Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Not to TiltWhat to Do InsteadMedical TreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why Not to Tilt
What to Do Instead
Medical Treatment
Prevention
Most people’s first reaction to anosebleedis to tilt their head back to avoid dripping blood. However, experts say it is best to sit up straight and keep your head in a neutral position.
A nosebleed (epistaxis) is a fairly common problem that is often treated at home. Nosebleeds occur when small, fragile blood vessels in the nose rupture. This can be due to injury, allergies, air quality, altitude, or an underlying medical condition.
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Why You Shouldn’t Tilt Your Head With a Nosebleed
Tilting your head back will reduce the amount of blood that comes out of your nose, but the blood has to go somewhere. Tilting your head back directs the blood down your throat instead. This can cause in nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
You should also avoid tilting your head forward too much. A slight tilt forward is OK, but avoid leaning down to your knees. This positions your heart above your head, which can encourage more bleeding.
While putting your head between your knees is common first aid fordizziness, it is not a good idea for nosebleeds.
When working tostopping a nosebleed, it is best to keep your head in a neutral position.
What to Do When You Have a Nosebleed
Rather than tilt your head back, the recommendation is to:
If available, you can use a cloth or tissue to catch any blood, but don’t pack your nose with gauze or tissue.You can apply a cold compress to the bridge of your nose if helpful.
After the bleeding stops, maintain an upright body position and avoid bending over. Avoid blowing your nose as well.
You may need to make a few attempts to stop your nosebleed. The entire process may take between five and 20 minutes. Nosebleeds that continue longer than 20 minutes require medical attention.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you have a nosebleed that you managed to stop, contact your healthcare provider for further advice if you are taking anticoagulants (blood thinners), you started a new medication recently, you recently had nasal or sinus surgery, or you have a known condition such as a nasal or sinus tumor or polyps.
Nosebleedsare rarely a medical emergency.However, there are times when you may need help from a medical professional.
Call 911 or ask a friend or family member to drive you to the emergency department. Driving while you are actively bleeding could result in passing out at the wheel and being involved in a dangerous accident.
Medical Treatment for Nosebleeds
When you can’t control a nosebleed on your own, a healthcare provider can use a medical intervention to do so.
Some common options that may be considered include:
When to Call a Healthcare Provider About a Nosebleed
Preventing Future Nosebleeds
Genetic causes of nosebleeds, like hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, are obviously unavoidable.And if you are on ablood thinner, which impedes clotting, you may not be able to stop taking your medication.
If you play sports or have a physical job, be sure to wear proper protective equipment (if applicable) to prevent facial trauma.
That said, some peopleexperience frequent nosebleedsthat sometimes don’t have an obvious cause (such as being bumped in the nose).
You can often stop these nosebleeds, but to further prevent them from recurring, you should talk to your healthcare provider.
Why There’s Blood in Your Nose When It’s Not Bleeding
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Government of Alberta Health Services.Stopping a Nosebleed.Beck R, Sorge M, Schneider A, Dietz A.Current approaches to epistaxis treatment in primary and secondary care. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(1-02):12-22. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0012National Library of Medicine.Nosebleed.Penn Medicine, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.Nasal Polyps.University of Michigan Health.Nosebleeds.National Library of Medicine.Fainting.Newton E, Lasso A, Petrcich W, Kilty SJ.An outcomes analysis of anterior epistaxis management in the emergency department.J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;45:24. doi:10.1186/s40463-016-0138-2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts About Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).University of Michigan Health.Frequent nosebleeds.Additional ReadingGoldenberg, D. & Goldstein, B.J. Handbook of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. New York City, NY:Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Government of Alberta Health Services.Stopping a Nosebleed.Beck R, Sorge M, Schneider A, Dietz A.Current approaches to epistaxis treatment in primary and secondary care. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(1-02):12-22. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0012National Library of Medicine.Nosebleed.Penn Medicine, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.Nasal Polyps.University of Michigan Health.Nosebleeds.National Library of Medicine.Fainting.Newton E, Lasso A, Petrcich W, Kilty SJ.An outcomes analysis of anterior epistaxis management in the emergency department.J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;45:24. doi:10.1186/s40463-016-0138-2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts About Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).University of Michigan Health.Frequent nosebleeds.Additional ReadingGoldenberg, D. & Goldstein, B.J. Handbook of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. New York City, NY:Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Government of Alberta Health Services.Stopping a Nosebleed.Beck R, Sorge M, Schneider A, Dietz A.Current approaches to epistaxis treatment in primary and secondary care. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(1-02):12-22. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0012National Library of Medicine.Nosebleed.Penn Medicine, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.Nasal Polyps.University of Michigan Health.Nosebleeds.National Library of Medicine.Fainting.Newton E, Lasso A, Petrcich W, Kilty SJ.An outcomes analysis of anterior epistaxis management in the emergency department.J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;45:24. doi:10.1186/s40463-016-0138-2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts About Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).University of Michigan Health.Frequent nosebleeds.
Government of Alberta Health Services.Stopping a Nosebleed.
Beck R, Sorge M, Schneider A, Dietz A.Current approaches to epistaxis treatment in primary and secondary care. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(1-02):12-22. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0012
National Library of Medicine.Nosebleed.
Penn Medicine, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.Nasal Polyps.
University of Michigan Health.Nosebleeds.
National Library of Medicine.Fainting.
Newton E, Lasso A, Petrcich W, Kilty SJ.An outcomes analysis of anterior epistaxis management in the emergency department.J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;45:24. doi:10.1186/s40463-016-0138-2
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts About Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).
University of Michigan Health.Frequent nosebleeds.
Goldenberg, D. & Goldstein, B.J. Handbook of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. New York City, NY:Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
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