If you’re wondering how to stop a nosebleed, sit upright, lean forward and pinch the soft part of your nose continuously for 10 minutes. Breathe through your mouth, and don’t release the pressure to check early. If it is still bleeding, repeat for another 10 minutes. Heavy bleeding, an injury, or bleeding that continues after 20 minutes of firm pressure needs urgent medical attention.
How to stop a nosebleed
- Sit up and lean forward. Keep your head above your heart and angle your face slightly toward the floor. This helps blood come out through the nostrils rather than running down your throat.
- Pinch the soft part of your nose. Use your thumb and index finger to press both nostrils closed, just below the hard bony bridge. Pinching the bridge won’t apply pressure to the lower, softer area where pressure is needed.
- Hold the pressure for 10 full minutes. Set a timer if you can. Keep breathing through your mouth and spit out blood that reaches your mouth. Don’t loosen your grip to see whether the bleeding has stopped.
- Check once, then repeat if needed. After 10 minutes, release the pressure. If bleeding continues, pinch the soft part again without interruption for another 10 minutes.
Don’t tilt your head back or lie flat. Blood can then flow into your throat, where swallowing it may make you feel sick or cause vomiting. Repeatedly checking interrupts the steady pressure that helps a clot form, so give each 10-minute round time to work.
What if the nosebleed won’t stop?
Seek urgent medical care if bleeding is still active after 20 minutes of correctly applied, continuous pressure. Get help sooner if the bleeding is very heavy, you feel faint or dizzy, have trouble breathing, or are vomiting blood. Use your local emergency service if the person seems seriously unwell or the blood loss is substantial.
A nosebleed that follows a blow to the head or face also needs prompt medical assessment, especially if the nose looks misshapen or there may be another injury. Don’t rely on home first aid alone in these situations.
Guidance can vary slightly by country: Australian and US patient guidance commonly uses 20 minutes of pressure as a threshold for urgent care, while guidance cited in a Saudi study describes seeking emergency help if bleeding lasts more than 30 minutes. If you’re unsure, or bleeding is heavy or worsening, seek help rather than waiting for a longer cutoff.
Take extra care with blood thinners
Medicines that reduce blood clotting—including anticoagulants and some antiplatelet medicines—can cause or worsen nosebleeds. If you take one and have a nosebleed, use the same first-aid steps, but seek medical advice promptly, particularly if the bleeding is heavy, persistent or difficult to control.
Don’t stop or change a prescribed blood thinner on your own. Stopping can carry serious risks, and a clinician who knows why you take it can advise what to do. Tell the healthcare professional the medicine’s name and when you last took it, if you know.
After the bleeding stops—and when to follow up
For the next day, avoid picking or blowing your nose and strenuous activity; these can disturb the area and trigger bleeding again. Australian health guidance also advises avoiding hot food and drinks, and hot showers or baths, for 24 hours. Don’t push tissues or cotton wool into the nostril.
Most nosebleeds are mild and settle with first aid. Dry or irritated nasal lining, a cold, allergies, nose picking or forceful nose-blowing can contribute. But repeated, frequent or unusually heavy episodes deserve a discussion with a doctor, even if each one eventually stops. Recurrent bleeding can sometimes be related to medicines or another health problem, and a clinician can assess the pattern and decide whether further checks are needed.
For children, stay calm and help them keep their head forward while you pinch the soft part of the nose. A child younger than 2 years with a nosebleed should be assessed by a healthcare professional. If you’re concerned about the amount of blood, the cause, or the person’s symptoms, contact a clinician or urgent-care service.
