Nose Bleeding Background
Bleeding can arise from any part of the nasal cavity. The most common site of bleeding is from the anterior part of the nasal septum. The so-called Little’s area. It bleeds when tiny blood vessels on the mucosal surface of the nostrils rupture. Very often, it is a result of trauma like nose pricking or forceful sneezing. Sometimes it is a symptom of another disorder. For instance, nose bleeding may be a manifestation of high blood pressure. Of course, the most worrisome cause is malignancy. Among southern Chinese, nasopharyngeal cancer is a Posterior ethmoid artery
Anterior ethmoid artery
Little area (Kiesselbach plexus)
Sphenopalatine artery
Superior labial artery
Greater palatine artery
diagnosis every doctor would consider. Elderly commonly experience nasal bleeding. Some statistics showed that they accounted for 29-50% of cases of nasal bleeding. In the elderly with nasal bleeding, a secondary cause must be sought especially if the bleeding is unprovoked. Nose bleeding becomes an emergency when it is not controlled by simple pressure or it is prolonged and massive. An elderly may become very ill if a lot of blood is lost from nasal bleeding. Massive blood loss from the nose can lead to death.
Ear, Nose, Throat
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