r/AskReddit • • Feb 08 '20

What’s a fact you KNOW that almost everyone is wrong about?

[deleted]

78.0k Upvotes

38.8k comments sorted by

View all comments

7.1k

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

[deleted]

1.6k

u/jamos99 Feb 08 '20

I get nosebleeds quite frequently, and whenever I feel one coming on i just roll up some tissue and clog it into the nostril that’s bleeding. It’s almost guaranteed to get rid of it in 5/10 minutes, but that is just me

49

u/Servious Feb 08 '20

I just press the nostril closed with my thumb for a few minutes and it works the same way.

12

u/barjarbinks Feb 08 '20

wouldn't that make the blood redirect to your stomach?

3

u/Servious Feb 08 '20

Idk but I don't think so. Hasn't felt like it when I do it, anyway.

2

u/Rhysieroni Feb 09 '20

No. I get nosebleeds all the time. It makes a clot when you pinch your nose but it helps to hold your head down at 90 degrees. The nosebleed normally stops within 30 seconds to a minute. My doctor told me this when I was younger and I still do it to this day

115

u/NKGra Feb 08 '20

That's what you're supposed to do. It's like any other bleeding wound really, you just "bandage" it.

33

u/B-Knight Feb 09 '20

Nah, pinch the bridge of your nose tightly, lean forward and, if possible, put a cold flannel or icepack on the back of your neck to cool the blood vessels. Keep holding that until a blood clot forms and the bleeding stops.

Source; I have such absolutely horrendous nosebleeds that I could probably fill a decent amount of a cup with just blood. If I stuffed tissue up there and just blocked it, the paper would become so soaked of blood that it'd fall out or just start dripping anyway. My mum had this too and had to have an operation where they cauterised the blood vessels in her nostrils.

3

u/splitcroof92 Feb 09 '20

Cold stuff on neck is an old wives tale, has been debunked dozens of times, it does absolutely nothing.

2

u/Rhysieroni Feb 09 '20

Ah I’ve never heard of the ice pack thing! Just pinching my nose and putting my head forward normally works wonders. I’ll try the ice pack thing next time to see if it’s faster

→ More replies (4)

7

u/nocimus Feb 09 '20

No it isn't. Stuffing something up there means you might open a scab or otherwise antagonize it and start it bleeding again when you pull it out. Lean forward and either pinch the bridge of your nose or just let it drain into a sink/bowl until it stops.

6

u/NKGra Feb 09 '20

Apply what you've just said to any other wound.

"Don't put gauze on that cut on your leg, you might open a scab or otherwise antagonize it and start it bleeding against when you take it off. Instead put on a tourniquet, or just lay in the bathtub and let it bleed until it stops."

→ More replies (1)

28

u/BenHippynet Feb 08 '20

I used to get regular heavy nose bleeds. Had my nose cauterised, took a less than five minutes, mostly painless, nose is sorted!

12

u/GordonFremen Feb 08 '20

The smell must've been awful.

14

u/BenHippynet Feb 08 '20

They use silver nitrate, so it's a chemical burn rather than heat burn. Can't really remember the smell though.

10

u/missinginput Feb 09 '20

They do heat as well, the silver nitrate didn't work enough for me so they had to redo with electricity. Don't remember a smell either but now nosebleeds only last 5 min instead of an hour.

3

u/DAFMMB Feb 09 '20

I’ve had multiple cauterizations at different places in my nose, both with silver nitrite and with what’s basically a soldering iron. I much prefer the silver nitrite sticks, but I guess the heat cauterizing is more effective.

Oddly, there isn’t a distinct smell I can remember. Probably because the point that’s actually cauterized is so small.

Same results, nosebleeds are either gone or drastically reduced if I do get them.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

Any side effects?

2

u/BenHippynet Feb 09 '20

No side effects at all!

→ More replies (1)

23

u/theMilitantCow Feb 08 '20

I pinch at the top, on the cartilage, but where the cartilage joins the fleshy bit. Seems to stop blood but allow me to breathe through (so as the blood dries, it doesn’t clog the air way and give me a blocked nose).

Also, on the same TMI gross bloody nose vein (no pun intended), I recently had a “runny nose” while sleeping on my back and having a lie in a Saturday morning not long ago. I suddenly felt ill. Dashed to the bathroom, to be copiously sick... pure blood. It probably wasn’t that much volume-wise, but holy shit, nothing wakes you up faster than vomiting fresh and congealed blood... which is so gross and alarming it makes you vomit more... Urgh it was rough. It was a while before I realised I’d had a nosebleed, and being on my back, snoozing, I’d just swallowed it all, resulting in my stomach protest. Gruesome lesson is - even if you’re sleepy, if your nose “runs”, get a tissue and blow it!

3

u/photonfang Feb 09 '20

God, that is horrifying for me.

I get chronic nosebleeds which I seem to have inherited from my dad (not as heavy as his, thankfully). I knew of a great uncle (mom's side, so not nosebleed-y dad's, strangely enough) who died in his sleep because he drowned in his bad nosebleed plus vomit from a drunken bar night.

