What is the Best Nosebleed Treatment?

A nosebleed treatment will depend on the type of nosebleed one is suffering from. The two types of nosebleeds are posterior and anterior; an anterior nosebleed starts in the front of the nose, while the more serious posterior nosebleed starts at the rear of the nose. The elderly are most at risk of getting a posterior nosebleed, and this type of nosebleed is the more difficult type to treat. An anterior nosebleed treatment includes tipping the face forward — past advice dictated tipping the head backward, but this can cause the blood to drip down the throat and into the stomach, potentially leading to nausea and vomiting.

An anterior nosebleed is caused by a rupture of a blood vessel in the front of the nose. The nosebleed treatment for an anterior nosebleed includes ensuring the blood does not drip into the throat and down into the stomach, and it prevents an obstruction of airflow; from there, direct pressure should be applied to the nose, just in front of where the bridge of the nose turns from bone to cartilage. This will promote blood clotting, thereby preventing further flow of blood from the nose. This nosebleed treatment should stop the bleeding within a few minutes. If the nosebleed lasts for more than an hour, one should seek medical attention.

Posterior nosebleeds start in the back of the nose and are difficult to stop because direct pressure cannot efficiently be applied to that part of the nose. If a posterior nosebleed occurs, one should seek medical attention immediately, especially if the person is elderly or very young. Chronic nosebleeds will require a nosebleed treatment that addresses the cause of the bleeding. Very often, the interior of the nose can become dried, which can lead to cracking. Using saline solutions or other moisturizing products can help condition the inside of the nostrils and prevent them from cracking, which can in turn prevent blood vessels from rupturing and evacuating blood.

Some nosebleed treatment options include icing the nose or packing the nostrils with an absorbent material. Icing the nose during or after a nosebleed can help soothe the affected area, but it may not necessarily help the blood clot. Packing the nostril can help prevent blood from dripping out of the nose and onto clothes, but again, it may or may not be effective in helping to clot the blood. These methods may be more effective when combined with direct pressure.