Doctor Recommends Ways To Control Nose Bleeding

A senior consultant at the Department of ENT, National Hospital, Dr. Abiodun Olusesi, says people with nosebleeds need to be placed in an upright position to avoid swallowing blood.

Olusesi told newsmen, that putting persons with a nose bleed on the back position could be detrimental as they could swallow blood.

“When blood is swallowed, it becomes unclean and hazardous to the body system, particularly when a child is concerned, because too much blood loss can cause them to go into shock.

“Blood is also a serious irritant and if too much gets into the stomach, the irritation can lead to vomiting a large volume of it and eventually lead to shock,” he said.

Olusesi said such a person should immediately be taken to the hospital.

According to him, nosebleeds are not serious except when internal organs such as the liver are defective.

“During harmattan, there is noticeable increase of nosebleeds because harmattan causes the nostrils to dry up and crack.

“ A cold or a stuffy nose can cause inflammation and irritation of the nose and sinuses; this causes scratching which causes bleeding particularly among people with allergies,’’ he said.

Olusesi further explained that bleeding could also be a manifestation of benign or malignant tumor or a polyp, adding that doctors sometimes check for nasopharyngeal carcinoma which is a disease common to Nigerian youths and caused by a growth at the back of the nose.

 “If there is a deficiency in the liver due to chronic liver disease seen in people who are chronic alcoholics, have liver cancer or hepatitis, then the blood will not clot.

Olusesi said that blood disorders could worsen nosebleeds, although such people would also bleed excessively from their gums and from other cuts.

Adcording to Olusesi ceretain anti-inflammatory drugs, arthritis medication, oral contraceptives and heart medication can affect blood clotting in the people who use them.

“There is no causal relationship between high blood pressure and nose bleeds but when people with hypertension have a nose bleed, they bleed more than the rest of the people.

“If the bleeding is not massive, get cold water around the nose and on the head, but if the bleeding persists, go to the hospital”, the doctor advised.