In a medical emergency call an ambulance — dial 000 in Australia or 111 in New Zealand.

The DRSABCD Action Plan is the first step when providing first aid. Use this to assess the immediate situation. DRSABCD Danger > Response > Send for help > Airway > Breathing > CPR > Defibrillation.

Warning
Many nose bleeds do not have an obvious cause, but some may be because of:
• a blow to the nose
• excessive blowing
• sneezing
• high blood pressure
• changes to altitude.

What to do
1 Ask the patient to breathe through their mouth and not to blow their nose. Encourage the patient to spit out blood rather than swallow it.
2 Help the patient to sit down with their head slightly forward.
3 Pinch the soft part of the patient’s nostrils, just below the bridge of the nose, for at least 10 minutes.
4 Loosen any tight clothing around the patient’s neck.
5 If bleeding persists, seek medical aid.

Placing a cold pack on the patient’s neck and forehead may help the bleed. A cold pack is unlikely to cause any harm.

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All content in Sonder's Help Centre is created and published for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.

Information originally published by St John Ambulance Australia.