The first order of business with a nose bleed is to stop the nose bleed. The majority of nose bleeds can be stopped simply by applying pressure to the nose. The soft, squeezable lower part of the nose can be grasped with thumb and forefinger and pinched firmly. This will frequently compress the blood vessel causing the nose bleed and thereby stop it. It is important to not release the pressure too quickly in order to allow for the nose bleeding to stop and not restart. Those patients taking aspirin or other blood thinners may require a longer period of nasal pressure.
If a nose bleed does not stop quickly, it is advisable to seek medical attention. Also those patients with recurring episodes of nose bleeding warrant an evaluation. In the ENT physician’s office, with the use of specialized instrumentation we can often determine the exact source of the nose bleeding and can direct treatment to that source through various treatment modalities including, cautery or certain types of nasal packing or topical treatments.