There are several reasons why a sinus infection might cause a nosebleed. However, if you feel your nose flowing or find some spots of blood on the tissue after blowing, it’s usually nothing to worry about, and there are a few potential causes.
Why a Sinus Infection Might Cause a Nosebleed
Your nose is full of fragile blood vessels and these are prone to rupturing. It’s something that happens to millions of Americans every year and 60% will have at least one nosebleed during their lifetime.
When you have a sinus infection, your nose, and the vessels within, are placed under a great deal of stress. For instance, you may:
Blow Your Nose
If your nose is stuffy and congested, it’s only natural to want to blow and remove all of that mucus. But blowing too hard or too often could damage the blood vessels and cause a rupture.
Pick Your Nose
When that mucus hardens, it’s ripe for the picking and hard to resist, but nose picking is one of the biggest causes of nosebleeds, especially in young children. It doesn’t take much for your fingernails to cause damage and trigger a bleed.
Medications
The medications that you take to deal with your sinus infection could also be increasing your risk of developing a nosebleed. Nasal sprays in particular are problematic and are often the go-to treatment for people experiencing nasal congestion.
Is a Sinus Infection Nosebleed Anything to Worry About?
Most nosebleeds are harmless, and this is true whether it’s the result of you picking your nose when bored or blowing your nose when ill. In all situations, you should sit up straight, insert a Nampon™ nasal plug with clotting agent, lean forward slightly, and gently pinch the soft part of your nose as the Nampon™ expands to deliver the clotting agent and put pressure on the wound from inside the nasal cavity. You need to hold this position for between 5 and 10 minutes and refrain from releasing it just to check if the bleeding has stopped.
After 10 minutes, a clot will form, and the bleeding will cease. From this point, you will need to pay special attention to your nose for the next 12 hours or so—don’t pick, blow, or shower, as all of these things can remove the clot and recommence the bleeding.
If the bleeding continues for more than 15 minutes or you are suffering from regular nosebleeds, you should consult with your doctor. While most nosebleeds are harmless, there are a few exceptions, and the doctor will make a diagnose and look for a way to bring those bleeds under control.
