Mumbai: Nose bleeding, medically known as ‘epistaxis’, is one of the most common problems and for someone who experiences it frequently in summer it can be very irritating. The mere sight of blood dripping down your nose can be quite intimidating. Nosebleeds are caused by a small blood vessel rupturing. A nosebleed can be anterior or posterior. An anterior nosebleed is the most common, with blood coming from the front of the nose. It’s caused by the rupturing of tiny blood vessels inside the nose, known as capillaries. The posterior nosebleed comes from deep inside of the nose. This kind of nosebleed is unusual in children, unless it’s related to a face or nose injury.
“In children, nasal drying is a common cause of nosebleeds. Although, the sudden trickle of blood may make an individual panic, nosebleeds are hardly a serious cause of concern,” say doctors. Although, seldom a cause for alarm, nosebleeds can be life-threatening in some rare cases. Nosebleeds are most often caused by local trauma but can also be caused by foreign bodies, nasal or sinus infections, and prolonged inhalation of dry air.
Dr Neelam Sathe, associate professor and ENT Department Unit Head at KEM Hospital, said that in the months of summer they witness several cases of nosebleeds. The reason behind this is that the hot climate with low humidity or sudden changes in temperature, can cause drying and cracking inside the nose, which can lead to a nosebleed.
“In elderly people it can be caused due to high blood pressure. Seniors need to be more cautious of their health during summers and take care of themselves. We see such patients every year, but these instances seem to be increasing each year,” added Dr Sathe.
Dr Rahul Kulkarni, an ENT surgeon based in Kalwa, said, “The lining of your nose contains many tiny blood vessels that lie close to the surface and are easily damaged. To protect these vessels, there is a jelly like layer also known as mucus, which keeps the nose moist. Due to dry summer winds this layer dries up, causing the blood vessels to open and burst. This causes the nosebleed. Per day, I see at least one patient with this problem.”