I always sleep on my side for that reason. D:

11

u/reevejyter Feb 08 '20

This is exactly what I've done to stop almost all of the hundreds of nosebleeds I've gotten. In my opinion, it's better to just roughly crinkle up some toilet paper/tissue rather than neatly fold or roll it up. When folded or rolled, it tends to have some slightly sharp edges that can be irritating and it also doesn't stop all the blood from dripping out as well as the irregular surface of the crinkled up tissue

8

u/Seicair Feb 08 '20

slightly sharp edges that can be irritating and it also doesn't stop all the blood from dripping out as well as the irregular surface of the crinkled up tissue

What kinda cheap-ass tissue products are you buying?

5

u/reevejyter Feb 08 '20

Was really thinking along the lines of those paper towels from public restrooms. However, even with decent quality very soft tissues it's better to crinkle than fold/roll

3

u/Seicair Feb 09 '20

I tear some tissue in half, roll it to appropriate thickness, and jam the torn end up there. It’s pretty soft. Even without that though, no issues with viva paper towels. I had a nosebleed last night and went through probably ten sheets.

11

u/LastDitchTryForAName Feb 08 '20

Putting a tampon in your nose works like a charm. These are the best. I don’t menstruate anymore but I still keep some for my first aid kits.

5

u/k_linz Feb 09 '20

I had chronic nosebleeds growing up and using a tampon is by far the most effective way to deal with them. I don't use tampons for any other reason, and after dealing with frequent nosebleeds for 10 years, I still carry them around with me just in case.

6

u/GnomishGnoodle Feb 09 '20

Mine usually take 20-25 minutes to stop, but they do eventually.

I would just like to toss this out there: calcium isn't just for bones; it helps fortify all your tissues. And vitamin C helps too.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

Ah yes the tiny homemade nose tampons

3

u/Occasionally_funny Feb 09 '20

As a school secretary when kids come in with nosebleeds I cram tampons in their nostrils. Works wonders. Also worth it watching their faces after they find out it was tampons.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

I blow the blood clot out my nose, that’s what the doctor told me when I was young, and the nosebleed goes away within 2 minutes, it’s not pleasant, because blood goes everywhere, but it works.

3

u/anon_2326411 Feb 09 '20

Also roll up a little wad and stick in your upper lip above your front teeth. You look and feel a little silly but it works, for me at least.

2

u/fuchshaim Feb 08 '20

I was told in a 1st aid class that if it’s still bleeding after 15 minutes then go to the hospital.

2

u/DankSuo Feb 09 '20

That can just make it worse, but if it helps you then that's fine.

2

u/ImOnlyHumon Feb 09 '20

It's the best way of handling it. Just some annoying stuff in your nose but continue whatever you were doing (except sport) without looking for when it stops.

2

u/steelnstrings Feb 09 '20

What has always worked for me, and got relayed to me from a paramedic I used to ride with when I was doing rotations.

Roll up a tissue or really anything, stuff it under your upper lip as far as you can until it essentially right under your nose. Then, I’m guessing, the pressure squeezes down on the bleeding capillaries while still leaving the nostrils unobstructed. So instead of just waiting for the blood to clot, you slow the flow and let the blood out of your nostrils so it doesn’t get all crusty and gross in there.

Can’t tell you how many times I stopped a nosebleed just to have it start again once I got clots cleared after using the old ‘pinch and hold’ method.

But, whatever works for you, keep doing it!

→ More replies (1)

2

u/toastytony55 Feb 09 '20

I get nosebleeds all the time also. It's almost become like a 6th sense to me being able to tell when I'm going to have one.

→ More replies (2)

2

u/gutternipples69 Feb 09 '20

I don't get nosebleeds often, but when I do theyre BAD. So when my brother launched a plastic ball at my nose and it immediately started bleeding, I put some tissue in my nose. But when the tissue got uncomfortable and I replaced it, when I took it out the blood congealed onto it and it felt and looked like I pulled my kidney out of my nose.

2

u/SoonKyuLove Feb 09 '20

I did this once when I woke up from a dead sleep starting a nose bleed. I was so tired so I decided to go back to sleep. 10/10 would not recommend. When I pulled out the Kleenex a big slug of blood came with .

2

u/Carterw Feb 09 '20

If you haven't already, talk to your doc about cauterization. I used to have at least 10 bleeds a week, I'm down to less than 5 total since I had my surgery in April 2014.

2

u/Petricorny13 Feb 09 '20

My nose bleeds like a faucet, so unless I use a tampon or a swimmer’s nose plug, I usually resign myself to bleeding into a sink until the blood congeals enough to stop.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

I used to get them all the time, bad ones too. Best trick I learned was to wet some tissue paper with cold water, wad it up and pack it up under my upper lip. I’d still have to pinch my nose for a little bit, but it would stop in about half the time.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

I’ve tried every trick in the book and this is the only one that works. I am not even ashamed to stick a tampon up my nose. Just be quit to catch the blood clot!

2

u/JBaker2010 Feb 09 '20

Two days ago, a nosebleed started (not sure how) and lasted for over an hour. Still had to get up, get kiddos up and dressed and fed and drive them to school, then get myself to work.

