What Causes Nose Bleeds?
This may result from injury or disease and is not uncommon in normal young persons.
Small nosebleeds are usually caused by picking of the nose, although there are other local causes such as deviated septum, perforated septum, cancer and trauma.
Epistaxis may also occur as a symptom of acute rheumatic fever, acute sinusitis, arterial hypertension and hemorrhagic diseases.
Rhinitis is an inflammatory lesion involving the mucous membrane of the nose.
It is sometimes a manifestation of allergy, in which case it is referred to as vascular rhinitis, and is usually due to an infection.
The most common type of infection which causes rhinitis is coryza, known as the common cold.
In acute rhinitis, the nasal mucous membrane becomes congested, swollen and edematous.
This quickly subsides, and the membrane returns to normal.
After repeated attacks, particularly in cases which originate as a result of chronic sinusitis, this swelling becomes obstinate, and causes a chronic catarrh.
Excluding the recurring attacks of allergic vasomotor rhinitis, these attacks are acute exacerbations of the same common cold.
If continued, chronic rhinitis leads to the deposition of abnormally large amounts of connective tissue in the nasal mucous membrane, which thickens it greatly, and causes the formation of spurs, polyps and hypertrophies on the nasal septum.
Wasting away or atrophy of the mucous membrane, the cartilage and the bones lining the nasal passages may eventually occur.
These results in a condition called ozena, where these passages become large empty caverns, and an abundance of secretion sticking to the walls emanates a disagreeable odor.
Obstruction to the passage of air through the nostrils results frequently from a deflection of the nasal septum, hypertrophy of the turbinate bones or from the pressure of polyps, these are grapelike swellings that arise from the mucous membrane of the sinuses, especially the ethmoids.
This obstruction may also lead to condition of chronic infection of the nose and result in frequent attacks of nasopharyngitis.
Very often the infection extends to the sinuses of the nose, mucous lined cavities filled with air that normally drains into the nose.
When sinusitis develops and the drainage from these cavities is obstructed by deformity or swelling within the nose, pain is experienced in the region of the affected sinus.
Fractures of the nose usually result from direct violence.
Although fractures do not produce any serious consequences, the deformity that may follow often gives rise to obstruction of the nasal passages and facial disfigurement.
Immediately after the injury there is usually a considerable amount of bleeding from the nose, both from the nostrils and into the pharynx.
There is noticeable swelling of the soft tissues adjacent to the nose and frequently, a definite deformity.