How to handle cold in summers with nose bleeding issues?

Question

I have a nose bleeding issue from childhood when my body heat gets too high. This can happen from weather, or food like almonds, raisin, dates etc. But I've gotten a bit of a cold during recent weather changes and it has stuck with me. Doctor said to take soup and other hot things, but the weather is already getting warmer and I've already got one nose bleed instance.

How can I follow the doctors recommendation to take soup and other warm foods, but still avoid the nosebleeds? (The nosebleed is unrelated to the cold that I have.)

Answer 1

I can't address how you can avoid your body temperature rising with certain foods like almonds or raisins, as I'm unfamiliar with that issue. Soups can be eaten cold or at room temperature, and you can lower your body temperature slightly with iced drinks, quick sponge baths, etc.

But controlling the most frequent causes of nosebleeds might help you reduce their occurrance.

The vast majority of bloody noses in healthy individuals (by that, I mean people without specific diseases of the blood or mucous membranes, etc.) arise from one specific area in the nose (on either side):

In the mucosa of the nasal septum (the cartilagenous structure separating the nose into two sides), there is an area where several arteries "meet", giving it an exceptionally rich vascular supply, called Kiesselbach's plexus. It is on the anterior surface, and exposed to dry air and trauma (even such as might be sustained by a bad cold). People often get nosebleeds from nasal mucosal irritation due to upper respiratory infections. Bleeding typically occurs when the mucosa erodes for any reason, and the capillaries and venules (and sometimes arterioles) become exposed and subsequently break. The result is the familiar bloody dripping of a nosebleed.

The most common treatment is direct pressure (squeezing the sides of the nose together) for 5-10 minutes. This works because putting direct pressure on any bleed stops the blood flow long enough for a clot to form and the arteriole to close down. If needed, more aggressive control can be achieved by a professional.

Besides the immediate treatment of bloody noses, anything that helps with the integrity of the nasal mucosa is going to help reduce nosebleeds. One can

• run a humidifier in dry weather
• avoid irritating by touching the nose or blowing nose too often
• apply a very light layer of petrolatum or Bacitracin ointment to the inside of the nose covering Kiesselbach's plexus at night so the nose-breathing doesn't dry out your nose
• use nasal saline spray to moisten and soothe the nasal membranes (don't rub the tip of the spray bottle against the nasal membranes, though)

*more serious or recurrent bleeding needs medical attention to rule out other conditions that are associated with frequent nose bleeds.

Edited to reflect additional information.

_Epistaxis

Answer 2

Nosebleed (medical term: epistaxis) can be caused by number of factors and its cause is not always determined. You could have either anterior (inside your nostrils) or posterior nosebleed (at the back of your nose). If the mucous membrane becomes inflamed or cracked, it's more likely to bleed if it is disturbed.

It can be caused by an infection, changes in humidity or temperature (such as cold weather).

During cold winter seasons nose bleeding is associated with low relative humidity of inhaled air, so you could try some air room humidifiers and see if increasing humidity will make any difference.

Nosebleeds aren't usually serious, however if node bleeding happens quite often or lasts for too long, you should seek for medical help or contact otolaryngologist so it can be assessed and the exact cause can be determined.

Nosebleeds can be stopped without the need for medical attention. To do that you may firmly pinch the soft part of your nose (just above your nostrils) for 10-15 minutes, lean forward and breathe through your month to drain blood down your nose, instead of down the back of your throat. You can also place an ice pack covered by a a tower on the bridge of your nose. And staying upright would reduce the blood pressure.^NHS

When you nose has stopped bleeding, you can reduce the risk of your nose bleeding again by following the advice below:^NHS

• avoid blowing or picking your nose,
• avoid heavy lifting or intensive exercise,
• don't remove any crusts as they're useful part of the healing process,
• sneeze with open mouth to reduce the pressure inside your nose,
• avoid people with coughs and colds.