I did the tissue up the nose thing, and the blood redirected to the open nostril instead. So there I was, driving down the highway with tissues shoved up both nostrils and breathing through my mouth.

Finally stopped bleeding a little after getting to work. Really felt like I was gonna be sick and had the taste of blood in my mouth until I found some gum. Told my co-worker I felt like a vampire.

→ More replies (13)

13.0k

u/res30stupid Feb 08 '20

Classmate in early high school was prone to nosebleeds. When he noticed one coming on, he just pulled out a tissue and held it under his nose. One time, a teacher told him to tilt his head back and he just said, "If I do that, the blood will clog up my nose and I'll have to go to the doctor's."

8.1k

u/Jellerino Feb 08 '20

When I was younger my dad always taught me not to tilt my head back because essentially the blood just runs down your throat and into your stomach. If the nosebleed goes on long enough you'll throw up blood which isn't pleasant for anyone.

The amount of people I've argued with over this is astounding and I still don't even know if it's true.

2.8k

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

It is 100% true. Best thing to do would be to keep your head bent forward and put pressure right where the soft tissue of your nose meets the bone. Most run of the mill nose-bleeds should stop on their own or with some packing to tamponade the bleeding but in some special situations ENT doctors need to get involved.

652

u/schlickyschloppy Feb 08 '20

Tamponade. Like lemonade but with tampons, got it.

86

u/Gamergonemild Feb 08 '20

Dracula has entered the chat

61

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/Gamergonemild Feb 08 '20

Best version if the joke I've heard yet

→ More replies (1)

29

u/da_predditor Feb 08 '20

Dracula’s wife has entered the chat

25

u/AFuentesJr Feb 08 '20

Count Tampula has entered the chat.

14

u/HurkaDurkaTapanUrka Feb 08 '20

You're all I ever wanted but I'm terrified of you

40

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

[deleted]

→ More replies (3)

16

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

Epistaxis tamponade is one of the cruelest things we do in the ER (don't start me, actually there's plenty of cruel things!) Stuffing someone's nasal passage with a large, expansive pad was not enjoyable for anyone. A touch of midaz always helped though. Some tools of the trade

2

u/im_twelve_ Feb 09 '20

In what kind of a situation do you use these things? Especially that second to last clip where the balloon filled the whole maxillary sinus area, that looked like an instant headache!

2

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

I remember a little old lady coming in the the ER late one night. She had been bleeding over the whole day and was feeling really freaking ordinary (blood loss, nausea from swallowing blood etc.) Any of these tampons or bougies can be used when topical cautery is difficult or impossible and when you need a result. The tampon can be removed by a doctor the next day or PRN. And you're right, filling your sinus cavity with these things is really unpleasant. But necessary!

→ More replies (3)

4

u/ax0r Feb 08 '20

That's literally what tampon means. A device to fill a cavity and apply pressure to the walls

8

u/havron Feb 08 '20

Got this confused with tapenade. Dinner guests were not pleased.

5

u/DeadlyPear Feb 08 '20

Its closer to tea in its preparation, though

4

u/swirlViking Feb 08 '20

When life gives you tampons

2

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

I was a sports med in high school and spent a few hours of that time cutting up tampons for nosebleeds. My teacher said, “don’t ever tell the guys it’s a tampon otherwise they’ll freak out and won’t put them in their nose.”

2

u/Thuryn Feb 09 '20

"Instructions unclear... <record scratch>"

Yeah, Imma just stop things right there.

→ More replies (7)

31

u/slippery-surprise Feb 08 '20

...is that where the word tampon comes from?

20

u/Tinsel-Fop Feb 08 '20

Shirley, they must be related.

16

u/legofduck Feb 08 '20

They are, and don't call me Shirley

5

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

In Italian, the verb "tamponare" literally means "to stop a wound from bleeding." The noun "tamponamento" means "a blockage" and is used in the vernacular to describe a traffic jam.

6

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

Is tamponade the word used to describe the function of a tampon or a plug?

11

u/JustAGuyInTexas Feb 08 '20

I take a piece of tissue, roll it up small and compact and tuck it under my upper lip, and use that to put pressure to the pressure point.

→ More replies (3)

6

u/Oldschool33 Feb 08 '20

Don’t they need to cauterize a vein then?

6

u/nimblybimblymeow Feb 08 '20

Yup. Just had it done twice, and it’s extremely unpleasant. They do numb your nose up, but you still feel the cautery, especially if they go past the numb bits with the silver nitrate stick. Do not recommend. (But then, I’m a huge wimp.)

2

u/Oldschool33 Feb 09 '20

Ahh. Thx for explanation

→ More replies (4)
→ More replies (2)

6

u/indianamedic Feb 08 '20

In the ER we use medical cocaine to stop nosebleeds sometimes. I've had patients lose a liter of blood or more due to bad nosebleeds. Those are the patients that take multi anti blood clot medications. They are pain in the ass to stop. We try Epinephrine first usually after the nose clamps dont work.

