist.
Prevent nosebleeds in children
- Keep your child's fingernails trimmed and discourage nose-picking.
- Caution children not to put any object in their noses.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: March 22, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:
- Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
- Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
- Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.
The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.
How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?
Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.
How do I save content to my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.
How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.
How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.
To manage your Care Circle, Please
Sign In.
