nosebleed
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.
See also blood; haemorrhage.
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
See also blood; haemorrhage.
More From encyclopedia.com
NEARBY TERMS
nosebleed