how to stop a nosebleed

p. 38: "Your whole house looks like it's suffering from a violent nosebleed, Ger." -Daffie



How To Stop A Nosebleed (from wikiHOW)

Thumbs Up Method

1. Stay calm, slowly taking deep breaths. (not through the nose) With your hand and either a tissue or handkerchief (same hand as the bleeding nostril,) make a 'thumbs up' sign.
2. Press your thumb against your nostril's side, not so hard that it hurts, but firmly enough to flatten the nostril.
3. Stay still, leaning forward slightly.
4. Stay in place for 5-10 minutes, breathing normally.
5. Slowly release the pressure; it may feel a bit weird as the blood flows back into your nasal vessels.

Pinching Method

1. Pinch your nose just below the bridge. There is a vein just below the nose bone that is the culprit in 99% of bloody noses. Pinching puts pressure on it, which arrests the bleeding and speeds the clotting process.
2. Find a bathroom as you continue pinching. Now that you have slowed the bleeding by pinching, you should find a bathroom where you can clean up once the bleeding has stopped.
3. Keep applying pressure for at least 5 minutes at a time. Don't check to see if it is still bleeding over this period of time as it is important to keep continuous pressure. After this period of time let go briefly to see if the bleeding has stopped. If not, give it another 5 minutes. (This is also a good time to quickly wash any blood off your hands and get a paper towel or toilet paper to pinch with so that blood gets on the paper and not your hand.) If it is, continue pinching. Don't check every 30 seconds, as the key is constant pressure.

Pressure Method

1. Find the two very slight depressions on the back of the skull, approximately four finger-widths from the base of the skull (in line with the tops of the ears) and four finger-widths from the mid-line of the back of the skull. If you had eyes in the back of your head, this is where they would be.
2. Press the spots firmly, but gently, and if you have connected correctly, the bleeding should stop immediately. Keep up the pressure for about five minutes and then release. If the bleeding starts again, just repeat the process, but hold it longer: you may have to keep up the pressure for ten to fifteen minutes to stop it completely.

Upper Lip Method

1. Roll up a piece of gauze or tissue into a "cigar shape" approximately 2 inches long and a little thicker than a pencil. Folding it into a small, thick square also works well.
2. Wedge the tissue under your upper lip where it's tight and close your lip over it.
3. Apply light pressure by compressing your lip over the wad. Tilt your head forward.

Chemical Method

1. Mix equal parts of lemon juice, vinegar and salt. You only need a little.
2. Wipe any blood from your nose with a paper towel or tissue.
3. Carefully smell the mixture, from about 4 inches away. The fumes should stop the bleeding quickly. Remember, if you get dizzy, stop smelling the mixture.

Afrin Method

1. Spray nose four times in the bleeding nostril(s) with a decongestant spray such as Afrin or Neo-Synephrine. Decongenstant sprays such as these contain oxymetazoline nasal which constrict blood vessels and stop bleeding within seconds.
2. Do not use oxymetazoline nasal for longer than 3 to 5 days. Longer use could cause damage to your nasal tissue and lead to chronic congestion. If your symptoms do not improve, see your doctor.

Cold Method

1. Drink ice-cold water slowly, allowing the water to cool the roof of your mouth. This will cool your nasal passages and blood vessels will contract, allowing clotting to be faster. It should stop soon after. NOTE: This will only work with slight to moderate nosebleeds.
2. Using an icepack over the nose may help as well.

After the Nose Bleed

1. Do not clean out your nose after the bleeding has stopped.
2. Clean up everything else. Your hands, your face, the sink--anything you dropped blood on needs to be cleaned.
3. Moisturize. If you have chap stick, moisturizer or Neosporin on hand, put a little of that in your nose to help healing and prevent it from bleeding again. A thin coating of petroleum jelly is simple and can be helpful to prevent nosebleeds due to dry air. If you are prone to bloody noses, it is a good idea to do this every morning to prevent bleeding, especially in dry weather.
4. Put an extra paper towel in your pocket just in case it starts to bleed again. If it doesn’t start for the next hour, you should be in the clear.
5. Avoid doing anything to cause your nose to bleed. Don't blow your nose, pick your nose, or bump it if at all possible. Nose bleeds can be caused by accidents, but are more commonly caused by dry conditions, causing the nasal membranes to dry out and crack. While we don't feel this, the end result is obvious.