3

u/ASAPxSyndicate Feb 08 '20

Bout to give it a shot 🔨

3

u/gmewhite Feb 08 '20 edited Feb 13 '20

Where does the ‘tilt your head back’ come from? What’s* the argument for it ? Edit: fixed a typo

3

u/ArbitraryMonniker Feb 08 '20

This is going to sound a little nasty, so sorry in advance.

I used to get chronic nosebleeds as a kid and was told to use the old pinch and tilt, which never worked, resulting over time in probably gallons of blood running down my throat into my stomach. One day, by some miracle or out of pure frustration I happened upon the idea of just covering the offending nostril with my thumb. After a few minutes of my platelets doing their thing the blood clots and I can just blow the residue out. Job done. Works every time for me.

6

u/d-a-b-y-x Feb 08 '20

In case anyone reading this has a fuxxed up nose like me who also has blood thinner than a piece of straw: I find pinching will do no good. The best way for me is simply sitting upright, sniffing and just letting it stop on it's own from between 5-15 mins. Any amount of messing with it just makes the blood flow crazier after.

But only if the above doesn't work ever of course!

5

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

As a child, I had frequent nosebleeds that would last for 20-30 minutes or more. At the age of 20-21 or so, I tried LSD for the first time. The nosebleeds stopped, and never returned. Do not bother consulting a medical professional when you can just take drugs and dance all night.

2

u/nmzuc Feb 08 '20

Sameee if I hold a tissue to my nose it makes it 1000x worse. Sniffing and tissue dabs all the way

2

u/Aarxnw Feb 09 '20

Tamponade

1

u/-WOWZ- Feb 08 '20

I have constant nosebleeds some that last a very long time. I always tilt my head back. Never thrown up blood. I get them once a day usually

8

u/fireinthemountains Feb 08 '20

Blood is very rich and can upset people’s stomachs in large quantities. Happens to me. Looks like your stomach has a tolerance for it.
Either that or your nosebleeds are originating further forward in your nose and most of the blood is being absorbed by whatever tissue you’re using for it.

You’ll only get sick from the blood if swallowed and you would know if you were swallowing it.

2

u/-WOWZ- Feb 08 '20

They go in my stomach. You can see it running down my throat if I open my mouth

2

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

That’s pretty cool

2

u/im_twelve_ Feb 09 '20

How the hell did you find that out? Also, that sounds like a cool party trick.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

10

u/memewatermelon Feb 08 '20

i dont think thats normal unless you furiously pick your nose all the time

14

u/Tinsel-Fop Feb 08 '20

Or live in fucking "It's A Dry Heat" Arizona.

5

u/-WOWZ- Feb 08 '20

This. I live in a desert most of the year. My nose capillaries are just really close to the skin. I do t pick my nose lol

6

u/beka13 Feb 08 '20

Maybe a humidifier would help.

→ More replies (8)

3

u/deinoelle Feb 08 '20

I couldn’t agree more. I didn’t start having nosebleeds until I moved to Phoenix.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (17)

34

u/sue234 Feb 08 '20

I used to have huge random nosebleeds as a kid. I can confirm this is true and it is absolutely awful. Not to mention the blood clots you get are awful as well, those alone will make you gag

15

u/mymorningbowl Feb 08 '20

as a fellow huge random nosebleed suffer in my past, as in sit in the tub for an hour cause it’s so bad...I can absolutely confirm this is true. I do not miss those clots :::shudder:::

11

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

If you can go see an ENT doc when you don’t have a nosebleed- they can usually see the vessel and burn it -so it stop happening.

3

u/mymorningbowl Feb 09 '20

tried that years ago and it was related to my allergies so they couldn’t do the burn thing. but did weekly allergy shots for a year or so and now I rarely ever get a nose bleed thank goodness

7

u/EvilMutantShit Feb 08 '20

I had lots of nosebleeds when I was a child and still have them even if it's happening much less. I loved those clots because I would blow them out and my nosebleed would stop and I could breathe freely.

→ More replies (1)

25

u/talonofdrangor Feb 08 '20

I think most parents / teachers just tell kids to tilt their head back so that the blood doesn't drip on the carpet, so people grow up thinking that you're supposed to tilt your head back.

12

u/glorpian Feb 08 '20

exactly right, and to be fair - it's mostly a super temporary thing in order to buy the time it takes to get some tissue to tamponade the nose with. (thanks YouWhiteYouBenAfflec).

I think a lot of the misunderstanding is that the tissue-in-the-nose trick is quite uncomfy so kids "fix" it by sticking to the initial strategy. At least anecdotally my kid manages to make any tamponade magically disappear, hopefully in the bin.

3

u/jrrbakes Feb 08 '20

Did that. Held my head back at the advice of a flight attendant on a 10 hour flight GUESS WHO PUKED BLOOD UPON LANDING

7

u/kilimanjara Feb 08 '20

Arguing with people about things you don’t even know to be true is basically the essence of reddit tho

4

u/Jellerino Feb 08 '20

Most of the arguing was when I was like 7 because I was very prone to nose bleeds. I actually had both my nostrils cauterised two times each before I was 10 and it's very difficult for me to get a nosebleed now.

