Epistaxis
- Overview
- Introduction
- Symptoms
- Causes
- Complications
- Homoeopathic Treatment
- Do's and Don'ts
- Diet and Nutrition
What is Epistaxis?
Epistaxis is bleeding from the nose. It is commonly called as a nosebleed.
Blood vessels in the nasal cavity are thin and fragile. Hence slightest trigger can lead to breakage or rupture of capillaries causing hemorrhage. Read more about Causes of Epistaxis.
Epistaxis is mainly of two types:
- Anterior nosebleed
- Posterior nosebleed
What happens in epistaxis?
QUICK LOOK:
- Bleeding from the nose – either one or both nostrils
- Bleeding – mild in few drops to heavy flow
- Coughing or vomiting of blood after a nosebleed
- Recurrent episodes of epistaxis of long duration
- History of a recent trauma or injury
- Bleeding from other areas of body – gums, ears, urine, stools
- Strong emotional factor triggering the epistaxis – anxiety , tension ,grief ,fear
- Common in winter and dry climatic conditions. Click to know more about Symptoms of Epistaxis.
What can epistaxis lead to?
Epistaxis is usually a mild condition and rarely fatal. Few cases get better with appropriate primary aid.
In certain cases where bleeding is severe and progressive, following can occur:
- Hemorrhage: Sudden epistaxis if severe with excessive bleeding can lead to hemorrhage.
- Cardio-vascular compromise: In certain life threatening cases, especially following severe trauma or surgery, epistaxis can lead to cardio-vascular shock which can prove fatal.
- Recurrent epistaxis: Epistaxis due to an underlying cause can be episodic.
- Anemia: Epistaxis of a long duration can lead to anemia from blood loss.
- Acute rhino –sinusitis: infection or inflammation of the membranes that line the sinuses.
How can homoeopathy help in epistaxis?
- Homoeopathic medicines are prescribed considering each patient's individuality with respect to his symptom presentation, personality, environmental background and familial disposition in Homeopathic Treatment For Epistaxis.
- Epistaxis whether acute or chronic and recurrent can be excellently handled with the help of homoeopathic medicines which have a marked action on blood vessels and capillaries.
- Certain cases which present with an emotional causative factor like anxiety, worry, fear or a stressful event which triggered the epistaxis are known to show amazing results with homoeopathic Treatment.
Few of our amazing remedies in homeopathic treatment for epistaxis include:
- Arnica: A very good hemorrhagic remedy. Bleeding in patients after an injury, fit of coughing, sore lamed bruised feeling in patients with sudden epistaxis. This medicine has marked effect on blood vessels.
- Ammon Carb: Epistaxis in patients coming on from activities like after washing face and after eating. Children with sudden stoppage of breathing from nose with snuffles. Nasal discharges are bloody.
- Phosphorous: Bleeding from the nose instead of menses. Small hemorrhages which are bright red and profuse. Nasal polyps which bleed frequently.
- Arum triphyllum: Indicated in patients with acrid excoriating discharges from the nose. Nose bleed in children with constant picking and boring till it bleeds.
- Ipecac: Indicated remedy for epistaxis with bright red bleeding and profuse in character.
Epistaxis is bleeding from the nose. It is also commonly called as a nosebleed.
Epistaxis is the one of the most common medical emergencies, affecting about 60 % of the population at some
point in their lives and of which 6 % require immediate attention.
Epistaxis or nosebleed can be of mild nature to a fatal blood loss. Most cases are mild and rarely life threatening. However, severe cases may require hospitalization and is regarded as a medical emergency.
Symptoms of Epistaxis can vary from mild to severe. Bleeding from the nose can range from a few drops to a heavy flow of blood which can be life threatening. A proper detailed case history of the patient and a thorough physical examination can help in arriving at the probable diagnosis.
Common symptoms for any patient presenting with epistaxis include:
- Sudden onset bleeding from the nose
- Bleeding may be mild in few drops or excessive, from single or both nostrils. This is one of the striking features in symptoms of epistaxis.
