Dealing With Winter Nose Bleeds

It is officially that time of year. A time that I live in fear of what might be running out of my nose. Yes, I suffer from severe winter nose bleeds. Some I even call 'gushers'. They aren't fun. I've been dealing with them for most of my life. If you have them, then you know that there is only so much you can do to stop them from happening.

The biggest cause of nosebleeds is low humidity and dry conditions during the winter months. That causes the thin layer of skin inside your nose to crack, exposing blood vessels just under the surface of the skin. Bam! Bloody nose! Sometimes you don't even know you have one coming. All it takes is a cough, or a sneeze to trigger it. So if you know what causes them, how do you prevent them? Here are a few things that should help.

• Use a humidifier in your bedroom. It will keep moisture in your nose while you sleep.
• Use saline spray in your nose to keep things moist. I keep some at the office and at home. It's a life saver.
• If you have a cold, don't blow your nose too hard. Gently wipe instead.
• If you've had a nosebleed, avoid vigorous activities that could lead to another one. Also, no spicy foods.
• Don't pick your nose.

Like I said, saline is a big game changer for me. When I feel things dry up, I just use a couple of sprays and I'm usually O.K. There are medical procedures you can have done too to alleviate the frequency of your nose bleeds.

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