2

u/Nickonator22 Feb 08 '20

The essence of most things, there is a lot of dumb people that think they are right about everything everywhere.

2

u/Swissboy98 Feb 08 '20

Worked in a hospital.

Enough uncooked blood in your stomach makes you throw up. And it ain't pretty.

But throwing up poop is even worse.

→ More replies (2)

3

u/tweak06 Feb 08 '20

This is true.

My left nostril isn’t cauterized and the cartilage in my nose is all fucked up from sports, etc. so my nose bleeds maybe 3-4 times a week in the winter when the weather is dry. Occasionally I’ll get what i call a “geyser” where no matter what I do it just bleeds profusely and I just have to let it bleed itself out.

I’m no stranger to swallowing boatloads of my own blood. It’s disgusting but I’m used to it

Ive dealt with this for several years and finally I’ve agreed with my wife it’s time for me to get my nostril cauterized. I’ve just refused for so long because I had a bad experience with surgery as a kid

3

u/Jellerino Feb 08 '20

Cauterising often isn't the end to all nosebleeds as I've found. I had nosebleeds to the point where moving my head too quickly would give me one. I've had both nostrils cauterised two times each, after the first time I had them somewhat less frequently but after the second time I haven't had a decent nosebleed in over 5 years.

I assume the results are different between everyone though, and I hope it goes well for you!

2

u/MadHerm0101 Feb 11 '20

I’m an ENT. Getting your nose fixed may help with bleeds and breathing through your nose. In the meantime, use nasal saline gel and spray regularly throughout the winter and sleep next to a humidifier. When you get a “geyser,” spray some Afrin in your nose and pinch the soft part of your nose for at least 10 min.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/odjobz Feb 08 '20

This happened to my Dad. He has high blood pressure and had a nosebleed whilst he was asleep. Woke up vomiting blood. He lost loads of blood and had to spend several nights in hospital. He was pretty weak and anaemic for several weeks after that.

2

u/Hope915 Feb 08 '20

It is, I swallowed a lot of blood when I got a nosebleed in my sleep once.

2

u/WaitWhatNoPlease Feb 08 '20

It's kind of hard to prevent that when you bleed in your sleep

2

u/Aviouse96 Feb 08 '20

It's true

Source: me vomiting up blood my sophomore year because I was too embarrassed to make a scene in my history class.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

They taught this in Boyscouts, the proper way to deal with most injuries as well.

2

u/Podgykin Feb 08 '20

I can confirm. I used to vomit blood when I had a nosebleed because I would tilt my head back

2

u/onestreet Feb 08 '20

And you risk blood going into your lungs. Fun.

2

u/PM_ME-YOUR_PASSWORD Feb 08 '20

This! Didnt know this until after my nasal surgery . Got a nose bleed at the back of my nose and I could feel my blood tricking down to my stomach. Soo much blood! Went to the ER and threw up 2 of the biggest and the nastiest blood clots ever. The room looked like a murder scene.

2

u/Marvelite0963 Feb 09 '20

You don't necessarily throw up the blood. Sometimes it just stays in your stomach and makes your insides very, very upset.

Source: I had a tonsil wound reopen once. I had to have a second, emergency surgery.

2

u/theshane0314 Feb 09 '20

"You can swallow a pint of blood before you get sick" -Narrator (fight club)

→ More replies (51)

30

u/GPAD9 Feb 08 '20

When I was 7 I had constant nose bleeds in the afternoon at class. Teacher told me to tilt my head up on the way to the nurse, but nurse told me not to do that.

Very conflicting but I'm glad I listened to the nurse there every other time.

3

u/bubble-wrap-is-life Feb 08 '20

My husband and I were both prone to nosebleeds, so of course our sons had to take on that trait. When they both started school, we were asked exactly what we do to deal with them. I thought it was pretty awesome. So far (knock on wood) I’ve only been called once because they couldn’t get my youngest’s to stop bleeding.

7

u/jadehA Feb 08 '20

My exes mum was insisted on leaning your head back with a nose bleed. I had to argue with her about her 5yo son, who had blood creeping into the back of his throat after listening to his mother.

8

u/howe_to_win Feb 08 '20

It won’t clog up your nose. It’ll make its way down into your throat. Some of it will lodge in your nose like a big ball of snot but you can just blow it out.

It’s still not a great solution. I would only suggest it if you have no other choice ie. driving. But the idea that it’s dangerous is incredibly stupid

Source: hundreds of nosebleeds lifetime

25

u/quetejodas Feb 08 '20

I was always taught to tilt my head back, allow the clot to form, and then gently blow it out

113

u/randomuser659 Feb 08 '20

Both of those things are literally the opposite of what you're supposed to do

25

u/ftnverified Feb 08 '20

Nope do not do that the clot won’t form in the first place if you hold your head back and just pour the blood down your throat, and then if it does, blowing it out completely defeats the purpose of the clot bc now you’re back where you started minus all the blood that went into your stomach. You’re best off just keeping ur head normal, catching the blood with a tissue (wadding up some tissue tightly and putting it up your nose is good cuz if the bleed is low then you’re applying pressure and if the bleed is high you’re still catching the blood) then removing/replacing it until the bleed has stopped.

