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Nose Bleeds

Nose Bleeds

Nasal bleeds or epistaxis is relatively common among people of all ages. Most cases are mild and can be controlled with simple measures like the application of manual pressure by pinching the nostril together.

Should I seek medical attention for my nose bleeds?

Generally, most cases of nose bleeds are given outpatient treatment. A smaller subset of patients may experience a severe episode of continuous bleeding or persistent recurrences. Others may present with a potentially life threatening hemorrhage. Such patients require immediate medical attention.

What treatments are there?

If deemed necessary, the doctor will perform a general physical examination and a thorough head and neck evaluation. An anterior rhinoscopy may be performed. A flexible or rigid nasal endoscopy examination will also help the doctor visualise the bleeding site. This may lead to laboratory evaluations for the assessment of blood loss, fluid status, coagulopathy or underlying systemic disease should be initiated. Imaging studies including CT or MRI scanning may be needed to evaluate for neoplasms and for the assessment of anatomy for possible surgical access.

In one case that our surgeon managed, a young man presented with left-sided nose bleeding that would stop on pinching of the nose. A nasal endoscopic examination, however, showed mucosal excoriation on the Littleā€™s area (marked by the arrow). The area was cauterised with silver nitrate.

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