nosebleed

nosebleed nasal hemorrhage occurring as the result of local injury or disturbance. Most nosebleeds are not serious and occur when one of the small veins of the septum (the partition between the nostrils) ruptures. These will usually stop without treatment or when pressure is applied to the nose. A nosebleed may also occur in association with infections, heart failure, hypertension (high blood pressure), arteriosclerosis , scurvy , leukemia , hemophilia , and other disorders. Persistent nosebleeds should be brought to the attention of a physician, who can stop the bleeding with vasoconstrictors and topical anesthetics.

nosebleed Nosebleeds are common, particularly in children. They may be alarming but are very rarely ominous. The bleeding is usually from the septum of the nose — the central partition — and sometimes follows crusting and picking, or a minor injury. It usually stops quite quickly if the nostrils are compressed so that breathing is through the mouth; the clotting process can then proceed undisturbed. Various myths and old wives' tales are associated with nose-bleeding, such as the notion that a cold key placed on the back of the neck helps to stop it.

Rarely, nosebleeds may be a sign of a condition which causes a generalized tendency to bleed, such as a shortage of platelets in the blood, or treatment with anticoagulant drugs. In the elderly, the bleeding may be from further back in the nose, and less easy to stop without medical attention. Contrary to popular belief, people with high blood pressure probably do not have nosebleeds more often than others of similar age, but when they do, the high pressure does make bleeding more profuse.

Sheila Jennett

nose·bleed / ˈnōzˌblēd/ • n. an instance of bleeding from the nose. ∎  [as adj.] inf. denoting cheap seating located in an extremely high position in a sports stadium, large theater, or concert hall: he declined an offer of $2,200 for his game ticket in the nosebleed section.