The end of summer brings with it several health hazards. One should exercise extra caution, as too much exposure of to the sun could lead to epistaxis, a medical term for nosebleed.
“Of the 100-odd patients I examine everyday, at least five of them complain of this syndrome. This particular ailment affects mostly children. Bleeding from nose is a common complaint, and it is life threatening and of significant concern,” says E &T specialist Singari Prabhakar of Singari E&T Hospital at Suryaraopet.
“Nosebleed occurs when the small fragile blood vessels in the nose break. Children who have frequent nosebleed should be checked for underlying conditions,” he warns.
A child bleeding from the nose should be taken to a cool place and made to lie down. One should apply pressure with the finger over the nose and compress it for a while for the bleeding to subside. Ice fomentation through mouth, i.e., swallowing or chewing ice cubes or applying them over the affected area of the nose gives immediate relief, he says.
“This condition occurs mainly because the blood vessels in the nasal lining are close to the surface and quite fragile. They can rupture easily,” adds Dr. Singari.
Most nosebleeds are benign, self-limiting and spontaneous, but some can be recurrent. Epistaxis can be divided into two categories, anterior bleeds and posterior bleeds on the basis of the place where the bleeding originates,” says H.V.D. Prasad, president of E&T Doctors’ Association, Vijayawada.
Summer holidays are the time when children play physical games and are likely to receive a bump or bang on the nose which can also result in nosebleed.
Besides prolonged exposure to warm, dry air, other causes leading to epistaxis include nasal and sinus infections, allergic rhinitis, nasal foreign body (object stuck in the nose), vigorous nose-blowing, nasal surgery, deviated or perforated nasal septum and cocaine use.
“With an increase in temperature and pollution-levels, there is a rise in the number of epistaxis cases of late,” says Dr. Prasad.
