11 Home Remedies for Nosebleeds

Ice. Ice is nice for stopping bleeding, constricting the blood vessels, and reducing inflammation (if the nose is injured). Place crushed iced into a plastic zipper-type bag and cover with a towel. (A bag of frozen vegetables works fine, too.) Place the compress on the bridge of the nose and hold until well after the bleeding stops.

Dark-green leafy vegetables. These are high in vitamin K, which is essential for proper blood clotting.

Oranges and orange juice. Keeping those blood vessels in top form is one way to prevent them from breaking so easily. Vitamin C is necessary to the formation of collagen, which helps create a moist lining in your nose. So drink and eat vitamin C-rich foods to help stave off nosebleeds.

Water. Dry winter air and mountain air can dry out the nose in no time. Being well hydrated helps. Always drink 8 glasses of water a day, but have a few more during the driest times and in the driest places.

Salt. Nasal irrigation, commonly used by allergy sufferers to rid the nasal passages of mucus, dust, and other gunk, also helps soothe and moisturize irritated nasal membranes. You'll need 1 to 11/2 cups lukewarm water (do not use softened water), a bulb (ear) syringe (typically found with baby products in the pharmacy), 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Mix the salt and baking soda into the water, and test the temperature. To administer, suck in the water using the bulb, and squirt the saline solution into one nostril while holding the other closed. Lower your head over the sink and gently blow out the water. Repeat this, alternating nostrils until the water is gone.

Steam. Take every opportunity to breathe steam, whether it's from your morning tea or from a mini steam bath. To do the latter, boil 1/2 pot water and put on a sturdy surface. Place a towel over your head, lean forward, and breathe gently. Don't lean in too far, or you'll burn your sniffer! Try a mini steam bath twice a day.

Vitamin E. Keep your nasal membranes moisturized by applying vitamin E several times a day. Break open a capsule and coat your pinky finger or a cotton swab and gently wipe it just inside your nostrils. This is especially good to do at night before going to sleep.

Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer Guide, and has written for publications including the Boston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.

David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.

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