First Aid Tips: Nosebleeds
Based on a module by
Fred Mednick from the
Connexions website’s Health
Education Course
Introduction by Dr. Don
Rose, Writer,
Life Alert
--
Continuing our series
on First Aid Tips, this article provides a useful overview of what to do if you
or someone with you suffers a nosebleed. --Don Rose
--
Nosebleed Causes
Typical causes of nosebleeds include:
- Nose injury.
- Strenuous activity.
- High blood pressure.
- Exposure to high altitudes.
- Blowing one’s nose too hard.
Alleviating Nosebleeds
Here are some tips for reducing the negative effects of a
nosebleed:
- Lie down (or help the person with a
nosebleed lie down).
- Lean slightly forward to prevent blood
from running into the throat.
- Place cold, wet cloths on the nose in
order to constrict the blood vessels in the nose and stop the bleeding.
- If blood is coming from only one nostril,
press firmly at the top of that nostril.
- If both nostrils are bleeding, pinch
nostrils together for at least 10 minutes.
- If bleeding continues, apply pressure for
another 10 minutes.
- If the bleeding is the result of direct
injury to the nose, only gentle pressure should be applied.
- If heavy bleeding persists or if
nosebleeds recur frequently, consult a physician.
Closing Thoughts
If you are alone, experiencing a nosebleed, and cannot stop the bleeding (or the
situation seems to be getting worse), the safest action is probably to go to the
hospital or call 911. If you are not near a phone, cannot get to a phone or
cannot punch in the numbers, you can still get immediate help if you are a
member of Life Alert; simply press
your Life
Alert help button to get in touch with live dispatchers within seconds,
24/7. They can send medical, fire or police assistance to you, which will arrive
in a matter of minutes. Life Alert
members who are not at home can also use a special one-button 911 cell phone (an
optional Life Alert feature). If you
don’t currently have Life Alert, see
below for links to information on this valuable service.
The article above is covered by a
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Attribution 2.0 License. The
information provided is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable and accurate.
However, while
Life Alert always strives to provide
true, precise and consistent information, we cannot guarantee 100 percent
accuracy. Readers are encouraged to review the original article, and use any
resource links provided to gather more information before drawing conclusions
and making decisions.
Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles on
computers, the Internet, AI, science and technology, and issues related to
seniors.
For more
information about Life
Alert and its many services for seniors and younger adults nationwide,
please visit the following websites:
http://www.lifealert.com
http://www.seniorprotection.com
http://www.911seniors.com