Causes of nosebleeds in cold weather

In cold weather, low humidity dries out the nasal mucosa or overheating also dries and damages the nasal mucosa leading to nosebleeds.

Professor - Doctor - Doctor Pham Kien Huu, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that nosebleeds often occur in cold weather and in areas with low humidity, causing the nasal mucosa to dry out. In addition, when it is cold, many people use too much heat, which also dries out and damages the nasal mucosa, leading to bleeding.

According to a study in the US, about 60-70% of adults have had a nosebleed at least once in their lives. Of these, 6% were cured by non-surgical measures and 1.6/10,000 cases required hospitalization. Nosebleeds are rare in children under 2 years old, but children aged 3-8 years old are the group with the highest risk.

Although the criteria for diagnosis are unclear, nosebleeds are usually divided into anterior and posterior nosebleeds. Anterior nosebleeds occurring in adolescents are usually due to trauma (picking the nose) and exposure to hot, dry environments. Posterior nosebleeds usually occur in people over 50 years of age; in the under 50 age group, the majority are men and some women due to a decrease in estrogen.

Common causes of nosebleeds

Besides some cases with no clear cause, the causes of nosebleeds are divided into 2 groups: local and systemic.

Local factors : Trauma (nose picking), foreign bodies (unilateral foul-smelling discharge), sinus or eye surgery, inflammatory reactions (eg, respiratory infections, chronic sinusitis, environmental irritants), nasal sprays (cocaine), benign or malignant tumors in the nasal cavity (in children, nasal polyps, meningoceles, or gliomas are common), low humidity (especially in cold winters), aerosols (steroids)...

Systemic factors : Infections, hypertension, atherosclerosis, Willebrand's disease (a hereditary bleeding disorder), hemophilia, malignant tumors, liver diseases, heart failure, thrombocytopenia, chemotherapy, anemia, heart failure, vitamin C and K deficiency, use of aspirin, warfarin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-allergic drugs.

Nosebleeds often occur in cold weather and in areas with low humidity, which dries out the nasal mucosa.

Detection and treatment of nosebleeds

Depending on whether the nosebleed is anterior or posterior, there are different ways to handle it. In the case of anterior nosebleeds, the amount of blood going down the throat (if any) is very small, the blood mainly flows from one side of the nose, when the two sides of the nose are squeezed tightly, the bleeding will stop or the amount of blood flowing out will decrease significantly. In this case, the patient can squeeze the two sides of the nose (the tip of the nose is soft, do not squeeze on the bridge of the nose). With this method, in most cases, the bleeding will stop after 10 - 12 minutes.

Patients can use topical vasoconstrictors (Afrin or Rhinex) in the nose to stop the bleeding. After using the above measures, if the nose is still bleeding, they should go to the nearest ENT facility for examination and appropriate treatment.

In the case of posterior nosebleeds, the blood mainly flows down the throat, the blood flows from both sides of the nose, the nosebleeds are heavy, and the bleeding does not stop after applying the same measures as in anterior nosebleeds. In this case, the patient should go to the nearest ENT facility for examination and appropriate treatment.

To prevent nosebleeds in the cold season, Dr. Huu recommends that people do not pick their noses, pluck out mucus, pluck out nose hairs, or blow their noses hard; eat a nutritious diet, especially increase foods rich in vitamin C and vitamin K in their diet; drink plenty of water, always wear a mask to protect their nose when leaving the house; do not smoke, do not come into contact with toxic chemicals and allergens...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguyen-nhan-gay-chay-mau-mui-trong-mua-lanh-185241220112419122.htm