Nosebleeds and Senior Citizens: What Do You Need to Know?

by | Nov 3, 2021 | Seniors and Health Issues

Most people have had a nosebleed at some point in their life. However, there are others that have regular nosebleeds. If you are caring for your elderly loved one and they get regular nosebleeds, there are some things that you should know. The bad part of this is that there are some serious conditions that can cause nosebleeds. However, there are also some simple explanations for regular nosebleeds. It is important to figure out why your elderly loved one has them so often.

Causes of Nosebleeds in Senior Citizens

As just mentioned, there are many reasons why senior citizens might get regular nosebleeds. Sometimes, it is just due to aging because the skin is thinner. However, some of the other reasons why many senior citizens have nosebleeds on a regular basis include:

Homecare Westchester, NY: Seniors and Nosebleeds
  • Itchy nose and the fingernails may scratch it
  • Forcefully blowing their nose which tears the nasal membranes
  • Dry nose
  • Head trauma
  • Heart disease

These are some of the most common causes of regular nosebleeds in the elderly. If your elderly loved one has nosebleeds often, you or a home care provider should have them go to their doctor. The doctor will ask questions about their nosebleeds. Then, they will possibly run tests or perform other measures to try finding out the cause of the nosebleeds.

Getting Treatment

The treatment for nosebleeds is going to depend on what is causing them in the first place. However, some of the most common treatments for nosebleeds in the elderly are the following:

  • Keeping nails cut short
  • Using a humidifier
  • Blowing the nose carefully
  • Not smoking
  • Managing high blood pressure
  • Using saline nasal products

If your elderly loved one does get a nosebleed, you or a home care provider should help them stop it. This can be done by pinching the nose cartilage. Your elderly loved one should breath through their mouth while leaning their head forward. Many people think the head should be bent backward. However, that can cause the blood to flow down the back of your elderly loved one’s throat.

Conclusion

Many senior citizens get regular nosebleeds. If this happens to your elderly loved one, now you know what some of the common causes are and what should be done about it. Keep in mind that if your elderly loved one ever has a moderate to severe nosebleed that doesn’t stop in 15 to 30 minutes, they should seek emergency medical help.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering homecare in Westchester, NY please contact the caring staff at Prime Care, Inc. today. (212) 944-0244

Sources

https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/nosebleed-epistaxis-a-to-z

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