First Aid for Nose Bleeds

Injury to the soft tissue of the nose may or may not include fractures. Nosebleeds can result from injury or disease (such as high blood pressure, which can cause profuse, prolonged and dangerous bleeding). Nosebleed may also occur after a cold, a period of strenuous activity, or exposure to high altitudes. Nosebleeds are generally more annoying than serious. Walking, talking, laughing, blowing the nose, or otherwise disturbing clots may cause increase or resumption of bleeding.

First Aid for Nose Bleeds

1. Keep the victim quiet.
2. Place the victim in a sitting position, learning forward if possible; if that is not possible, place him in a reclining position with the head and shoulders raised.
3. Apply pressure directly at the site of bleeding by pressing the bleeding nostril toward the midline.
4. Apply cold compress to the victim’s nose and face.
5. If bleeding cannot be controlled by the preceding, measures, insert a small, clean pad of gauze (not absorbent cotton) into one or both nostrils and apply pressure externally with your thumb and index finger. A free end of the pad must extend outside the nostril so that the pad can be removed later.
6. If bleeding continues, obtain medical assistance.
7. Do not use first aid measures against the injury itself except, perhaps, a dressing.
8. Make sure that nasal bone fractures, like all other fractures have medical attention.

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