# What the bloody hell just happened with my nose? \*TMI\* **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 14, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779 "2014-01-14T13:47:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/21 "2014-01-14T18:11:14Z")
> [@Meagan](#): > > Actually I did take a picture, after I had poke it and squished it around a bit. You sure you want to see it? Yes! ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/22 "2014-01-14T18:45:35Z")
Failure to post the picture may be considered trolling and result in bannation. J (barely) K ---
**Author:** ![Faelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c77e96/32.png) [@Faelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faelyn)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/23 "2014-01-14T19:33:27Z")
Alright alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you! [The blob,](http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n283/home_gurly25_2006/20140114_074808-1.jpg) after it was flattened out from my investigation. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/24 "2014-01-14T20:02:29Z")
I had a bad nosebleed in August that eventually led to my being hospitalized for observation for a couple of days. The advice the ENT gave was exactly what Sparky812 said. In my particular case, the bleed kept reoccurring for a couple of days, until one morning we just couldn’t get it to stop and went to the ER. They tried the Afrin, and then put a huge tampon-like thing in the side that was bleeding and I went home. Later the same day it started up again, this time from the other side, so we went back to the ER. They told me it wouldn’t be safe to go home with both nostrils plugged up, so I was admitted for observation until they were sure it was stopped. There were a lot of theories but no final answer as to what caused it. I had never had a nosebleed before, and have not had once since. Very weird. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/25 "2014-01-14T22:07:22Z")
Wow, that does look like the beginning of a clot. Or an infectious bloodworm ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/26 "2014-01-14T22:11:53Z")
> [@Meagan](#): > > Alright alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you! > > [The blob,](http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n283/home_gurly25_2006/20140114_074808-1.jpg) after it was flattened out from my investigation. Don’t panic or anything, but have you ever seen David Cronenberg’s film _Shivers_? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/27 "2014-01-14T22:30:09Z")
That’s not a clot, it’s some kind of brain worm. Probably what caused the nosebleed. ---
**Author:** ![Faelyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c77e96/32.png) [@Faelyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faelyn)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/28 "2014-01-15T02:09:10Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Wow, that does look like the beginning of a clot. Or an infectious bloodworm > [@yoyodyne](#): > > That’s not a clot, it’s some kind of brain worm. Probably what caused the nosebleed. It didn’t put up much of a fight. How disappointing. > [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Don’t panic or anything, but have you ever seen David Cronenberg’s film _Shivers_? Why yes, yes I have. Makes perfect sense! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/29 "2014-01-15T02:17:01Z")
> [@Meagan](#): > > What the hell was my blob? 😕 [This . I had it happen once.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16754666&postcount=9) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/30 "2014-01-15T13:53:42Z")
My left nostril produces smaller versions of these from time to time, but they are more mucusy, usually just with a rim of dried blood. Very satisfying when you get one out and feel the cool airflow up your unsullied sinuses. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/31 "2014-01-15T14:13:06Z")
Some years ago, my then-husband (prone to recurrent nosebleeds which did not concern the doctor) got a nosebleed that wouldn’t quit. I took some powdered yarrow, a traditional remedy for bleeding, wrapped it in a thin handkerchief, moistened the whole thing under the tap and told him where to stick it. 15 minutes later, he removed it to find his schnoz clear of frank bleeding…and then a blot clot snake slithered out of his nostril. 6 inches long and an inch in diameter. It was a thing of beauty. Gross, disgusting beauty. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/32 "2014-01-15T16:48:46Z")
I always found that the bleeding would not completely stop unless I got that thing out. It always keeps on dripping blood. I don’t remember ever leaving them in long enough to get them to actually harden. I’d think that would really suck. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/33 "2014-01-15T17:14:15Z")
Where do you even find powdered yarrow? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/34 "2014-01-15T17:36:09Z")
You pick it, you dry it and you run it through your Vitamix in the dry canister until it’s a powder. Then you store it in a dark airtight cool spot, like a blue glass jar with a rubber gasket lid. Or you buy it from an online or brick and mortar herbal supply, your choice. I like the free way, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/35 "2014-01-16T01:45:38Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > You pick it, you dry it and you run it through your Vitamix in the dry canister until it’s a powder. Then you store it in a dark airtight cool spot, like a blue glass jar with a rubber gasket lid. I read this in the preview pane and I really thought you were talking about the mucus. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/36 "2014-01-16T01:58:00Z")
My standard first line protocol for nose bleeds is to blow out all the clot mess (it actually makes the bleeding spot ooze for longer and doesn’t do anything to actually clot the source). Spray two puffs of afrin in the offending nostril and hold pressure on the soft part of the nose (not the bony part) for at least 15 minutes. If that doesn’t stop things, consider seeing a doctor. Sometimes cautery or packing is necessary. During the winter, a small amount of vaseline based antibiotic ointment (Neosporin, Bacitracin, etc) applied just inside the nostril with a cotton swab, can help prevent drying and facilitate healing of any sores that may develop from cold winter air. USCDiver, MD ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/37 "2014-01-16T02:03:11Z")
I thought petroleum products were out of favor in the nose d/t concerns about lipoid pneumonia. Last I read, we’re pimping for nasal application of KY Jelly now. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/38 "2014-01-16T02:35:12Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I thought petroleum products were out of favor in the nose d/t concerns about lipoid pneumonia. Last I read, we’re pimping for nasal application of KY Jelly now. Well, don’t inhale the stuff! As far as I know, topical bacitracin is still the treatment for nasal colonization of MRSA. KY may be safer, but used carefully I would think the risk of lipoid pneumonia is exceeding low. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/39 "2014-01-16T04:37:56Z")
> [@Meagan](#): > > It didn’t put up much of a fight. How disappointing. Means you just found the skin it left behind while shedding. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779/40 "2014-01-16T04:52:37Z")
I used to get dramatic nosebleeds like these. Some people consider spotting on a tissue paper you put up your nose a nose “bleed”, but I don’t call it a nosebleed unless it drips. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-bloody-hell-just-happened-with-my-nose-tmi/678779.md?page=3)