Don't panic if you have a nosebleed

Nosebleeds in children are almost never due to a physical or organic cause. So, if the child does not show any other serious abnormalities, such as massive bruising, a lot of bleeding from the gums or simply looking ill, then you don't need to worry. There is very, very rarely anything serious behind the nosebleed.

Nosebleeds can be caused by many things. Nose picking, of course, or very dry indoor air, especially in winter. But what actually happens on/in the body during a nosebleed? At the very front of the nose there is a mucous membrane with many delicate vascular rings, the so-called locus Kiesselbachi, named after the German ear, nose and throat specialist Wilhelm Kiesselbach. And these vessels bleed relatively quickly - and relatively heavily. This causes both parents and children great concern and anxiety. However, this is unfounded. Normally, only a few simple measures are needed to get everything under control quickly:

• Head forwards at all costs so that the blood does not run backwards into the throat and then the stomach.

• Put something cool on the back of your neck, for example a damp towel or a cooling pad.

• Press the nostrils firmly together.

This usually stops the bleeding after five to ten minutes. If the bleeding actually lasts longer than ten to 15 minutes, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

The whole thing is not actually treated. You can use a nourishing nasal ointment (e.g. Bepanthen) to prevent further bleeding. Apart from that, nothing else really needs to be done. Unless the nosebleeds occur with an unpleasant frequency. In other words, more than once a week over a longer period of time. In this case, you can take the matter to an ear, nose and throat specialist. They usually have a kind of soldering iron which they use to obliterate the relevant vessels at the locus Kiesselbachi. And then the story is actually over.