Nosebleed

Nosebleed has many possible origins. Trauma to the nose, extreme dryness of the nasal passage so that the nasal mucous membranes crack and bleed, allergies, rhinitis, a nasal polyp, or high blood pressure may all cause nosebleed. Going to a high altitude or consuming excess alcohol are also possible causes.

Usually we don’t have any time to investigate the cause; we need to treat it immediately. Here are several effective remedies:

DRINK COOL WATER. This alone will stop many nosebleeds.

USE A COLD COMPRESS. Dip a handkerchief or any clean soft cloth into cold water, and place it on the forehead and the nose. Then gently blow the nose so that the clot, if there is one, comes out. (If there is a dry nasal crust, it will irritate the nasal passage and cause bleeding.)

SNIFF COLD WATER. Take a little cool water in your palm, inhale it up into the nose, and gently blow the nose.

SQUEEZE YOUR NOSE. If the cold water doesn’t stop the bleeding, then pinch the nose with your thumb and index finger, as if you were about to dip under water. Hold for 2 or 3 minutes, breathing normally through the mouth. That should stop the bleeding.

GHEE OINTMENT. If the bleeding still doesn’t stop, another simple remedy is to put a couple of drops of lukewarm ghee in each nostril. Dip a cotton swab into a jar of ghee, and apply it to the nose. Ghee is hemostatic—that is, it stops bleeding.

STAND OR SIT UPRIGHT. Don’t lie down, which will encourage bleeding. Also don’t do any inverted yoga postures such as Headstand, Shoulder Stand or Plow. Remaining upright will minimize bleeding.

HUMIDIFY YOUR SURROUNDINGS. Many nosebleeds are due to a dry nose, caused by hot, dry air. So as a preventive measure in dry climates or in winter when heating the house can create a lot of dry air, be sure to humidify your bedroom, workroom, or the entire living space. It is better not to use an ultrasound humidifier; a hot water unit is best.

HERBAL REMEDY. Orally, take a mixture of:

manjistha ⅓ teaspoon
kama dudha ⅛ teaspoon

Take this mixture with a little warm water twice a day.

JUICE CURE. To stop or prevent nosebleeds, you can drink cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, or a half-and-half mixture of the two.

POMEGRANATE NOSE DROPS. When making the pomegranate juice, if you pick up a few drops of the fresh juice in an eyedropper and place them in your nostrils, it should instantaneously stop the bleeding.

TIME TO SEE THE DOCTOR

If, after trying these remedies, your nose is still bleeding, or if you have repeated nosebleeds over a couple of weeks, see your doctor. You may have a serious health problem. The bleeding may be due to high blood pressure, which needs to be cared for. Or it could possibly be caused by leukemia, a type of blood cancer.

FOLLOW THE PITTA-PACIFYING DIET. According to Ayurvedic principles, even though nosebleed has some vata symptoms, such as dryness and cracking of the nasal passages, it is essentially a pitta disorder, in which pitta becomes hot and sharp and causes the bleeding. So when you have a nosebleed, don’t eat hot and spicy foods, abstain from alcohol and cigarettes, and don’t work under the hot sun. These are all pitta-provoking.