BayTree Wellness Center

Ever useful onion

How do you stop a bleeding nose?  A good subject for my first BayTree Wellness Center post – something that helps folks stay well at home, away from our loving care at BayTree!  Let us know what you think and what other subjects you’d like covered for the future.

Nosebleeds can occur for a variety of reasons and some are not nearly as serious as others.  Trauma and dry air are the main causes.  Blood-thinners, fever, or even nose-picking can also cause it.  Children are especially susceptible.

These are what I consider serious cases, so if :

• the nosebleed occurs after a head injury, or
• you treat yourself for more than 15 minutes with no success and its still really bleeding out, or
• the nosebleed comes from  the back of the nose and drains through the throat, or
• your nose bleeding becomes frequent, spontaneous, or
• the nosebleed is accompanied by fever and you feel nauseous,

…then see your doctor as soon as you can!

The #1 tip first, in case you need it NOW:

Use a cotton ball, soak it with either apple cider vinegar or else rub the cotton ball on the inside of an onion ‘leaf’.  Squeeze the cotton ball into the bleeding nose.   Pour a teaspoon of the vinegar in a glass of water and drink it.

Furthermore, at home:

1. Have a towel soaked in cold water, squeeze out the excess water.
2. If you feel a clot, blow your nose forcefully to blow it out.
3. Sit down, tilt your head forward a little to avoid blood backing in down your throat.
4. Pinch your nose shut and breathe through your mouth.   Keep closed for 10 minutes.
5. Apply the cold wet towel to your nose and forehead.  If you can, soak your feet in warm water to draw circulation away.

Food therapy:

• 

  This is NOT to a good way to stop a nosebleed, but can be a lot of fun.

  The cotton ball method above can also be done with witchhazel extract if you have it, and probably many other naturally astringent things.

• Beat 2 egg whites.  Boil 1 cup water, add up to 1 oz. sugar , drop in eggs whites and let sit for 3 minutes.  Drink right away.
• or instead of eggs, juice a daikon radish, add a little sugar and drink.
• If you have spinach, guava, or chestnuts around, eat some.  They helps stop bleeding.

Body therapy:

• Raise the arm opposite the side of the nose that is bleeding and tilt your head back a little. Keep your arms up for a while.   If both nostrils are bleeding, raise both arms up against the ears.

• Dip your fingers in cold water and tap your forehead.  See also step 5 above.

Other:

• Is your living environment is properly humidified?  Make sure it is.  Consider using a humidifier (with distilled water, not tap).
• If you’re prone to nosebleeds, you might be low on iron.  Add spinach, cuttlefish, oysters, eggs, green veggies in general, grapes, and lychee berries to your diet. Eat them regularly.
  

What shouldn’t you do?

• Dont eat hot spicy food.   For now avoid foods high in salicylates, an substance found in coffee, tea, almonds, apples, apricots, all berries, mint cloves, cherries, currants, grapes, raisins, oil of wintergreen, bell peppers, peaches, plums, tangelos, tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickles, cocoa, apricots, oranges, and chocolate.
• If you have nosebleeds often, watch your use of aspirin.  Aspirin makes your blood thinner, less congealing so easier to bleed.

I hope I answered your burning questions about how to stop a nose from bleeding.  I’d love to hear your comments.

Article by Afshin Mokhtari, Acupuncturist at BayTree Wellness Center.  You can read more of Afshin’s articles at his site: www.qi-harmony.com.  You can reach afshin via email on our Locations page.

5 Responses to “What to do about a Nosebleed!”