About your visit
You have had a nosebleed. If a balloon has been inserted, it must be removed after 24–48 hours. If balloons have been inserted in both nostrils, they must be removed within 24 hours. Make an appointment with your general practitioner or an ear, nose and throat specialist to have the balloon removed. You do not need a referral.
When you get home
Precautions for the first 48 hours after the bleeding has stopped
We recommend that you take the following precautions for the first couple of days in order to prevent new bleeding.
Avoid the following:
- hot food and beverages
- spicy food
- smoking
- alcohol
- strenuous physical activity, e.g. heavy lifting or bending over
- warm baths or sun bathing
- blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
- picking at the sore in your nose
- pain-relieving medication with acetylsalicylic acid, as it is an anticoagulant, which increases the risk of another nosebleed.
We recommend that you:
- eat cold, soft food
- sleep with your head elevated to reduce pressure in the blood vessels in your nose.
If it happens again
Treating nosebleeds
If you experience another nosebleed, we recommend that you:
- sit upright and bend your head slightly towards your chest
- carefully blow your nose. It is normal for coagulated blood to come out
- use your thumb and pointer finger to squeeze the middle of your nose for ten minutes (between the soft and hard part)
- put an ice cube in your mouth and hold it on the roof of your mouth. If you have dentures or use a retainer, remove them first
- spit out the blood, as swallowing it may make you nauseous.
If the bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes, dial 1813 to reach the medical hotline.
Worth knowing