Nosebleed? No problem!

The cold time of year is approaching. Many people suffer from sensitive nasal mucous membrane which bleeds easily. In our Health Tip you can find out what you can do to prevent nosebleeds.

Violent nose-blowing, nose-picking, dry nasal mucous membranes, or quite simply a knock on the nose during sport can often be enough to start a nosebleed. Initially the person affected is shocked, but it usually looks much worse than it is. Our nasal mucous membrane consists of many small blood vessels which are referred to as capillaries. These are very easily damaged, but it's rarely necessary to see a doctor because most nosebleeds stop by themselves after a few minutes.

 

What should I do?

To actively prevent nosebleeds, you should keep the air in the room moist by using a humidifier. People with very sensitive mucous membrane are recommended to treat their nose regularly with a special ointment. If a nosebleed starts despite your best efforts, the usual household remedies are generally effective:

  • Sit in an upright position
  • Tilt your head forward
  • Place an ice-pack on the back of your neck
  • Hold your nostrils closed


The most important thing is not to swallow the blood. If blood gets into the stomach, the stomach will do its best to get it out again and vomiting will inevitably follow.

 

In an emergency

If you need a solution fast because you neither have enough time nor a handy ice-pack, there is one more tip. Take a paper handkerchief and tear it down the middle. Then you fold it in such a way that it fits into your mouth and place the folded tissue under your tongue. The bleeding will stop in a few minutes.

 

When should I see a doctor nevertheless?

If the tips listed here don’t work and the nosebleed still hasn’t stopped after 20 minutes, you should contact a doctor. If the bleeding was preceded by a fall involving a a head injury, a doctor should always be consulted. Young men who suffer frequent nosebleeds should definitely consult an ear, nose and throat specialist.


03.10.2018
In the event of further health-related questions, SWICA customers can contact the santé24 telemedicine service free of charge on +41 44 404 86 86. A telemedicine practice licence allows santé24 physicians to provide additional medical services in cases that are suited to a telemedicine approach. SWICA customers can also use the BENECURA medical app to carry out a digital SymptomCheck and receive recommendations about what to do next. During a subsequent phone call with santé24, customers can decide for themselves whether to release their information from SymptomCheck to santé24.
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