How to Stop a Nosebleed

Do you know the proper way to stop a nosebleed? There are many misconceptions about the best way to stop a nosebleed and some of them do more harm than good. The best way to learn how to stop a nosebleed is to actually learn what not to do. Oftentimes when a person gets a nosebleed, some well-meaning person nearby will offer the advice we have all heard before-tilt your head back. This advice is not only wrong, it can make things worse for the individual whose nose is bleeding. If you tilt your head back while your nose is bleeding, blood will be drawn back into your throat and it will travel down through your esophagus and into your stomach. Blood is actually very irritating to the stomach and if there is enough present, it will make you feel nauseated and it may even cause you to vomit.

What you actually want to do to stop a nosebleed is to lean forward and gently squeeze your nostrils together for ten to fifteen minutes. If any blood gets into your mouth, you should spit it out instead of swallowing it. Maintain pressure on the nostrils until the bleeding is completely controlled. The majority of the time, failure to control a nosebleed relates to releasing pressure too soon.

Another option that will help to stop a nose bleed is to fold up a piece of gauze or something similar that you have access to-a paper towel will work-and to roll it up and place it between your upper lip and gum. Apply direct pressure and stretch the upper lip against the rolled gauze or paper towel. Once again, you will want to maintain the pressure for ten to fifteen minutes or until the bleeding has completely stopped. If you have access to ice, you can place an ice pack over your nose, which will aid in constricting the blood vessel that is hemorrhaging.

If you cannot stop the bleeding, or there is a significant amount of blood loss, continue to apply pressure and seek immediate medical attention. The majority of nosebleeds can be controlled through direct pressure and patience. If the nosebleed follows a serious blow to the head, it's always best to seek the advice of a medical professional. Bleeding from the nose or ears following a serious blow to the head may indicate a skull fracture, which is always an emergency.

Direct pressure and time are the two things that will stop most nosebleeds. Remember to seek medical assistance if the nosebleed relates to a serious blow to the head, if the nose is visibly deformed (broken nose), or the bleeding hasn't stopped after twenty minutes.

Source: Author is a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Emergency: Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured 9th Edition- AAOS (American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons)
MedlinePlus - Nosebleed