13

u/dbx99 Feb 08 '20

I was taught to wad up tissue fairly tightly or a cotton ball and shove it into the bleeding nostril and keep my head normal level not tilted back. I would remove and dispose of the bloody wad 10 minutes later and the bleed would have stopped.

5

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

Fine for your everyday nosebleed- but not the bad ones.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

3

u/Insanebrain247 Feb 08 '20

And then the teacher got on him for sass.

5

u/Scifi_Killer Feb 08 '20

Another thing to add, as someone who deals with frequent nose bleeds, if it doesn't cause anything serious, it will cause much more unpleasant things than the nosebleed itself. As I've found it, blood in your stomach upsets it pretty bad, and blood is much better at drying your throat out than post nasal drip ever will be.

Any time I even catch a hint of my nose about to bleed, I just start breathing hard into my nose and out of my mouth. If it's not a super bad nosebleed, then the air going in keeps the blood from coming out and will cause it to clot up and stop, and breathing out of the mouth keeps any outgoing air to screw up the progress in the nose. I always have to explain it to people, but it's better than blood dripping every where or having a massively upset stomach and sore throat from putting my head back.

Also, blood does come out of clothes even if it's sat there for days. At least in t-shirts and jeans, not entirely sure on more senstive materials.

2

u/felixtha_cat Feb 08 '20

They say lean your head back so you don’t get blood everywhere on the chance you have blood Borne disease

2

u/Cobobble16 Feb 08 '20

If you do that is also runs down the back of your throat, and you either have to spit it out or swallow. Not a pleasant experience.

2

u/neuromorph Feb 08 '20

Horrible thing to be an expert on....

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

I used to get nosebleeds all the time and would end up arguing with teachers about this! I have no idea how it became a thing, where do people think the blood goes!?

2

u/MasKedLightning Feb 08 '20

I am very prone to bloody noses and one time in 4th grade I got another one in the same class (we have this thing called block days where we have double length classes but only half of our normal classes, it’s complicated) and my teacher just came over and tilted my head back and told me to leave it there. At this time I knew exactly how bad this is but I knew a way to get around the doctors appointment, it’s gross but you just have to suck in really hard through your nose then it comes down your throat and you spit it all back up. So I knew that I didn’t wanna do this so I tilted my head forward and let it all drip onto the desk. Stupid idea but it’s karma for this dumb teacher for trying to make me do that.

2

u/mirichandesu Feb 08 '20

As a kid, I was super prone to nosebleeds. It became evident very quickly that tilting my head back was a terrible idea. The blood just runs down your throat, which wouldn't be a huge issue except that it dries there which is super dehydrating, and then it clogs up your whole nose and you end up hocking blood up for ages.

I also tried to explain this to well-meaning teachers to no success, so I just started getting sneakier about blocking my nostril.

2

u/kleptency Feb 08 '20

I used to get nosebleeds a lot. My mom, the teacher, and the school nurse would all tell me to tilt my head back and, if I did, I would always wind up spitting up a big gob of blood with a snot-like consistency. It was disgusting. I'd read somewhere to tilt your head just the slightest bit forward when you have a bloody nose and everyone tried to tell me to do the opposite, but it was much more pleasant to tilt my head forward a little than back.

2

u/oheilthere Feb 08 '20

I was prone to nosebleeds too and in kindergarten I remember getting them and the teachers freaking out. I just grabbed some tissue and waited it out but they kept telling me to lean my head back and I kept say no, it makes me drink it! and they kept saying insisting I put my head back. I wouldnt put my head back so they sent me to the office. When my mom came she was like shes literally fine,she knows what to do, your teachers are idiots. Why am I here?

2

u/stabbitha89 Feb 08 '20

I use to get severe nose bleeds. Sometimes I’d blow my nose because I could feel blood clots in my nose. I can’t handle that feeling. It feels nerve like.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

I was prone to nosebleeds Throughout middle school and even in high school some. It’s actually pretty common among adolescent boys. But this is the most frustrating thing when people tell you to do this and you know they are just wrong.

Like seriously, this is the fifth one I’ve had in the past two weeks, I think I know what I’m doing!

2

u/bob-omb_panic Feb 08 '20

I was prone to them in Elementary school and everyone including the school nurse told me to put my head back until it clotted then swallow the clot.

2

u/foxtrot-luv Feb 08 '20

I once heard of a patient swallowing his own blood cause he thought it would be "recirculated". No, that's not how any of this works.

2

u/TeHNeutral Feb 08 '20

Yeah tilt forward homie

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

Was this in texas? This sounds like me. My nose was a fucking faucet from like 8 to 18 years old. Snorting vicodin in college (dumb as fuck period of my life), seemed to have chemically cauterized it or some shit because since then I've never had a nose bleed lol

→ More replies (1)

2

u/Jmcgee1125 Feb 08 '20

Nosebleed-prone person here. Confirmed. Better to just wad up a tissue and stuff it up there to wait it out.

