Better to lean your head forward or backward - What is appropriate for nosebleeds?

Put your head back? What to do with nosebleeds

Some people advise nosebleeds to put their heads back and wait for the bleeding to stop. Health experts, however, warn against this method. Because there is, among other things, the risk that the blood gets into the respiratory tract. It is better to bow your head forward.

Causes of nosebleeds often harmless

Although it often looks very dangerous when bleeding from the nose, but usually the causes of nosebleeds are harmless. However, not always: Frequent nosebleeds, according to health experts also point to a serious illness. It may, for example, be the result of excessive blood pressure or even a symptom of a blood coagulation disorder. Then you have to tackle the cause necessarily. Professionals explain when sufferers should go to the doctor.

When nosebleeds are sometimes advised to put his head back. Health experts, however, warn against this advice. It would be much better to bow your head forward. (Image: drubig-photo / fotolia.com)

Bleeding nose through dried up mucous membranes

The most common cause of a bleeding nose, according to experts, is dry air that dries out the nasal mucosa.

This increases the risk that the skin tears, sometimes by a violent sneeze. The front part of the nose, which is traversed by small blood vessels, is particularly sensitive.

Basically more prone to nosebleeds are people who take blood thinning agents. Even with flu infections, it is more likely to get spontaneous nosebleeds.

Pregnant women are also more prone to bleeding noses because their mucous membranes are more well supplied with blood.

In addition, the nose bleeds a little more often in children.

When sufferers should go to the doctor

Although you do not have to go straight to the doctor when it comes to nosebleeds for the first time, but in repeated occurrence, the cause should be clarified.

It could, for example, be an indication of high blood pressure or atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis).

Another possible reason: nosebleed may be a symptom of a blood clotting disorder.

Patients who take blood-thinning medications - such as after a thrombosis, a heart attack or stroke - should always go to the doctor with nosebleeds.

Since the nose regenerates quickly and therefore sometimes no longer visible from the problem after a few days, the doctor's visit should be better not too long to wait.

Basically, "If the nosebleed in adults after 20 minutes can not be brought to a standstill (in children earlier!), Threatens a high blood loss. The affected person must go to the doctor immediately! Similarly, if the bleeding is exceptionally strong or the nose is visibly injured, "writes the German Association of Otolaryngologists on its website" ENT Doctors on the Net ".

"If nosebleeds in children can not be stopped for fifteen minutes, parents should go with them to the (ENT) doctor," it says elsewhere.

What can help with nosebleeds

According to health experts, nose bleeding means bending the head forward and bleeding the nose.

One method of stopping a nosebleed is to put a cool rag on the neck or hold the nose for ten minutes.

These first aid measures should normally bring the bleeding to a halt quickly.

It would be wrong to put your head back.

"This causes the blood to run backwards into the throat and through the esophagus into the stomach. This can lead to nausea and vomiting. In addition, there is a risk that the blood gets into the respiratory tract. This is especially dangerous if the patient is unconscious, "it says on the portal" ENT Doctors on the Net ". (Ad)