One of the downsides of living in such a beautiful mountainous country as Switzerland is that the air can dry out the inside of the nose. This can make us, and our children, more vulnerable to nosebleeds.
Do you know what you should do if someone has a nosebleed?
- Firstly, stay calm and sit the person down.
- Then gently but firmly pinch the soft part of their nose and keep it pinched for 10 minutes.
- Lean them forwards with their head slightly forwards too.
- Encourage them to breathe through their mouth.
- Place bowl or a cloth on their lap and tell them to spit any blood out into it.
- After 10 minutes, gently release your fingers. If the bleeding restarts, then repeat the 10 minutes of pinching
- Clean the outside only of their nose with some warm water and gauze.
Seek medical help if the bleeding carries on for more than 30 minutes or happens after a head injury. Be extra careful with young children and older people – as with all injuries, they are more vulnerable.