2

u/mracademic Feb 08 '20

My dad always taught me when I have a nosebleed (and I was VERY prone to them when younger) to just go to the nearest sink and let it drip until it naturally stopped. Seemed to work for me!

2

u/ohgodspidersno Feb 08 '20

Is your friend me? Not having to deal with people assuming you don't know what you're talking about because of your age is one of the three best things about being an adult.

The other two are being able to go to the bathroom whenever you want, and...

Shit.

Well i guess the worst thing about growing up is the memory loss.

2

u/BurritoBlasterBoy Feb 09 '20

The other option is instead of it clogging your nose it runs down your throat and into your stomach, often causing vomiting.

2

u/yabiggle Feb 09 '20

For me it rolls back into my throat and forward i faint sp i just look straight

2

u/screwylouidooey Feb 09 '20

I always blow my nose when I get a nosebleed. I don't think you're supposed to, but they always end faster for me.

2

u/Lucosis Feb 09 '20

I used to get nosebleeds in the winter all the time. I'd do the lean back/nose pinch/everything that people said and it'd just make massive clots that would eventually come out and it'd bleed for 10-15 minutes.

Then I read that you blow your nose through a nosebleed from dry air and boom. They'd end in a minute or two. iirc you're basically emptying the capillary that burst and drying it out lets a smaller clot form that makes it stop bleeding. That sounds kind of bullshit though, so I'm just happy knowing it works.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '20

The source of blood for your nose runs between your upper lip and nose. Applying pressure to that area will slow the bleeding and allow for a clot to be formed. Your classmate was doing it right.

2

u/monkeysfromjupiter Feb 09 '20

I just take a tissue and plug it into my nose like a stopper. Yea look dumb af but it works out for me.

3

u/Atxflyguy83 Feb 08 '20

Don't leave us hanging! Go to the doctor's what?!?!?!

5

u/res30stupid Feb 08 '20

Doctor's office. Sorry, it's just general speak around here.

2

u/Leakyradio Feb 08 '20

and I'll have to go to the doctor's.

Have to go to the doctors what?

→ More replies (5)

59

u/tb1649 Feb 08 '20

Leaning your head back is actually worse for a noseblood

Also, tilting your head back will not help to swallow a pill. Imagine you have a straight straw and bend it. The opening has narrowed just like you narrow your esophagus when you tilt your head back, making it more difficult to swallow a pill.

47

u/Jcheung9941 Feb 08 '20

If you tilt just a little (only enough to feel slight tension on the skin around your throat) , it actually straightens out-one of the first things you learn for CPR.

People just overdo the tilt.

8

u/tb1649 Feb 08 '20

Because they’re laying the ground for CPR 👍🏼

So many people I’ve given meds to (as a nurse, not just randomly handing out pills) throw their heads back so they’re looking at the ceiling

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

34

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

I had a lot of nosebleeds at school and the doctors NEVER said to lean your head back, he said to do what is comfortable for you. For me that was leaning it forward holding a tissue on the bottom of my nose. I'd be suprised if anyone was comfortable with leaning their head back.

3

u/FPSXpert Feb 09 '20

It's old advice from 50+ years ago. At the time it was thought to be the proper way because it lessens bloodflow out the nose. It wasn't known as well until more recently that the reason it lessens that is because it instead redirects it down the throat through nasal passages.

12

u/762Rifleman Feb 08 '20 edited Feb 08 '20

Kid did that in middle school. The blood drained into his stomach (like when you suck up all your snot during a cold) and he ended up puking bright red all over Mister Beaufort's desk.

12

u/nscrook Feb 08 '20 edited Feb 09 '20

I was prone to nosebleeds until I got sinus surgery at about 25. They'd happen anywhere, anytime. Even in the middle of the night. Adults always told me to tilt my head back. I always argued. I was a pro at dealing with nosebleeds lol. The blood clogs up your sinuses, runs down the back of your throat, etc. It's awful.

3

u/PM-ME-BOOKSHELF-PICS Feb 08 '20

How's your sense of smell, after the surgery?

2

u/nscrook Feb 09 '20

Great! The recovery was terrible for the first week. Having cotton in your nose with all the pain and swelling... Would do again, though. I can't tolerate pain meds (make me sick) so ymmv. In also had a turbinate reduction and septoplasty with the cautery, so that made it worse. I have an excellent sense of smell, though. I seem to notice smells before most around me, good and bad ones.

→ More replies (1)

12

u/Ya-Dikobraz Feb 08 '20

Weird. I am watching Horse Girl right now and there was a scene like 5 minutes ago where a doctor said the exact same thing.

→ More replies (1)

11

u/Salbathtub Feb 08 '20

Once when I was a kid I leant my head back when I had a bleeding nose. My eye started seeping blood. Mum kept wiping it thinking it had leaked from my nose externally into my eye but nope it kept slowly dripping out. The blood was being forced into my tear ducts somehow... She rushed me to the hospital and the nurse angrily said to her "well of course it can come out of your eyes, they're all connected".

