Wellness Tips from Josef Schenker, MD
Welcome to our Wellness Tips blog series, brought to you by Dr. Josef Schenker, the Medical Director at Centers Urgent Care. In this series, Dr. Schenker shares his extensive knowledge and experience in internal medicine and emergency medical services, including how to stop a nosebleed, to help you lead a healthier life.
Dr. Schenker will cover a range of crucial health topics, offering expert advice on how to avoid common ailments. With a focus on prevention and practical tips, each blog post is designed to empower you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your health and well-being.
How to Stop a Nosebleed
A sudden nosebleed at work or in the middle of the night can feel alarming and messy. Nosebleeds are common, with up to 60% experiencing one at least once and about 6% needing medical care. They also drive about 1 in 200 emergency visits in the United States.
If you want to know more about causes, quick fixes, and red flags, let Dr. Josef Schenker set the game plan. Let’s head over to the next sections.
Dr. Josef Schenker Explains Common Causes and Warning Signs of a Nosebleed
Nosebleeds happen often. According to Dr. Josef Schenker, understanding everyday causes and knowing when a bleed needs urgent care keeps small issues from turning serious. Here are the common causes and warning signs of a nosebleed:
- Dry Indoor Air or Sudden Weather Changes: Dry air pulls moisture from the nasal lining and makes fragile vessels easier to break.
- Nose Picking or Rubbing: Fingernails and frequent rubbing scratch the septum where vessels sit close to the surface.
- Colds, Sinus Infections, or Allergies: Inflammation and frequent blowing irritate the lining.
- Minor Trauma or Sports Injuries: Facial impacts, falls, or a broken nose often trigger bleeding.
- Medications That Affect Clotting: Blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs make bleeds longer and heavier. Do not stop these on your own; call the prescriber if bleeding is heavy.
- High Blood Pressure and Bleeding Disorders: Hypertension and clotting problems increase severity and recurrence.
- Structural Issues Inside the Nose: A deviated septum or a septal perforation exposes dry, thin tissue that cracks easily.
Not every nosebleed shares the same trigger. Age, season, medicines, and anatomy all play a role. Tracking what was happening before the bleed helps your clinician pinpoint the cause.
What Is a Nosebleed? (Anterior vs. Posterior)
Nosebleed means bleeding from the thin lining inside the nose, also called epistaxis. Most cases start in the front of the nose and stay mild. A smaller share starts deeper and tends to be heavier.
As Josef Schenker, MD explains, clinicians sort nosebleeds into two types because location predicts how easy the bleed is to control and what care is needed:
- Anterior Nosebleed: Bleeding starts on the front of the nasal septum, usually from a small vessel network called Kiesselbach’s plexus. More than 90% of nosebleeds fall in this group. The source is often visible on exam, which makes treatment simpler.
- Posterior Nosebleed: Bleeding begins deeper in the nasal cavity, often from branches of the sphenopalatine or other posterior arteries. The site is harder to see and bleeds can be brisk, so medical care is more often needed. These cases are more likely to require packing or procedures.
How do clinicians tell the difference? A light, a speculum, and suction help locate an anterior point on the septum. If no anterior source is seen and bleeding seems to come from deeper areas, clinicians suspect a posterior origin. That distinction guides next steps in care.
Can You Stop a Nosebleed?
Most nosebleeds stop at home with simple first aid. Correct steps protect the airway and help a clot form. As Josef Schenker, MD notes, the basics, such as position, steady pressure, and a decongestant spray, solve most front-of-the-nose bleeds in minutes.
However, not every nosebleed behaves the same. Some bleeds start deeper in the nose and need medical care, especially if blood runs into the throat or the amount seems heavy.
Urgent help is needed if bleeding does not stop after about 20 minutes of proper pressure, if you feel light-headed, if breathing is hard, or if you take blood thinners. Moreover, children under age 2 with any nosebleed and anyone with a significant head injury should be assessed promptly.
How Long Does a Nosebleed Last?
Nosebleed length depends on where bleeding starts and what you do in the first minutes. Most front-of-the-nose bleeds settle quickly once steady pressure is used.
