Nosebleed Treatment in San Francisco, CA

What is a Nosebleed?

A nosebleed is the loss of blood from the tissue that lines the inside of your nose. Nosebleeds are also called epistaxis. Nosebleeds occur because there is a large number of blood vessels that are close to the surface in the lining of your nose. The location of the nose in the middle of the face makes it an easy target for injury.

The majority of people will have at least one nosebleed in their lifetime. Most are not a cause for concern, however, severe or repeated nosebleeds can be a sign to seek medical attention.

The ENT doctors at California Sinus Centers specialize in the treatment of reoccurring nosebleeds at our ENT clinic in San Francisco, Palo Alto, and San Jose. If you are experiencing chronic nosebleeds and are seeking diagnosis and treatment, schedule a consultation at one of our ENT clinics near you. With our provider’s education and expertise, patients travel throughout San Francisco, San Jose, and the Palo Alto area to receive care for their ENT conditions. 

What Causes Nosebleeds?

There are several causes for nosebleeds.

The two most common causes are

• Dry air that causes your nasal membranes to dry out
• Nose picking or scratching inside of the nose

Nosebleeds are most often caused by:

• Rubbing the nose often
• Hetting hit in the nose or putting an object inside it
• Blowing too hard
• Colds or allergies
• Abnormal tissue (skin) growth inside, such as polyps

Which Types of Nosebleeds are there?

Frequent nosebleeds – If you experience several nosebleeds in a short period of time or over a few days, this is usually from a spot where a blood clot has formed and then comes off.

Front of the nose (anterior nosebleed)- In the front of your nose there is a wall that separates the two sides of the nose (called the septum). Capillaries and small blood vessels in this front area of the nose are fragile and can easily break and bleed. This is the most common type of nosebleed and is usually not serious. These nosebleeds are more common in children and are usually able to be treated at home.

Deep inside the nose  (posterior nosebleed) – This nosebleed is caused by a bleed in larger blood vessels in the back part of the nose near the throat. This can be a more serious nosebleed and can result in heavy bleeding, which may flow down the back of the throat. You may need medical attention right away for this type of nosebleed and is more common in adults.

How Do I Stop a Nosebleed?

• Relax
• Sit upright
• Lean your body and your head slightly forward to avoid anything dripping into your throat
• Breathe through your mouth
• Use a tissue or cloth to catch the blood
• Apply a cold ice back on the bridge of your nose to help constrict blood vessels
• Put pressure on the soft part of the nose where the bony ridge separates your nostrils
• It should resolve in five to ten minutes
• Rest and take it easy following a nosebleed

When Should I Seek Medical Help?

• If you’re unable to stop the bleeding after 20 minutes
• If you are feeling weak, faint, or tired
• You are taking blood-thinning medications
• Your nosebleed is combined with bruising on your body (may be a sign of a blood clotting disorder)

Your ENT doctor will examine your nose and discuss your medical history to see what could be causing the severe or frequent nose bleeds. There are procedures available to help with the blood vessels in the nose.

Nosebleed procedures may include:

• Cauterization – burning a blood vessel closed
• Packing – putting pressure on the blood vessel to help it clot through a latex balloon or gauze

To avoid future nosebleeds, you can keep the inside of your nose moist with a humidifier or saline sprays. You can avoid picking your nose or using medications that may worsen your nosebleed.