What Causes Nosebleeds?

Use Of Blood Thinners

The use of general blood thinners has the potential to increase the severity of nosebleeds for the same reason Aspirin does. Since the blood doesn't clot as easily, wounds tend to bleed for longer. The purpose of blood thinners is to help blood flow smoothly through the arteries and veins. These medications prevent blood clots from growing or forming in the first place. Some individuals use blood thinners to treat heart defects and certain types of heart disease. Though blood thinners can be lifesaving for patients with a high risk of blood clots, they also come with risks. One is the increased risk of bleeding if patients cut themselves or suffer an abrasion. If the capillaries inside the nose become damaged, the nose might bleed more severely than it would otherwise. There are two kinds of blood thinners on the market. One is a class of medications called anticoagulants, which prevent the blood from clotting. The other class of medications is called antiplatelets, which target the platelets found in the blood.

Deviated Septum

A deviated septum is the term for the medical condition in which the nasal septum is crooked or significantly off-center. The nasal septum is the cartilage and bone responsible for dividing the nasal cavity in half. Some researchers estimate up to eighty percent of individuals have some kind of misalignment of their nasal septum, most of whom don't know. A deviated septum is unlikely to cause issues unless it has a severe misalignment. In these cases, it might lead to problems with breathing. Some individuals are born with this misalignment, while others acquire it after their nose is broken or otherwise suffers an injury. Most commonly, patients with a deviated septum experience frequent nasal congestion that targets one side of the nose more than the other. Nosebleeds might also occur. Some other symptoms involve frequently experiencing pain in the face, headaches, postnasal drip, snoring, and loud breathing. Some patients with a deviated septum might also have sleep apnea, which causes them to stop breathing intermittently when they sleep.