How To Stop A Nosebleed

A bloody nose can be a bother ... or even a little scary.

But don't worry. It's pretty easy to stop most nosebleeds.

Sit up straight with your head tipped forward a little bit.

If you get any blood in your mouth, spit it out.

If you have a decongestant nasal spray, squirt some of that in your nostril ... then firmly pinch the middle part of your nose.

Keep pinching for a full 10 minutes by the clock.

It will seem like a long time ... but no cheating! Keep the pressure on.

You can put an ice pack or cold cloth over your nose while you pinch ... It might help stop the bleeding.

After 10 minutes, check to see if your nosebleed has stopped.

If it hasn't, pinch for another 10 minutes.

Ten to twenty minutes of direct pressure will work for most nosebleeds.

Once the bleeding has stopped, be gentle with your nose.

You can put a thin layer of a saline or water-based nasal gel ... but don't blow it or put anything else in it for at least 12 hours.

And take it easy for a few hours.

Now, there are some times when you should call a doctor ... like if your nose is still bleeding after 20 minutes of pressure ... if you have more than four nosebleeds in one week ... if you are taking a blood thinner and you have more than one nosebleed in 24 hours ... or if pressure doesn't slow or stop your nosebleed and a lot of blood is running down your throat.