Simple First Aid Guide to Nosebleeds
- Simon Francis
- Aug 22, 2023
- 2 min read
This simple first-aid guide to nosebleeds has been designed to provide information for the effective treatment of a person that has had a nosebleed.
A nosebleed, also known as epistaxis, is an instance of bleeding from the nose. Blood can flow down into the stomach, and cause nausea and vomiting.
Nosebleeds are not ordinarily a sign of anything serious. They are common, most particularly in children, and most nosebleeds can be easily treated with effective first aid.
Causes of a nosebleed
The inside of the nose is delicate and nosebleeds may happen when it's damaged. Nosebleeds may be caused by:
Picking your nose
Blowing your nose too hard
The inside of your nose is too dry (maybe because of a change in air temperature)
Nosebleeds that need medical attention
These can come from deeper inside the nose and usually affect adults.
They can be caused by:
An injury or broken nose
High blood pressure
Conditions that affect the blood vessels or how the blood clots
Certain medicines, like warfarin
Sometimes the cause of a nosebleed is unknown.
Certain people are more prone to getting nosebleeds, including:
Children (although they usually grow out of them by 11)
Elderly people
Pregnant women
First Aid treatment for someone having a nosebleed
If someone is having a nosebleed, ask them to sit down and lean with their head tilted forward.
It is important that you do not tell them to lean their head back as this could cause the blood to trickle down the back of their throat and block the airway.
Ask them to breathe through their mouth and pinch the soft part of their nose. Give them a clean tissue to catch any blood.
After 10 minutes they can release the pressure on their nose. Ask them to pinch their nose again if the bleeding has not stopped. They should do this for two further periods of 10 minutes.
Once the bleeding has stopped, ask them to keep leaning forwards while you clean around their nose with lukewarm water. Once clean, advise them to rest, avoid exertion or blow their nose to prevent disturbing the clots.
If the bleeding is severe, or if it lasts more than 30 minutes, call 999 or 112 for emergency help.
After a nosebleed, for 24 hours try not to:
blow your nose
pick your nose
drink hot drinks or alcohol
do any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise
pick any scabs
You should advise that a GP is sought if:
The child under 2 years old has a nosebleed
They have regular nosebleeds
They have symptoms of anaemia – such as a faster heartbeat (palpitations), shortness of breath and pale skin
They are taking a blood-thinning medicine, such as warfarin
They have a condition that means your blood cannot clot properly, such as haemophilia
The GP might want to test them for haemophilia or for other conditions like anaemia.

Dynamo Training Solutions provide a wide range of training courses throughout London, Kent and the Southeast.
This Simple First Aid Guide to Nosebleeds is one of a series of simple first aid guides produced by Dynamo Training Solutions.
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