Winter brings holidays, cold, and usually unpalatable dry air. While there is the fun part, the dryness in the air can irritate our skins and noses causing discomfort and in some cases nose bleeding. Not just winter, cold and dry climates could also trigger bloody noses.
Nosebleeds could happen at any time and by several causes but that they are very uncomfortable remains universal. Dry air is the major culprit especially in homes, as this dry air could be a result of reduced air quality.
Having a humidifier for nosebleeds at home can help ease these discomforts especially indoors. For children, however, you might have to check to ensure they have not been poking their nose
More than the air quality, there are several things that can also influence nosebleeds. Such as picking the nose or an impact on the nose can result in bleeding. Also, certain health and nutritional conditions such as pregnancy and leukemia can also trigger a bloody nose.
Do Humidifiers Help With Nosebleeds?
Irritations that result in dryness to the sinus in the nose is the major cause of nosebleeds. This dryness can occur anytime especially in cold and dry climates. During the season having a humidifier instead of a typical heater not only keeps everyone warm but ensures the ultimate protection against discomfort like nosebleeds also.
Humidifiers help with nosebleeds by balancing humidity or moisture to the atmosphere. The capillaries of the nostrils lie very close to the skin. When the weather gets very dry, the mucus membrane and the skin feel dry as well and could crack. As humans, we peel off these dried-up membranes creating little wounds in the nasal membranes.
Producing water vapor from the water tank inside it,this conditioning device balances the moisture and humidity level in the air. Thus restraining the level of humidity a humidifier keeps the environment inside pleasant and protects you from the unpleasant nosebleeds. You just need to adjust how humid you want the air to be by simply making adjustments to the humidity settings.
What Humidity Causes Nosebleeds?
Dry air or very low humidity is the major cause of nosebleeds. As moisture content drops as low as 40% you could begin to feel the dryness in your skin and nose and less than that, a nosebleed could occur. This is generally not a function of whether the weather is cold or hot.
To combat this, your humidifier can produce either warm or cold moisture in the room. You can choose whichever works best for you.
Cold Mist Humidifier
Cold mist humidifiers send mist into the atmosphere at room temperature. Although, there are two ways of getting this done. In one, a fan blows the water from the tank into the atmosphere while in the other, cool mist is created by vibrations.
Cold mists are common choices because the cost of heating is removed. While cold mist might feel cold especially in winter, it is easy for the body to inhale this form of mist.
Warm Mist Humidifier
To get warm humidity, the heating elements in the humidifier boil the water and send out a warm mist in the room. The warm mist is considered as healthier as the heating kills the germs in the tank and the water before releasing it into the atmosphere.
Caution has to be exercised however to ensure that the hot mist humidifier is way out of the where accidents could occur.
How Can I Moisten My Nose To Stop Nosebleeds?
Apart from a direct breaking and bleeding of the sinus in the nose, a dry nose can be very uncomfortable and itchy. Thus it is important to moisten it while to both ease the itch and as a way to prevent bleeding. This you can do with a humidifier in the room or more commonly by manually applying a small amount of petroleum jelly in the nostrils. There are several other ways to moisten the nose once the root cause has been established as dry weather. These include;
- Humidifiers are the most effective ways to moisten the nose, especially during sleep. Moisture is released into the room to wade off dryness and irritations in nasal passages.
- Nasal sprays are also effective ways to add moisture to the nose especially if you are outdoors. Some of these sprays are saline in nature performing the double function of moisturizing and cleaning the nose.
- Steam works well in relieving irritations and dryness from the nose but it is not a long-lasting method. To do this, you have to place your head over a sink or bowl of hot water.
- Damp facial tissues or wipes can be used to apply moisture to the linings of the nose. By simply wiping the nose with a moistened facial wipe you can both remove dryness and irritation.
- Add a little amount of petroleum jelly or lip balm to the nose. For this, you apply just a little amount with your fingers in the nose while being careful not to use too much at a time.
Frequently asked Questions
Why Does Dry Air Cause Nosebleeds?
Dry air can give you nosebleeds, especially during winter. Our skin constantly sweats, and at the same time, sucks in moisture from the air to stay hydrated. Dry air means a drastic drop in the moisture level inside a room or a particular area.
The human nose has veins that house a large amount of blood. And when the humidity level decreases, the thin mucus membrane in the nose dries out. As a result, the skin inside the nose starts cracking, frail, and resulting in nosebleeds.
What Is The Best Way To Prevent A Nosebleed Due To Dry Air?
The best way to prevent a nosebleed due to dry air is to ensure your nose is moistened. Other than rubbing water in your nose every 5 minutes and catching a cold, you can use a humidifier.
Humidifiers help to keep the balance in moisture that floats around in the thin air.
These devices keep the air moist when the weather gets very dry and help the mucus membrane and the skin stay safe.
You can also prevent nosebleeds due to dry air by applying a tiny amount of petroleum jelly to your nose if you are outdoors.
Why Is Dry Air Harder To Breathe?
Dry air feels harder to breathe because moisture is drawn from the mucus membranes to moisten it before being inhaled. “Dry air” means a drop in the surrounding moisture level, directly affecting our body’s sensory organs.
As our skin is deprived of warmth and moisture, it tends to narrow. This irritates the respiratory system, especially the nose, lungs, and airways. Since the upper airways start to shrink, most people find it difficult to breathe in dry air.
Moreover, breathing dry air may cause different respiratory ailments such as sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma, and nosebleeds. Dehydration is also a possibility as irregular depletion during respiration can reduce body fluid.
Final Verdict
Dry air makes breathing difficult as well as causes nosebleeds. However, by using a humidifier in the room, you would be able to prevent this. The principal working of this machine is to revert the dry air to the preferred humidity you desire.
There are other alternatives you could apply to provide temporary relief from dryness and poor air quality. You might have to see the doctor if your nose still bleeds in the humid air.
