Causes and Diagnoses

Causes and Diagnoses of Frequent Nosebleeds

The delicate skin inside the nose is supplied by many small blood vessels, which can bleed when there’s even a mild injury.

Certain conditions may raise your risk of getting a nosebleed, including:

• Dry air, especially during winter
• Colds and allergies
• Acute sinusitis
• Foreign object in the nose
• Medications, including:
  • Blood thinners
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Antihistamines
  • Decongestants
  • Oxygen supplementation
• Illegal drugs that are inhaled
• Picking the nose or blowing vigorously

Frequent nosebleeds may be caused by:

• Nasal deformity
• Nasal polyps or tumors
• A blood-clotting disorder
• Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, an inherited disease characterized by abnormal nasal blood vessels
• Leukemia

Diagnosing frequent nosebleeds

Your physician will begin by taking a full history of your nosebleed occurrences, medical conditions and what medications you are taking. Diagnostic tests may also include:

• Nasal endoscopy: An endoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera on the end) is inserted through your nostrils and progressed through your nasal passages and sinuses to determine if you have polyps or tumors.
• Blood tests: A sample of your blood may be taken for laboratory tests.
• Allergy testing: If you have other signs of chronic rhinitis or sinusitis, you may be referred to an allergist for further testing.