Most anterior nosebleeds stop within 10–15 minutes when you pinch the soft part of the nose and lean forward. First-aid pages from major medical centers and public health sites teach this timing and technique.
A bleed that continues beyond about 20 minutes despite proper pressure needs medical care. Seek help sooner if blood flow is heavy, breathing feels hard, or you take blood thinners. After the bleeding stops, the clot stays fragile for a short period. Rebleeding risk drops if you avoid nose blowing, hot drinks, heavy lifting, and nose picking for the next 24 hours.
Nosebleed duration changes when treatment goes beyond home care. If packing is placed, it commonly stays 24–72 hours, sometimes up to five days, depending on the device and your clinician’s plan.
Frequent or long episodes deserve a check. You can visit an urgent care facility like Centers Urgent Care for same-day assessment, packing removal plans, or cautery when needed. Guidance from specialty groups also supports clinician-directed measures such as vasoconstrictor sprays, packing, or cautery when simple compression is not enough.
Josef Schenker, MD, Explains How to Stop a Nosebleed
Most nosebleeds stop with the right first aid. According to Josef Schenker, MD, technique makes the difference in the first 10–15 minutes. Here are the expert steps to stop a nosebleed:
- Sit Upright and Lean Forward: Sitting up lowers pressure in the nasal veins and slows bleeding. Leaning forward keeps blood from running into the throat, which can upset the stomach and make breathing harder.
- Pinch the Soft Part of the Nose and Use a Timer: Pinch the soft part just below the bony bridge and press it against the septum. Hold steady pressure for 10–15 minutes without peeking. Set a timer so you do not stop early.
- Add a Decongestant Spray (Oxymetazoline) Before Pressure if Available: Two sprays into the bleeding side shrink surface vessels and can speed control. After spraying, pinch again for several minutes.
- Clear Clots Gently, Then Reapply Pressure: A light blow clears loose clots so medicine and pressure reach the source. Forceful blowing can restart bleeding, so keep it gentle.
- Avoid Common Mistakes: Do not tilt the head back; blood can go down the throat and cause nausea. Do not pack deep with tissues at home; this can injure tissue.
- Protect the Fresh Clot for 24 Hours: Skip nose blowing, heavy lifting, and hot drinks or alcohol for the rest of the day. These activities dilate vessels or raise pressure and can trigger a new bleed.
Heavy flow, blood going down the throat, or bleeding that continues beyond about 20 minutes despite correct pressure may be pointing to a deeper source or a bleed that needs packing or other care. Recurrent nosebleeds deserve a check as well. A visit allows a clinician to find the bleeding point, review medicines, and discuss prevention so episodes become less frequent.
How to Avoid Nosebleeds?
Prevention starts with moisture, gentle habits, and smart tweaks to daily routines. Small changes reduce fragile lining, irritation, and rebleeds. Here are practical steps that lower your risk:
- Keep indoor air in a healthy humidity range: Aim for 30–50% relative humidity at home. Use a humidifier in dry months and check levels with a simple hygrometer.
- Moisturize the nasal lining: Use saline spray or gel during dry weather. Apply a very thin coat of ointment (petroleum jelly or similar) to the front septum with a cotton swab.
- Use steroid nose sprays the right way if you need them: Point the nozzle away from the septum and use the hand opposite the nostril to angle laterally. Good technique lowers spray impact on the septum, which reduces irritation.
- Trim fingernails and avoid digital trauma: Short nails make picking less likely, especially for children. Gentle nose care prevents small scratches over the septum where vessels lie close to the surface.
- Protect the nose during sports: Use appropriate head or face protection for contact activities. Even minor bumps can start a bleed when tissue is dry.
- Review medicines that affect bleeding: Frequent bleeds are a reason to avoid non-prescription aspirin or ibuprofen unless a clinician advises otherwise.
- Cut irritants that dry the lining: Smoke exposure dries and inflames nasal tissue. Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke lowers irritation and recurrence.
Frequent, one-sided, or hard-to-control bleeds deserve a check. A visit lets a clinician identify the source, adjust medicines, and tailor prevention to your routine.
