TRACKING>>Nosebleeds are a common ailment during extreme weather and can cause undue distress to the undiscerning. Noseblood in general are quite common, and while the cause may be unclear at first, most cases are minor and can be managed from home without professional help or medication.
Nosebleeds are bleeding that occur from the nostrils, nasal cavity or the nasopharynx area lying just behind the nose. Easily preventable with simple lifestyle habits, nosebleeds can occur due to, extreme weather, trauma to the nose from an injury, deformities inside the nose, inflammation in the nose, or in rare cases, intranasal tumours.
There two different types of nose bleed, the anterior nosebleeds which occur from the septum. This type of nosebleeds is most common and can occur during cold season, when hit in the face or scratched. Nose bleeds that need medical attention and are deemed serious are those that stem from the posterior of your nose. They are called Posterior nosebleeds and are quite rare. This type of nosebleed is prone to older people, those with high blood pressure, or a severe face injury.
The distinguishing feature to know if your nosebleed isn’t due to extreme weather changes (for instance harmattan) is the duration of blood flow. Prolonged nosebleeds is always cause for concern so seek professional help immediately if the blood flow doesn’t or is heavy.
Below are a few ways to alleviate or eliminate nosebleeds this harmattan.
You can’t always prevent nosebleeds, but there are ways to lower the chances of it occurring:
Moisturise the inside of your nose: Dryness can cause nosebleeds. Use a cotton swab to gently smear a thin layer petroleum jelly in your nostrils three times a day, including before you go to sleep. You can also use an antibiotic ointment like Bacitracin or Polysporin.
Use a Saline Nasal Product: Spraying it in your nostrils helps keep the inside of your nose moist.
Use a humidifier: Typically in Nigeria we always buy air conditioners but forget to buy humidifiers, especially those up north for instance the residents of Jos city. Your nostrils might be dry because the air in your house is dry.
Don’t smoke:. If all the health and social admonitions to stop smoking hasn’t help cure you of the habit, here is one more reason to try and curb sit. Smoking can irritate the inside of your nose and dry it out.
Keep Your Fingers Out of Your Nose: Apart from the fact that picking your nose is a big no-no, it can also give you nosebleeds especially this season. Also, desist for blowing (if you have the flu) nose too hard. If your child is getting nosebleeds, keep his fingernails short and discourage him from picking his nose.
Say No To Flu and Allergy Medications: This can be hard especially for parents with toddlers since flu is prevalent this season; but taking flu medications tends to dry out your nose. In some cases, certain medications can cause nosebleeds or make them worse. It’s best to go the home remedies route or discuss your medications with your doctor before use.
