An Embarrassing Complaint

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23145, 17 September 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

An Embarrassing Complaint

Causes and Treatment Of Nose-bleeding of nose-bleeding are embarrassing at any time, but occasionally they lead to a serious loss of blood if they cannot be checked. In a great majority of cases the attack is due to the rupture of a small vein near the end of the nose. If there is a sore spot the constant rubbing will rupture the thin lining of the nose and so bleeding commences again. Of courso it may come from any part of the nose; usually when it comes from near the top it is of a more serious character and difficult to stop. One of tho signs of fractured skull may he haemorrhago from tho nose and ears. A simple flow can usually be stopped by placing tho sufferer on his back and inserting in tho nostril a pledget of cotton wool smeared with vaseline or zinc ointment. Pressure of tho nostril against tho pledget will usually bring about a cessation. Some adolescent girls get rogular attacks of nose bleeding which disappoar as they get older. A Safety Valve Sometimes nasal haemorrhage ■ acts as a safety-valve in elderly people with, high blood pressure. The sudden relief of tho congested blood vessels may cause dizziness or even unconsciousness, and rest should bo absolute until the symptoms have passed off. Again, young children get sudden attacks when excited or annoyed. Recurrent or persistent bleeding calls for medical attention, as the weak spot may have to be cauterised. Powerful astringents only damage tho delicate mucous membrance or lining of the nose and should not bo used. When a Doctor is Needed Another nasal trouble is the presence of an obstruction or new growth, but both these call for skilled medical attention. It is usually children who manage to get a foreign body into the nose. Great care should be used to extract and amateur efforts generally only drive it upward and backward, where it may cause harm. If ;i doctor is no!

available, closing the free nostril and asking the child to blow down may eject it; if this fails it is better to wait until skilled aid is obtainable, as a strong light and a long, delicate forceps arc necessary. In difficult cases a general anaesthetic may bo required—the surgeon then has a finger at tho back of the patient's mouth to prevent the foreign body falling into the windpipe.