When you have a nose bleed, should you tip your head...

[joanne g]

...forwards or backwards? I was always told you tip head forwards so the blood runs out of your nose rather than down the back of your throat. However, some people tell me to tip your head backwards. Which is right?

[tracy_jane1970]

Current first aid thinking is to tip your head forwards and pinch the bridge of the nose.Many years ago they used to say tip your head backwards but this is old fashioned now.

[russ.gower@btinternet.com]

Just keep your head in an upright position not bent right over but forwards not backwards!

[cope123]

in health class our teacher was like " i guess when i was young my mom tried to kill me whenever i got a bloody nose. because she always told me to tilt my head, now i know your supposed to tilt your head foreward and pinch your nose together"

[brian m]

never tip it backwards, you risk choking on your blood if u do that. forwards or down is sufficient.

[Liz F]

Keep Head Upright.backwards And The Blood Trickles Down The Throat Into The Stomach, Causing Nausea And Vomiting.hold Head Up, Pinch Nose Just Below Bridge With Thumb And Forefinger, Releasing Pressure Occasionally To Check If Bleeding Stopped Or To Let Blood Escape

[foofy]

tip your head forwards so blood doesnt run down your throat and you end up choking on it

[my-interpretation]

forwardsotherwise if you tip your head backwards you can choke on the blood

[firegirl999]

When experiencing a nosebleed, always hold your head forwards - preferably over a sink or bowl - in order to catch any drips and to spit out any blood. NEVER tip your head backwards as it sends the blood down your throat and could result in you choking and/or vomiting.

[alianna_hodiya]

Tilt ur head A TINY bit, but yea kind of keep it forwards.

[eyekneetwono]

ALWAYS FORWARD. It was thought that back was the correct thing many years ago. But now it is Definately FORWARD. Someone mentioned pinching the BRIDGE of the nose... the actual area you apply pressure to is the SOFT part of your nose on one or both sides. Encourage the patient to breath through their mouth and bleeding will eventually stop.HOWEVER there are occasions when hospital treatment is required. people on medications such as warfarin or aspirin tend to bleed for quite some time and clotting takes a while.If you lean back, the blood has no proper area to clot on and just trickles back and gets swallowed . In the arena I work, we may Pack with specially impregnated gauze or stick a spaecial catheter up or cauterise, but as a First Aid treatment always lean forward and apply pressure to soft part of nose until it stops bleeding.