Nosebleeds

Tilt your head back to stop a nosebleed

Nosebleeds are a pain (sometimes literally). They are inconvenient, messy, and sometimes embarrassing. A commonly given piece of advice is that to stop a nosebleed you should tilt your head back. This advice could not be more wrong.

Sometimes we wish we could just get you to stop what you are doing and seriously think about these myths. Why would tilting your head back help to stop a nosebleed? What effect could it possibly have on the clotting mechanism of the bleed? Does it apply pressure to the wound? Does it restrict blood flow to the lesion? What does it do?

We can think of one thing that tilting your head back might do. It would take the blood that might exit your nostrils and send it streaming down the back of your throat. Now this might seem like a good thing to people around you who are afraid of the sight of blood. It may seem like a good idea to your mother if you’re sitting on her clean white couch. And it may seem like a good idea to anyone else who doesn’t want to have to deal with your nosebleed.

But it’s a terrible idea for you. There is a reason that the natural inclination of the blood is to exit your body going forward. That’s the safest thing for it to do. Blood heading up your nose and down your throat is a serious choking hazard. It’s also possible it will make you vomit. Plus, you might keep bleeding for longer. None of those things is good for you.

Recommendations from reputable organizations are quite clear on what you should do for a nosebleed. First of all, you should keep your head above your heart, so stand, or preferably sit up. Next, you should lean forward in order to help the blood drain out of your nostrils and not run down your throat. Some people also recommend that you can apply pressure by squeezing your nose just below the bony bridge for five to fifteen minutes until the bleeding has stopped. Cold icepacks or compresses may also help the nosebleed stop sooner.

Sometimes a nosebleed that won’t stop can be an indication that something more serious is at work. You shouldn’t hesitate to call for assistance or talk to your doctor if you have recurrent problems with nosebleeds. Of course, you should stop picking your nose first and see if that takes care of the problem.