- Pain in the nasal bridge with a nose blocked sensation due to clots in the nasal area.
- History of recent fall, trauma or injury may be enquired.
- Bleeding from any other areas in the body like ears, gums, urine, stools, etc. need to be noted. This is leading feature in symptoms of Epistaxis.
- Tendency to easy bruising, wounds bleeding easily or taking time to heal can indicate a deeper pathology and requires further evaluation.
- Patient may cough out or vomit blood in cases if he has swallowed the blood from the nose. These are significant symptoms of Epistaxis.
- Any stressors like anxiety, tension, grief or worry triggering the epistaxis episode and its recurrence needs to be enquired.
These are important symptoms of Epistaxis.
- Common causes of Epistaxis:
- Local trauma: Any trauma to the nasal area, blunt or a blow, picking at the nose, fall..
- Drying of nasal mucosa: This is more common in cold weather wherein the mucosa dries up forming crusts leading to itching and bleeding when picked at.
- Nose anomalies - nasal polyps, deviated nasal septum
- Less common causes of Epistaxis
- Local infections - vestibulitis, sinusitis, rhinitis
- Foreign bodies - especially in toddlers can tear the mucosa and cause bleeding
- Systemic illnesses - Hypertension, SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)
- Arteriosclerosis - Loss of elasticity and hardening of arterial walls may cause Epistaxis.
- Coagulopathy/Bleeding disorders- DIC (Disseminated intravascular coagulation), hemophilia, von willebrands disease
- Malignancy - Abnormal growth of tissue projecting from the nose can cause bleeding.
- Hemorrhage: Sudden Epistaxis if severe with excessive bleeding can lead to hemorrhage.
- Cardio-vascular compromise: In certain life threatening cases, especially following severe trauma or surgery, epistaxis can lead to cardio-vascular shock which can prove fatal.
- Recurrent epistaxis: Epistaxis due to a local anatomical cause or a systemic disorder can be recurrent and disrupt one's lifestyle.
- Anemia: Chronic epistaxis with frequent episodes of a long duration can lead to anemia from blood loss.
- Homoeopathic medicines are prescribed considering each patient's individuality with respect to his symptom presentation, personality, environmental background and familial disposition in homeopathic treatment for Epistaxis.
- Homoeopathic system of medicine primarily focuses on the etiology responsible for the illness occurring in each individual.
- Epistaxis can occur due to varied number of causative factors. However correlation of the underlying cause of the disease with the effect it has on the individual helps in selection of a suitable homoeopathic prescription.
- Medicines act at the deeper level in the most safe and effective way possible in homeopathic treatment for epistaxis.
- It acts dynamically by arresting the pathology like bleeding and inflammation; and restores the altered mechanisms by maintaining the bodily balance.
- Certain cases which present with an emotional causative factor like anxiety, worry, fear or a stressful event which triggered the epistaxis are known to show amazing results with homoeopathic treatment.
Few of our amazing remedies in homeopathic treatment for Epistaxis include:
- Arnica: A very good hemorrhagic remedy. Bleeding in patients after an injury, fit of coughing, sore lamed bruised feeling in patients with sudden epistaxis. This medicine has marked effect on blood vessels.
- Ammon Carb: Epistaxis in patients coming on from activities like after washing face and after eating. Children with sudden stoppage of breathing from nose with snuffles. Nasal discharges are bloody.
- Phosphorous: Bleeding from the nose instead of menses. Small hemorrhages which are bright red and profuse. Nasal polyps which bleed frequently.
- Arum triphyllum: Indicated in patients with acrid excoriating discharges from the nose. Nose bleed in children with constant picking and boring till it bleeds.
- Ipecac: Indicated remedy for epistaxis with bright red bleeding and profuse in character.
We have more than 50 remedies in Homeopathic treatment for Epistaxis , thus indicating that Homeopathic treatment is highly individualized and very characteristic.
