Nosebleed
Scenario:
Most commonly, nosebleeds are due to smacking your nose on a tree or the ground when you
part company with the bike. But some bikers get nosebleeds with the physical activity of
riding. The cause is a ruptured vein inside the nose. Dry air, altitude, forceful
breathing, and a deformed nasal septum predispose to spontaneous nosebleeds.
Description:
Most nosebleeds aren't serious. You could fill your water bottle with blood from a
nosebleed and still not be in big trouble. So relax. If you bumped the nose, check for the
signs of fracture: deformity, severe swelling, or inability to breathe through the nose.
See the doctor if:
a nosebleed doesn't stop after 1/2 hour
bleeding is severe (running out rather than dripping)
there's deformity of the nose
you can't breathe through the nose
pain is severe
If there aren't any signs the bumped nose is serious, pinch the entire soft part of the nose closed for 15 minutes. The nosebleed should stop.
After the nosebleed stops, rest for a half hour. Leave your nose completely alone. Resist the temptation to wipe the clots out and blow the nose.
Once things settle down, put a little lubricating gel or ointment just inside the nostril. This keeps crusts from building up -- making it less likely that fingers will be digging around inside the nose.
Keep the air humid. Don't blow or pick your nose. Avoid aspirin for a few days.