What to Do if Someone Has a Nosebleed
Helping someone through a nosebleed takes calm steps and clear timing. Josef Schenker notes that helpers should focus on posture, steady pressure, and smart add-ons like a decongestant spray when appropriate.
- Make the scene safe and prepare to help: Check that the area is safe and put on gloves if available. Ask for consent before you begin.
- Seat the person and lean them forward: Sitting upright lowers pressure in nasal veins and slows bleeding.
- Pinch the soft part of the nose: Pinch the soft portion just above the nostrils and press it against the septum. Hold continuous pressure for 10–15 minutes without peeking.
- Clear clots gently before reapplying pressure: A light blow clears loose clots that block medicine and pressure. Avoid forceful blowing because that can restart bleeding.
- Use a cold pack only as an add-on: A cool pack over the bridge of the nose may help a little by constricting vessels. Do not rely on ice alone. Pressure remains the priority.
If simple steps are not enough, urgent evaluation finds the source and adds treatments like vasoconstrictor sprays, cautery, or packing when needed.
Josef Schenker, MD, Answers Frequently Asked Questions:
Nosebleeds are triggered by dry air, nose picking, rubbing, colds, allergies, or minor trauma that irritates the thin nasal lining. Medicines like aspirin, ibuprofen, or blood thinners increase risk, as do bleeding disorders. High blood pressure makes bleeding harder to stop but is not a direct cause.
No food can stop an active nosebleed. Control bleeding by sitting up, leaning forward, and pinching the soft nose for 10–15 minutes; a decongestant spray like oxymetazoline may help. After bleeding stops, avoid hot drinks for 24 hours because heat dilates vessels and can restart bleeding.
Stop a nosebleed by pinching the soft fleshy part of the nose just below the bony bridge and pressing it against the septum. Maintain steady pressure for 10–15 minutes without checking early, using a timer if needed. Keep leaning forward and breathe through the mouth during compression.
A nosebleed may not stop if pressure is applied to the bony bridge instead of the soft part, if pressure is released too soon, or if the source is posterior. Blood thinners, clotting disorders, or trauma can prolong bleeding. Seek medical care if it lasts over 20–30 minutes, is heavy, or impairs breathing.
Yes, you can drink cool water after a nosebleed once bleeding has stopped. Take small sips to stay hydrated, but avoid hot drinks and alcohol for 24 hours since heat and vasodilation can restart bleeding. Also avoid nose blowing, bending, or heavy lifting to protect the fresh clot.
Yes, you can go to urgent care for a nosebleed, where clinicians can find the source, apply sprays, cautery, or packing, and give prevention advice. Emergency care is needed if bleeding is heavy, prolonged, linked to head injury, causes dizziness or breathing issues, or occurs in children under age two.
Protecting Your Health: Address Nosebleeds the Right Way
Nosebleeds are common, but knowing what causes them and how to stop them quickly makes a big difference. From identifying everyday triggers to following the correct first-aid steps, early action keeps small bleeds from becoming serious. If symptoms persist or the bleeding feels hard to manage, visiting an urgent care facility in New York provides fast and safe treatment.
At Centers Urgent Care, our experienced clinicians, guided by the expertise of Dr. Josef Schenker, are ready to evaluate, treat, and help you prevent future episodes. Whether you need reassurance, medical procedures, or tailored advice, our team is here to support your health with compassion and skill.
Don’t wait for recurring nosebleeds to disrupt your routine. Locate a Centers Urgent Care near you and get the expert help you need today.
About Josef Schenker, MD:
Dr. Josef Schenker, a board-certified expert in internal medicine and emergency medical services, brings extensive experience and compassion to his role as Medical Director and Partner at Centers Urgent Care. With leadership in SeniorCare Emergency Medical Services and as an Attending Physician at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Dr. Schenker oversees critical care and treatment protocols across varied medical needs. His dedication extends to chairing NYC REMAC, ensuring adherence to state standards in emergency medical procedures. At Centers Urgent Care, Dr. Schenker's expertise ensures prompt, high-quality emergency care for patients of all ages, supported by state-of-the-art facilities including a dedicated pediatric suite.
