Nosebleeds, medically known as epistaxis, affect at least 1 in 7 people in the United States during their lifetime, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO) reports. The nose contains many small blood vessels that bleed easily. Nosebleeds can originate in the anterior or posterior part of the nose and occur twice as often in children as adults. Nosebleeds occur most commonly between the age of 2 and 10 and then again between the ages of 50 and 80, according to the AAO. Many factors can cause nosebleeds.
Dry Air
Membranes in the anterior part of the nose can dry out when exposed to hot dry air, which is why nosebleeds occur frequently in the winter, when people spend time in dry air.
Trauma
Trauma can be as simple as nose picking or as severe as a fracture of the nose. Blowing the nose too hard, a violent sneeze, a foreign object in the nose or a blow to the back of the head can all cause nosebleeds. A skull fracture or blow to the nose that causes bleeding requires medical evaluation.
Drugs
Medications that interfere with blood clotting can make nosebleeds more likely after minor trauma. Anti-coagulants such as heparin or warfarin or anti-inflammatories such as aspirin or ibuprofen can increase the risk of nosebleeds. Cocaine use or glue sniffing can also cause nosebleeds.
Diseases
Diseases that interfere with clotting, such as hemophilia or low platelet count, can cause nosebleeds. Nosebleeds may also occur as one of the first signs of leukemia. Nosebleeds can also stem from sinus infections, colds and high blood pressure, which may cause more serious bleeding from large blood vessels in the posterior part of the nose, the American Academy of Family Physicians reports.
Tumors of the nose or sinuses, which can be benign or cancerous, may cause nosebleeds, especially in older people or smokers, who are more likely to develop nasal tumors, the AAO reports. Polyps, benign fleshy growths in the nose, can lead to nosebleeds as well.
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, or HHT, is an inherited condition that causes small abnormal blood vessels called telangiectasia to grow on the membranes of the nose as well as the face, lips and tips of the fingers and toes. Bleeding can occur from any of the abnormal vessels, including those in the nose, Genetics Home Reference reports.
