The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- John Furner
Around 60 per cent of Brits have suffered a nosebleed as some point in their life, and in most cases, the problem is harmless.
However, experts have warned of the little-known tell-tale signs that your bloody nose indicates something far more sinister.
Some types of nosebleeds can indicate heart disease, liver failure and even deadly blood cancers.
‘Nosebleeds are the type of thing that patients come in for thinking they are innocuous, but they can tell us that something else is going on in the background,’ says Doncaster-based GP Dr Dean Eggitt.
If nosebleeds occur at the back of the nose or in both nostrils they could indicate a range of conditions – from cancers to heart problems.
According to NHS guidance, the time a nosebleed lasts is the biggest indicator of an underlying problem; if you’re bleeding for more than 20 minutes, you should go to A&E.
However, Dr Eggitt says there’s other red flags to be aware of.
For instance, notice which part of the nose the blood is spilling out from.
‘If it’s coming out of the back of the nose and trickling down the throat, that’s immediate alarm bells,’ says Dr Eggitt.
‘The blood vessels are bigger compared with the front of the nose, which means it’s likely you’ll lose a lot of blood.
‘If this is the case, I’d be worried about cancers of the nose and throat and popped blood vessels.’
If the bleed is at the front of the nose, but in both nostrils, be weary.
This could be a sign of an underlying problem with the body’s blood clotting abilities.
Dr Eggitt says possible conditions could be liver failure — where the organ cannot make proteins needed to help blood clot — a severe infection, a drug reaction and, in the worst-case scenario, blood cancers like leukemia.
The best way to stop a nosebleed is to lean forward and pinch the end of the nose for 15 minutes, according to NHS guidance.
Leukemia can lead to a drop in the number of blood platelets, which help our blood to clot, causing excessive bleeding.
‘I’d also be looking for bruising on the body,’ says Dr Eggitt.
Bleeding in both nostrils could also be a sign of heart disease. ‘If you have high blood pressure, your arteries are tight, putting you at risk of popping a blood vessel in your nose, for instance,’ says Dr Eggitt.
‘This is a marker that you’re at high risk of heart attacks and strokes.’
He adds that some blood-thinning medications that are given to prevent heart attacks and strokes, such as clopidogrel and warfarin can cause bleeding in the nasal cavity too.
The most common and normal type of nosebleed is one that occurs in one nostril, with the bleeding coming from the front tip of the nose.
This is an area of the nose known as Little’s area, which features small, highly sensitive blood vessels that are vulnerable to breakages.
‘It’s the bit of the nose that children usually go digging around in, so it’s not uncommon to get an injury,’ says Dr Eggitt. ‘But it would be unusual for you to get an injury from blowing too hard or fiddling in both sides.’
As for stopping a nosebleed, the NHS suggests leaning forward with the head tilted and mouth open and pinching the soft part of your nose, just about your nostril for 10-15 minutes.
Breathe through the mouth and spit any blood that collects in your mouth into a bowl.
Seek advice if the bleed has not stopped after 20 minutes.