NOSEBLEEDS, CHILDREN : (12)
1 Bell, 1 Calc, 1 Chin-s, 2 Croc, 3 Ferr, 3 Ferr-p, 2 Ham, 1 Merc, 1 Nat-n, 3 Phos, 2 Sil, 2 Ter
MENSES :WITH CONGESTION TO HEAD OR EPISTAXIS: (25)
1 Acon, 1 Apis, 1 Bell, 2 Bry, 1 Carb-an, 1 Cham, 1 Con, 1 Cycl, 2 Dulc, 1 Ferr, 1 Glon, 1 Graph, 2 Ham, 1 Ip, 1 Kali-c, 1 Lach, 1 Lyc, 1 Merc, 1 Mosch, 1 Phos, 1 Puls, 1 Sep, 1 Sil, 2 Sulph, 1 Verat
EPISTAXIS, HEMORRHAGE:MENSES:DURING: (27)
1 Acon, 4 AMBR, 3 Bov, 3 Bry, 1 Calc, 1 Corn, 1 Croc, 1 Dig, 1 Dulc, 3 Eupi, 1 Ferr, 1 Gels, 1 Graph, 1 Ham, 3 Lach, 3 Meli, 1 Nat-c, 1 Nat-m, 3 Nat-s, 3 Phos, 3 Puls, 1 Sabad, 1 Sabin, 1 Sec, 3 Sep, 3 Sulph, 1 Verat
The remedy abbreviations with
- 4 marks- most effective,
- 3 marks- quite effective,
- 2 marks- less effective,
- 1 mark- least effective.
Do’s
- STAY CALM and avoid getting tensed or anxious.
- Gently blow your nose and try to remove any clots in the nasal area.
- Use a humidifier at home in order to keep the atmosphere warm in cold weather.
- Protective equipment like masks can be used in order to avoid contact with breathing irritants which can cause Epistaxis.
- Nose bleed is very common if the nasal mucosa is dry leading to crust formation. Use nasal saline spray in your nostrils before bedtime. This will keep the nasal area moist and prevent nosebleed.
- If bleeding persist inspite of primary care, see your doctor immediately.
Don’ts
- Don't PANIC or STRESS.
- Do not pick at your nose or bore at it as it can cause bleeding.
- Avoid swallowing or gulping the blood if it enters the throat; instead spit it out.
- Don't blow your nose forcefully when suffering from cold as it can initiate a bleed.
- Avoid habits like smoking and drinking.
- Avoid self-medicating and be aware of the warning signs..
- Do not neglect an epistaxis if it is mild. Get yourself checked by a health professional.
- Avoid overuse of various drugs like aspirin which have blood thinning properties and are known to precipitate bleeding.
Though Epistaxis has got no direct correlation to food products, maintaining a healthy balanced diet and consuming a meal rich in vitamins, zinc and other minerals like iron are known to prevent nose bleed.
Vitamin K deficiency is known to cause frequent nosebleed episodes especially in children.
Foods to include in your daily diet:
- Iron: Iron makes up an important part of our daily diet. Iron deficiency is known to cause anemia which further contributes to lethargy, bruising and blood loss causing further epistaxis. Diet rich in iron supplements like – red meat, liver, sea food like lobsters, leafy greens, nuts, dates, vegetables like carrots and beetroots etc. should be included.
- Vitamins: Vitamins in our daily diet play an important role in maintaining the bleeding mechanisms and clotting factors in our body. Vitamin C and K are an important micronutrient which can help in preventing bleeding. Deficiency of such vitamins can lead to breakage of thin and fragile blood capillaries leading to bleeding. Diet rich in vitamins C and K include foods like oranges, limes, gooseberry, red and yellow bell peppers, canola oil, cabbage and broccoli etc.
- Zinc: Zinc is an important nutrient which helps in maintaining the blood vessels in the body. Diet rich in zinc like chickpeas, nuts and raisins, chicken, high fibre bread, brown rice should be made a part of your diet.
- Bioflavonoids: It is a class of antioxidants which is found in citrus fruits and is known to strengthen blood vessels thereby preventing epistaxis.