I did have that done about 25 years ago. It was no big deal, I don't remember it hurting. I was having nose bleeds often and went to the E.R. when it wouldn't stop bleeding. I haven't had any issues since.

Sabbath, did they do it right in the ER? I like the idea of quick. :-)

They did. It was 25 years ago at Kaiser in California. It was quick, the Dr. surprised me when he asked if I was snorting anything. I am so against drug use that the question just surprised me a little. He numbed it and did it. I may have waited an hour before he numbed it. I can't really remember. I remember sitting in the room for a bit waiting after he told me what he was going to do. Overall though it was fast and easy.

Thanks--that's encouraging! I don't know if I trust my local ER (small hospital, reputation not very good) to do it, so I'll proceed with getting the referral. But if I have a bad bleed in the meantime I'll head for a bigger hospital farther away.

Alisande- don't be surprised if they ask you about drug use, I guess that's something they ask about for nose bleeds. I was really taken a back when they asked me. It really doesn't hurt, and is really a quick procedure. It's easier and less uncomfortable then a mammogram or pelvic exam.

I wouldn't have thought of that--drug use--but I guess it figures. Unfortunately.

Alisande, my father has had nosebleeds cauterized. For him, it helped for a while. Have other people in your family also had recurring nosebleeds? If so, I might have some info for your consideration.

What do you do when you have a bleed? Pack it with gauze? Ice? Are you on any meds or supplements or eating anything that would thin your blood? Are you bruising more easily? (I'm curious about why you don't clot faster.)

I had many nosebleeds as a young child -- and was cauterized. It must not have been very dramatic, as I only remember it was done.

Yes, I had to have it done in my teens - hurt like HADES, but only for a few moments! It did, however, stop the nosebleeds permanently and IMHO was totally worth it. The pain sure beats having unexpected and gushing nosebleeds.

Yes, several times and it never hurt. I just felt something but not pain.

Nickel, I'm the only one in my family with the problem. Chisue, years ago a doctor told me to "blow out the clot," which sounds counterintuitive but always worked well for my minor bleeds. However, I read more recently that this can make things worse, and perhaps it did. Last night I followed the standard advice to lean forward a bit and pinch your nose for 10 minutes at a time without pause. I did this many times. I also tried sucking on ice, which is said to work better than applying it externally.

One possible reason why these two bleeds were worse than usual is that I took two regular aspirin one night last week, and one baby aspirin on two other nights, also last week.

I've never wanted to try packing it myself. I know the source of the bleed is nowhere near the nostril.

My late husband had nasty nosebleeds from the time he was in grade school. When he got cancer and was put on blood thinners, a nose bleed became a tsunami. After having a particularly bad one at an automobile dealership (thinks mops and buckets to clean it up and him in the bathroom washing his clothes in the wash basin and putting them on wet to go out into Jan weather in ME!), he finally went to an ENT and had it cauterized. It worked like a charm and no more nose bleeds! He was furious that no one had suggested it decades before.

Omigosh, what an experience, Anglophilia! In reading up on nosebleeds in the middle of the night, I came across an interview with an ER physician who described nosebleeds in patients on blood thinners. Made mine seem minor, even with my blood-spotted pajamas.

I went through a bout with nose bleeds, not fun at all. one time was 2 hrs then I went to the hospital since it wouldn't stop and it was 3 hrs that time. They never did anything for me or even asked if I needed a tissue. I walked out! I stopped taking aspirin and fish oil since then. I rarely get them now.

Yes, nose kept bleeding, had to go to the ER, no pain but all that blood was gross, I was swallowing blood too. They cauterized it and I got on blood pressure meds and lost some weight, so far it never happened again...this was probably over 20 years ago.

I had it done as a child. I was afraid of the doctor - read that getting shots - and don't remember this being a traumatic event. When my younger son (now 26) was a child and got lots of nosebleeds I had the doctor cauterize his nose. Our family doctor was more nervous about it than us because he hadn't done that procedure for a very long time. After starting to do it, he told us to go see the ENT upstairs. When we saw the ENT about 20 minutes later, he told us that the family doc had done it successfully. LOL Good luck.

Nosebleeds run in our family. So let us know how it goes? Will get to stop by direct pressure. Nothing more.

Yes, done in-office by an ENT while also treating something else. It was a nothing procedure-wise and has stopped the problem for me.

I wouldn't know where to apply direct pressure, Rob. Most instructions say to pinch the nostrils at the soft part of your nose, but my bleeds begin farther up. Bone doesn't squeeze very well.

My doctor's office was closed today, but I'll see if I can get a referral tomorrow. I'll report back if and when the deed is done.

Seriously, we press EXACTLY where it's bleeding. Works for us. Hope it helps! Yes, it's a pinky in the nostril but it's better than the bleeding. Hope it gets better!

I put pressure on my nose for over a hour and it still bleed. Its scary when this happens!

I don't know how one can determine exactly where the bleed begins, but I think I'd need fingers like E.T.'s to apply pressure from the inside. :-)

Guess you have sinus, not a nose, bleed then.

;)

I had one nostril cauterized when I was about 1 or 2 years old. I moved suddenly, and still have a slight scar where the hot needle touched my skin from my nose to my lip. As a kid, I obviously had no idea what was happening and was scared - so just don't move suddenly. btw, it worked to stop the bleeding.

You poor kid, Dee! It must have been scary at that age. I'm told they use chemical or electrical cauterization today, which sounds better, I think.

ha, ha - not funny really, but I didn't think of it, that technology would be a little different today than it was 50 years ago. Still not enjoyable, though. Best of luck with it.