One of the biggest myths surrounding nosebleeds is that you need to tilt your head back, thus preventing the blood from dripping outward and sending it down your throat. This is one of the worst things you can do when you have a nosebleed and it’s something that all medical experts will advise against.
It’s also something that we have warned about many times in this blog. But why is it so important to lean forward, how dangerous is it to tilt your head back, and what happens if you ignore this advice and swallow a lot of blood from a nosebleed?
Why it’s Important to Tilt Forward
Experts advise you to tilt your head forward to stop the blood from going down your throat and causing breathing issues.
Blood is a thick, viscous substance and if the bleeding is heavy and all of that blood is going down your throat, it can cause some serious problems.
When that blood passes through your throat, it will go into your stomach, and therein lies another issue.
What Happens if You Swallow Blood from a Nosebleed?
You won’t be poisoned by your own blood; we should make that clear straight away. If you have swallowed a little blood by mistake, or you followed the wrong advice after a nosebleed and are worried about the implications, you should be okay.
However, it’s something you should try to avoid in the future. Blood can irritate and upset your stomach, making you feel nauseous. If you start vomiting during or shortly after a nosebleed, it could make the bleeding worse or trigger another attack.
It’s also not very pleasant, and the last thing you want when dealing with a nosebleed is to feel sick to your stomach.
If blood begins to pool in your throat, make sure you are leaning forward and try to spit it out. If it has already entered your stomach, refrain from making yourself vomit and just try to avoid swallowing any more blood.
