Nose bleeds

[marc_kowal]

With the dry weather winter brings, I occasionally get nose bleeds. It doesn't flow out of my nose like a faucet, but it is enough to be a pain in the butt, especially being on Warfarin. Just wondering what people do to try and stop the bleeding and avoid more bleeding, outside of the normal " blow your nose gently" and use a humidifier / mister at night.

Thanks!

 

[Freddie]

Put Vaseline on a Qtip and just wipe the inside of your nose, this will help with keeping the nose moist during the day & night.
Recommended by my ear, nose & throat specialist.

 

[dick0236]

I have had that problem since I was a kid....and, yep, it is annoying on warfarin. A few years ago I started using a "sinus wash"(sodium bicarbonate + sodium chloride) packets mixed with water in a squeeze bottle. Helps to keep my nose moist and my "buggers" soft and easy to blow. Have not had a lengthy bleed since....only a few nuisance bleeds that stop within a short time. This stuff also keeps my nose free from nasal congestion. It's readily available and I get mine at RiteAid pharmacy(store brand).

 

[Guyswell]

An ear, nose and throat specialist might be able to identify a particular blood vessel that's causing the problems and it could be permanently cauterized.

 

[epstns]

If you find the thought of Vaseline on a Q-tip to be too yucky, ask your pharmacist for a small vial of "sweet oil." I'm not sure just what sort of oil this is, but my old family GP used to recommend this as a nasal swab, and it did help. Might just be mineral oil or some such, but the consistency was much more tolerable than Vaseline. I also use a saline spray, which is very neutral and just moistens the tissues. The saline doesn't last long for me, though.

 

[Duffey]

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-danger-using-petroleum-jelly-products-inside-11911336.html?cat=5

I'm posting this link so those who recommend using petroleum jelly or variations in and around the nose can rethink the practice. My husband has been in the respiratory therapy/critical care field for over 35 years, and he has seen cases of the exogenous lipoid pneumonia that's referenced in the article.

 

[chaconne]

Marc,

I get these and am on Warfarin. I haven't found that my bleeding is any worse after being on Warfarin but the problem is still there occasionally. It's usually in the morning. To stop it, I hold my head down and pinch my nose where the bleeding is coming from. Most of the time this stops it within 5 minutes.

 

[tom in MO]

When I was a kid I had nose bleeds really bad and the cauterization procedure worked.

I still get them and used vaseline. Recently I switched to one of the nasal rinse bottles. It's pretty simple if you use DI water at room temperature. The instructions say to use warm water, which is hard to do with DI water in the bath room and I've found room temperature water works fine. I haven't needed the vaseline since I started the nasal rinse. I use the NeilMed product: http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse_isotonic.php

When it bleeds, I stick toilet paper up my nose until it clots. Not very pretty, but works. If it is really bad I hang my head back and put pressure on my upper gums right under my nose with a wet wash cloth between the lip and gums. That's what I was told to do as a kid by my doctor.

 

[marc_kowal]

Thanks for all the suggetions. I'll be glad when this weather gets a little better. People at work are going to think I'm snorting something all the time.

 

[scott.eitman]

I am getting bloody noses (really just blood in my nose) almost every day this winter. I am Warfarin. Luckily it is not running, however every couple weeks it feels like it is. My bleeding seems to stop pretty quickly.

 

[clay_from_nj]

Humidifiers help a lot. I run a "whole-house" console unit at home, all winter; and at my office, the little tabletop cool-mist humidifiers are very popular. No more blood spots when I blow my nose, and I sleep much better, too.

 

[Agian]

Humidifiers help a lot. I run a "whole-house" console unit at home, all winter; and at my office, the little tabletop cool-mist humidifiers are very popular. No more blood spots when I blow my nose, and I sleep much better, too.

I just bought a humidifier for my dad. What do you set it at overnight?

 

[clay_from_nj]

My technique is not very scientific - I just set it so that it runs most of the time. Right now it seems to be set at about 50-60% (by my hygrometer).