Dry Winters Can Provoke Nosebleeds

Q:  I have a fifteen-year-old daughter who has frequent nosebleeds, especially during the winter. What is the cause of these and what can I do to prevent them?

A:  Winters in the upper Midwest have a tendency to be awfully dry, with a very low humidity level. One way to tell if your house is very dry: after walking on a carpeted surface, you experience a static discharge (shock) when you touch something metallic.

Low humidity also affects your skin and the lining of your nose and mouth. This dryness can make the lining in your nose thinner and more vulnerable to minor irritations from activities such as blowing your nose. There are blood vessels very close to the surface of the skin in your nose, and one of their tasks is to warm the air you breathe. If in response to dryness, if you have a cold or irritate your nose by blowing or picking, these vessels will break open and bleed.

There are several things that can be done to reduce the likelihood of nosebleeds:

• Drink more water – this replenishes the moisture in all mucus membranes.
• Use a saline (salt)-based nasal spray as frequently as necessary.
• With a cotton-tipped applicator, gently apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to the lining of the nose.
• Purchase a home humidifier.
• Do NOT use antihistamines – these dry out the nasal membranes.
• Avoid regular use of aspirin and other anti-inflammatory medications, as they diminish the blood’s ability to clot.

"Your Health" provides easy-to-understand information about common health conditions.