In everyday life, nosebleeds are not uncommon and can occur in both an adult and a child. At first glance, this is an absolutely harmless phenomenon, but in fact, a serious pathology can make itself felt. Faced with a similar situation, it is important to know what first aid for nosebleeds should be provided to the patient, because this condition is very dangerous, and in some cases poses a threat to life.
General information
A pathological condition in which blood is secreted from the nasal passages is called epitaxis. The phenomenon is quite common, it can occur at any age.
If seizures rarely occur, patients practically do not go to the doctor and stop nasal bleeding with improvised means. Reasons, first aid, treatment methods will differ when relapses with large blood loss occur frequently and cause a deterioration in well-being.
Causes of nosebleeds
Local and general causes of nosebleeds are distinguished.
Local causes include:
- Nose injury (fracture, bruise).
- Neoplasms in the nasal cavity (polyps, tumors).
- Dystrophic changes (septum curvature, chronic stage of atrophic rhinitis).
- Burns of the nasal cavity of various etiologies.
- Dry nasal membrane.
- ENT pathologies (adenoids in childhood, sinusitis).
Common reasons:
- A sharp increase (hypertension) or a decrease in blood pressure (hypotension).
- Overheating of the body, sunstroke.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular, blood-forming systems.
- Pathology of the kidneys, liver.
- Hormonal restructuring (pregnancy, the onset of menstruation in girls).
- Exercise stress.
- Anemia.
- Ingestion of a foreign body into the nose (especially in childhood).
Despite the fact that the pathology usually goes away on its own (with the help of certain manipulations), first aid for nosebleeds should be provided in any case. It is advisable to do this as soon as possible so that blood loss does not cause a deterioration in overall health.
Epistaxis: types
In medical practice, nosebleeds are distinguished by the place of localization, intensity, duration. In 90% of cases, the pathology occurs in the Kisselbach zone (the anterior part of the nasal septum with vascular plexus). At this point, the vessels are located close to the surface. Such bleeding is non-intense and does not pose a threat to life.
With posterior localization, large vessels are damaged, a significant amount of blood is released. The provision of first aid for nosebleeds in this case should be immediate and carried out by specialists. Intensive bleeding to stop on their own is almost impossible.
The intensity and volume of lost blood distinguish:
- Minor epistaxis - passes without a pronounced symptomatology of the patient's well-being. Lost up to several milliliters of blood, which does not pose a threat to life.
- Medium (moderate) nosebleeds - the patient may feel unwell, tinnitus, pallor of the skin. About 15% of blood is lost (no more than 300 ml).
- Severe (intense) epistaxis - first aid to the patient in this case should be provided immediately. Blood loss can be up to 1 liter. This is fraught with hemorrhagic shock, loss of consciousness, a sharp decrease in blood pressure.
Diagnostics
When applying for qualified medical help, a specialist will conduct an initial examination and interview the patient. Differential diagnostics are sometimes performed in order to distinguish nosebleeds from pulmonary or gastric.
To determine the type of pathology, the doctor prescribes rhinoscopy (endoscopy of the nose). The procedure will allow you to examine the source of bleeding, take material for analysis, and perform microsurgical interventions. An x-ray is needed if a fracture is suspected.
Why does blood come from the nose in children?
The most common cause of nosebleeds in children is damage to the nasal cavity. Most often this happens when picking a finger in the nose, but it can also occur after a foreign object (small parts of toys, buttons). First aid for nosebleeds should be provided to the child on time.
In adolescence, the body is subjected to increased loads (educational, physical, psycho-emotional) and hormonal changes, which can also cause the development of pathology.
First aid for nosebleeds: an algorithm of actions
When assisting a patient with nosebleeds, the following rules must be followed:
- The patient should be reassured. Emotional overexcitation, excitement increase the heartbeat, which, in turn, will increase blood loss. To do this, it is enough to breathe evenly and deeply.
- Attach the correct position. It is desirable to seat the patient, slightly tilt his head forward. It is strictly forbidden to throw your head back! In this position, blood will enter the stomach, which can cause vomiting. By tilting your head forward, you can track the amount of blood lost.
- Press the wings of the nose with your fingers. This will help pinch the vessels.
- Apply cold to the nose bridge (ice, cloth dipped in cold water).
- Place vasoconstrictor drops in the nasal passages (Naphthyzinum, Farmazolinum).
- Insert cotton swabs into the nose. This is done if there is a suspicion of posterior bleeding or if the above measures do not apply. For the best effect, tampons are moistened with a solution of hydrogen peroxide.
Specialized first aid for nosebleeds is necessary if you cannot stop it yourself for 20 minutes. In this case, the patient must call (without fail) an ambulance.
Precautionary measures
A patient with nosebleeds cannot be laid. This situation will only increase the release of blood, which can enter the lungs or esophagus. It is also forbidden to blow your nose to release the nasal passages from blood clots. This will lead to a blood clot and repeated bleeding.
First aid for nosebleeds in children is no different from that in adults, but parents need to coordinate the actions of the child. If the cause of the pathology is the ingress of a foreign object, it is forbidden to get it yourself. Any such manipulation can further damage the mucous surface and increase bleeding.
If a tampon was used to stop the bleeding, it must be moistened with hydrogen peroxide before being removed from the nostrils. Pulling out a dry swab, you can damage the resulting blood clot, and the blood will go again.
You must seek medical help for frequent relapses of nosebleeds. Also indicated are vomiting with impurities in the patient, high blood pressure, the presence of pathologies that affect the formation and coagulation of the blood, nasal trauma , and large blood loss.
How to treat?
In severe cases, specialized first aid is indicated. With nosebleeds, which lasts more than 20 minutes, hospitalization of the patient is necessary. Drug therapy will be selected by the doctor depending on the type of pathology. Hemostatic drugs can be prescribed intramuscularly (intravenously) or orally.
Blood coagulation increase :
- "Ditsinon" (sodium ethamylate) - is taken in tablet form or injected. It produces a quick hemostatic effect and does not cause increased coagulability, which makes it possible to use it for a long time (as prescribed by the doctor).
- Calcium Chloride - is prescribed to enhance the action of hemostatic drugs. Helps to improve vascular contractility.
- Aminocoproic acid - reduces vascular permeability and blocks the process of blood thinning. It is administered intravenously, but has some contraindications.
- "Vikasol" - an analogue of vitamin K, is prescribed for blood clotting problems.
You can work on the problem with the help of traditional medicine recipes. Plants such as shepherd’s bag, dioica nettle, yarrow, have hemostatic properties.
Surgical methods
In rare cases, when first aid for nosebleeds and drug therapy do not give positive results, surgical intervention is indicated. The simplest surgical way to stop the discharge of blood from the nasal cavity is to cauterize the mucous surface (coagulation) with a laser, electricity, ultrasound, liquid nitrogen, or special substances (silver nitrate in solution, trichloroacetic acid).
Depending on the severity of nasal bleeding and the frequency of relapses, Lidocaine or Novocaine, a ligation of blood vessels, can be administered under the nasal mucosa.