Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Tuesday's health tip of the day


NOSE BLEEDS! Aren't they just the worst? But unless there's an underlying problem like a clotting disorder and you're taking blood thinning medication, or you've just been popped in the face and have a broken nose, they're pretty easy to manage.

First, clean the blood off your face and hands. You don't want that in your eyes or mouth! Eeewwwwww! Using a small ice pack, all you need to do is apply pressure to the affected nostril. You might also want to tilt your head back or lay down without a pillow for a few minutes. That's really about it. It will stop bleeding shortly and you can usually go about your day. If it starts bleeding again just do the same thing, and if you're not near any ice, use a kleenex and apply pressure until it stops. Simple, huh?

Alot of people put a cool cloth on their foreheads. While there's nothing wrong with doing that, it doesn't do anything for the nose bleed. I guess it just makes them feel better.

In Winter when the weather is dry, it's always a good idea to use an over-the-counter saline spray occasionally to keep the tissue in the nose moist and decrease the chance of bleeding spontaneously.

CAUTION: If you have frequent nose bleeds for no apparent reason, you might want to be evaluated by your friendly family physician.


Good luck!

1 comment:

  1. That was a very useful tip, Bob. Thank you! Claire had a nosebleed just the other day, but she took care of it herself by sticking a lot of toilet paper up there. Little Miss Independent. I hope all the toilet paper came back out!

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