HOME HEALTH GUIDE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 24, 14 November 1944, Page 8

HOME HEALTH GUIDE

NOSE BLEEDING (By tlie Department of Health). Medical people call it cpistaxis, but the man in the. street knows it better as nose bleeding, a complaint which is very common. And unless, you know what to do in severe cases it can give you a fright. There arc many causes of nose bleeding. A good thump on the nose, or a hard accidental bump > is almost certain to start it, but it may arise from some less obvious, cause —such as high blood pressure, kidney liver or heart or even anaemia. Again it may be an early sign of infectious disease —typhoid fever influenza, and feverish troubles. Sometimes loss of blood in this way will do some good. A small loss of blood, for instance, will give, some temporary relief in the case cf high blood pressure. If the blood escapes only in drops } it will probably right itself without any trouble., but if the bleeding is profuse treatment must be administered . The first thing is to make the patient sit down (not lie down). Get him to breathe through his mouth and not to try and clear Ill's nose by blowing. Put a pad soaked in cold water over his nose and also one at the back of his neck. In a faint of course, the patient would have' to lie down or have his head put. down between the. knees. If the bleeding is not due to a blow, but starts suddenly without obvious eause i it can sometimes be controlled and stopped by the person pinching his nostrils and breathing through the mouth. AVhcn - the bleeding is obstinate, the nostrils should be plugged with lint or gauze and get your doctor to make sure there's no hidden cause.