Sinus Infection And Nosebleed

Is there a relationship between sinus infection and nosebleed? Learn what natural home remedies are effective as alternative treatment options.

The inside of the nose has many blood vessels running just below the mucous lining of the nose. As a result, most nose bleeds occur because of the following reasons:

Common causes of nosebleeds

1. Dryness of the mucosal lining. This is often caused by the relatively low humidity in the air we breathe in.

This is especially so during winter seasons when the air is exceptionally dry.

2. Nose picking. This is a bad habit formed when children are at a young age.

Since our nose produces nasal mucus naturally, dried mucus formed tends to stick on to the mucosal lining.

Nosebleed occurs when the blood vessels rupture as a result of the nail of the nose-picker puncturing these fragile vessels.

3. Injury to the nose.

4. Bleeding caused by tumors (cancerous and non-cancerous).

Is nosebleed a sinus infection symptom?

The answer is No. Nosebleed has never been a symptom of sinus infection. Sinus infection is caused by inflammation of the nasal mucosal lining causing it to produce more mucus than necessary.

However, medication used to treat a sinus infection such as decongestants may cause over drying of the nasal mucosal lining in the sinuses causing them to be more prone to bleeding.

What can you do when you have sinus infection and minor nosebleed?

When it comes to dealing with sinus infection and nosebleed there are many ways to avoid nosebleed. One of the reasons that nosebleeds occur is because of drying of the sinuses.

This often happens as an effect of decongestants and other sinus related medications. For this reason it is important to be sure you are drinking enough fluids to help your body keep the sinuses moist. This will also aid your body’s ability to flush out the sinus infection.

One simple, yet truly effective home remedy for sinus infection is steam inhalation. This can be done by boiling water on the stove or in the microwave. Carefully pour the hot water into a large bowl and place in an area where you can comfortably sit and lean over the bowl. Leaning over the steaming water, drape a towel over your head and gently breathe the steam in through your nose.

If your sinuses are too clogged take your time, breathing deeply through your mouth. In many cases, the steam will warm and loosen congestion in the sinuses so that nasal inhalation is possible.

Steam inhalation can also be done after taking a decongestant sinus medication. This way the sinuses are opened to the moisture of steam inhalation and the moisture counters the drying effects of the medication.

To increase the effects of steam inhalation therapy for sinus infection, you can add a few drops of one of the following essential oils to your steaming bowl of water. Eucalyptus, pine and camphor essential oils are great for opening up the airways. Eucalyptus and pine also provide antibacterial benefits that many homeopathic healthcare professionals feel are beneficial for fighting sinus infection.

Lavender essential oil is another great choice for steam inhalation therapy. It has aroma-therapeutic benefits that relax and soothe, as well as powerful antibacterial properties. Any of these essential oils are suitable singularly or used in conjunction in steam inhalation therapy. Be sure that you use pure essential oils, as synthetic fragrances may smell nice, but they don’t have the natural elements that are beneficial to health.

In climates where the humidity is extremely low (or in the winter in many places) you may wish to consider adding a humidifier for consistent moisturizing of your sinuses. You can also get a hygrometer monitor to monitor the humidity levels in your home. Keeping the air properly moist is one of the main ways to deal with the sinus infection and nosebleed relationship.

If symptoms of sinus infection and nosebleed persist, it’s time to see a professional. This is because there are other diseases that has nosebleed as one of its symptoms. An example of such an illness is nasopharyngeal cancer.