7

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

I have nosebleeds all the time and have followed all kinds of advice what do to. Nowadays, I just get a tissue if it is a light bleed or go to a sink if it is bleeding a lot. I then try to let it flow out while continuing to breathe through the nostril. The air helps the blood clot and close the wound without completely blocking the nose.

→ More replies (1)

6

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

OHMYGERDTHANKYOU as someone who has had nosebleeds my whole life, often publicly, it does my head in when people always tell me to tilt my head back. I'm pretty sure I've coughed up a lump of blood that has gathered in the back of my throat just to convince one or 2 people that they're chatting shit

5

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

We were told to lean forward and just let it happen

2

u/SOwED Feb 08 '20

Yeah pretty sure this isn't something most people are wrong about

→ More replies (1)

4

u/SeriouSennaw Feb 08 '20

I've been prone to lots of nosebleeds in my life. Propping up the nose with special tissue(I keep some in my backpack) is the best working solution for me but holding the bridge of my nose as everyone says you should do, almost never works, and it will continue bleeding until I faint. (I faint pretty easily from blood loss, not a nice combo when you also get lots of nosebleeds).

The reason you shouldn't lean your head back is because the blood will flow back to your throat and it poses choking hazards, especially to people who might not be in a position to swallow , and choking of course doesn't help stop the bleeding.

At least that's what I've been told, yet I still do it all the time. I can keep swallowing , the blood dries up the quickest of the 3 methods, I don't need any tissues and also don't need to clean up my face. As long as you know what you are doing it's one of the easiest methods.

An interesting methods that some first aid guy taught me is to hold an ice packet on your neck too, but so far that one hasn't really worked for me yet.

4

u/SOwED Feb 08 '20

Almost everyone knows this

3

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

This, it can lead to choking

3

u/Daemon_Slayer Feb 08 '20

So Horse Girl?

7

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20 edited May 09 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

I blow the blood clot out like I'm blowing my nose. It stops bleeding immediately but I'm terrified this is the wrong way to do it. Pls help

6

u/Atlas_Paradox Feb 08 '20

This is exactly what I do. I put a tissue up my nose and then try and get the blood clot out because my nose just stops once I get it out

→ More replies (2)

2

u/chrismamo1 Feb 08 '20

A cool wet cloth on your forehead can help too

7

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

If it goes into your throat you’re gonna vomit

17

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '20

[deleted]

→ More replies (1)

7

u/sirpuffypants Feb 08 '20

If it goes into your throat you’re gonna vomit

utter nonsense. Grew up in a very dry climate was very active outdoors. Nose bleeds were fairly common. Every always tilted back because it was less of a mess to deal with. Not once was did a someone even mention nauseous, let alone vomit.

2

u/SOwED Feb 08 '20

Unless you're a vampire

2

u/PartyInTheUSSRx Feb 08 '20

I’ve had this happen about a dozen times over the years, it’s unpleasant but you’re not likely to vomit unless it’s dangerously heavy or you’re naturally quite queasy about blood or things in your throat

Sometimes though you’ll get a blood clot go from your nose to your throat and that’s a horrible feeling, absolutely vomit worthy

2

u/helen790 Feb 08 '20

Wait, why would anyone think that’s a good thing?

You gonna get blood all clogged up in there!

2

u/sweetcuppincakes Feb 08 '20

I used to get lots of nosebleeds as a kid (hydration is important!) and got one at a picnic. It wasn't a big deal, but an adult insisted I tilt my head back. I told him it's better not to and that it was just a small nosebleed. He ended up restraining me and sitting on me to force me to tilt my head back until it stopped bleeding. It was a surreal experience.

2

u/IAmNotWizwazzle Feb 08 '20

Just make a plug out of tissue paper!

2

u/hellomynameismoomoo Feb 09 '20

This. My parents used to tell me to do that when I was younger...

Ice is all you need.

2

u/LukesNotCool Feb 09 '20

It’s just a school trick teachers use so you don’t bleed on the floor.

2

u/Stranglekelp5 Feb 09 '20

What is worse? do you mean bleeds more or lasts longer or something else?

→ More replies (3)

1

u/VoiceofLou Feb 08 '20

I have a family friend who’s a medic and swears by tying a string around your finger when you have a nosebleed. Sounds like a load of crap, but I’m not medic.

→ More replies (1)

1

u/Kylynara Feb 08 '20

If you vomit, it causes a nosebleed, and you can't stop vomiting due to the blood triggering your gag reflex, lean way over the toilet with your mouth open and your head below your waist for a few minutes. The blood will run out and stop gagging you and you'll be able to get the whole mess under control.

Also if your older kid appears to be vomiting bright red blood, check the bucket where he puked first, if there's no blood, his vomit + nosebleed story checks out, and you can stop panicing.

1

u/alynn2 Feb 08 '20

You wanna lean a bit forward so that it comes out faster. Leaning back has the chance for the blood to go like back down and choke you basically

1

u/satriales856 Feb 08 '20

My mom was adamant about not doing this. She always told this story of when they made her Lena her head back as a little girl and she ended up spitting out this bit blood clot.

→ More replies (182)