NOSEBLEEDS (EPISTAXIS)

Wetin be nosebleed?

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Nosebleed na common thing and e dey easy to stop most times with small first-aid wey you fit do for house. But sometimes, e fit pass your power or dey hard to stop. Dis leaflet go show you wetin dey cause am, how you fit manage am for house, and wen to see doctor.

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Wetin fit cause nosebleed?

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The big doctor name for nosebleed na epistaxis. E dey happen mostly for front part of the nose where small blood vessels dey for that wall wey divide the two nostrils. Sometimes, e fit happen for back of the nose, but that one no too common and e dey more serious.

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Front Nosebleed (na this one dey happen pass)

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• When you dey blow nose or put finger for nose too much

• If person dey use cocaine

• If you get catarrh, allergy (hay fever) or sinus wahala

• Weather wey the air too dry or weather wey just change sharpaly

• Foreign object (especially for pikin) or small injury

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Back Nosebleed (no too common but more serious)

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• Blood pressure wey high

• Blood-thinning drugs like aspirin or warfarin

• Blood wey no dey clot well

• Recent surgery for nose or sinus

• Big hit for face or head

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Wetin to do if your nose dey bleed (First Aid)​

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1. Sidon well make you bend body small go front so blood no go enter your throat

2. Use your thumb and finger hold the soft part of your nose (wey dey just above the two holes)

3. Hold am like that for 10 to 15 minutes – no comot hand

4. Make you breathe through your mouth and try relax

5. If you get ice pack or cold cloth, put am for the top of your nose – e fit help

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No lie down or bend your head back – e fit make blood enter your throat and make pressure for nose worse.

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After nosebleed stop – Wetin to do

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To stop am from happening again:

• No blow or pick your nose for 1 to 2 days

• No do heavy exercise or lift heavy load

• No smoke, hot drink or alcohol for small time

• You fit rub Vaseline or cream wey doctor give you inside nose to make am moist

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Wen to go hospital or call doctor

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Go hospital or call for help if:

• Bleeding no stop after 20 minutes wey you don dey press am

• You dey feel faint, dizzy or you dey vomit blood

• You dey take blood-thinning medicine

• Your nose dey bleed often or without reason

• Na small pikin under 2 years wey get am without injury

• Blood dey come from back of the nose or dey too much

For emergency, call 999 or go Emergency Department sharp sharp

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Hospital treatment

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If the bleeding no stop with first aid, doctor fit:

• Cauterise: Use chemical (like silver nitrate) wey go help seal the blood vessel

• Nasal packing: Put gauze or balloon inside nose to press the bleeding

• Check blood and observe you: Especially if you don lose plenty blood or dey take blood thinner

• Refer to ENT doctor (Ear, Nose and Throat) if the bleeding hard to control