# Dealing With Nose Bleeds



## Sandwich (May 9, 2009)

I don't train Muay Thai, but I'm very interested in doing so in the future.

I've had issues with my nose bleeding for quite some time. A small smack will set it off.

I've actually heard boxers and kick boxers say that they had issues with their noses bleeding all their lives. But after getting beat up for awhile eventually the problem went away for them.

Can anyone confirm this?

Also, if it is true, how do you even deal with the nose bleeds while you're waiting for them to, with any luck, stop happening.

I can't imagine how embarrassing and frustrating it would be getting a nose bleed every class, or every other class.

Bleeding on your opponents gloves as well as the mats. People near you need to stop training while the floor gets mopped up.

Should I just stay away from Muay Thai, or am I making this out to be worse than it really is?

Thanks.


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## Thesemindz (May 9, 2009)

I have had nose bleeds my entire life. If I walk into an air conditioned room from the hot outdoors, my nose will start bleeding. If I get punched in the nose, my nose will start bleeding. If I blow my nose to hard, it starts bleeding. I have nose bleeds every day of my life.

You get used to it. You learn to cope. You learn ways to work around it. In the studio, you try not to bleed on anybody, and if you start bleeding, you excuse yourself and take care of it. If your instructor doesn't allow you to, you are training at the wrong school.

If you have good instruction, you should be getting taught how _not_ to get hit in the nose in the first place. That'll help. But you'll still bleed. It gets cleaned up. You move on. After ten years, I never noticed it getting any less likely to occur, but since I've dealt with it my whole life, I don't get worked up over it anymore. Gis soak up blood pretty well anyway. Besides, blood is part of martial arts. It happens. Any good school will have a first aid kit, disinfectant, and procedures to deal with blood for everyone's protection.

Like I said. You get used to it. So do the people you train with. It's never been a big deal for me. It wasn't a big deal for my instructors, or my students. If it's a big deal for your instructors or training partners, you're probably at the wrong school.

Don't let a little thing like this get in your way.


-Rob


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## Sandwich (May 9, 2009)

Thanks for the reply. I guess all I can do is give it a shot. I don't care if I bleed, I just don't want it it to get in the way of training Muay Thai. I have an vision of myself bleeding all over the floor while I try to take my Muay Thai gloves off.

 Maybe us Rob's just bleed a lot. :lol:

Granted, I think I'm a bit luckier than you. When I was a kid, I had them all the time. Now I usually don't get them more than 4-8 times a year. I imagine that getting punched in the face will change that, though. Which brings me to ask, does vaseline help you at all?

If anyone else would like to add to the conversation, feel free.


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## Thesemindz (May 9, 2009)

I never tried Vaseline. Sometimes I'd put a wad of paper in my top lip between my lip and my gum.

I got bad news. You *will* bleed all over the place. It happens. Even to guys who don't get nose bleeds. If you are training for contact, you'll bleed. That's martial arts for ya. Love it. Live it. 

It's worth it in the long run.


-Rob


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## Sandwich (May 9, 2009)

Thanks for the reply.

Wad of paper between your lip and gum? To pull out and stuff into your nose? 
:rofl:

Anyways. I think you've convinced me to at least give it a shot. 

But if anyone else wants to say something, feel welcome.


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## jarrod (May 9, 2009)

one of my students has this problem & every so often he has a doctor cauterize the capillaries inside his nose (i think that's the procedure anyway).  it helps for a few weeks, but pretty much he just has to deal with it.

jf


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## stone_dragone (May 9, 2009)

Now that I'm on blood thinners, nose bleeds are a bigger problem for me than in the past.  Here's what my doctor recommended and works pretty well so far...

1.  Take a cotton ball (or tear one in half), and soak it with Afrin nasal spray.
2.  Wedge that up your bleeding nostril.
3.  The Afrin will constrict the capillaries in your nose and aid in stopping the bleed.

I also recommend using the Afrin -Severe Congestion (from the squeeze bottle) for soaking your cotton balls and the Afrin -Severe Congestion No Drip in your nose.  

I've had good luck so far with the above combo.

You could also use a Vick's Nasal Inhaler (little tubes that smell of menthol) as a pre-emptive thing, too.

For day to day maintenace, keeping your nasal passages moist could help...for that I use Ocean Mist spray.


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## searcher (May 9, 2009)

I had a problem with nosebleeds for a while, but I got it fixed up with silver nitrate sticks.    I had my nose swabbed with them and I no longer have the problem.    I am not saying it is for everyone, but it MAY work for you.

Talk with your physician and se what he/she has to say.


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## Thesemindz (May 9, 2009)

Sandwich said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> 
> Wad of paper between your lip and gum? To pull out and stuff into your nose?
> :rofl:
> ...


 
No, no. The wad of paper puts pressure on the blood vessels and nerves leading to your nose and slows the bleeding. You can jam paper up your nose as well, and I did at times, but not everybody wants to train with that guy. It just depends on the environment.


-Rob


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## crushing (May 9, 2009)

I used to do the Vicks thing when I was younger and under a Doctor's recommendation for my nosebleeds.  This was before their inhaler product so I would dab some of the vapor rub just inside the nose.  My wrestling coach in high school tried to talk me into cauterizing, but burning the inside of my head seemed pretty drastic.

I would stay away from the vapor rub in or near the nose as petroleum products aren't good for mucous membranes.


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## Sandwich (May 9, 2009)

Thesemindz said:


> No, no. The wad of paper puts pressure on the blood vessels and nerves leading to your nose and slows the bleeding. You can jam paper up your nose as well, and I did at times, but not everybody wants to train with that guy. It just depends on the environment.
> 
> 
> -Rob



Ah, didn't know that the blood vessels travel down into the upper lip and then back up towards the nose.

Anyways, thanks for the replies people. Seems like everyones situation is different. If I start training Muay Thai I'll look into cauterization. I've given it thought in the past. But I've heard that it's temporary for some people, that some doctors won't perform the procedure if you intend to fight (apparently it thins out the nasal walls), etc.

Guess all I can do is visit a doctor. None of you have my nose.


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## Thesemindz (May 9, 2009)

Sandwich said:


> Ah, didn't know that the blood vessels travel down into the upper lip and then back up towards the nose.
> 
> Anyways, thanks for the replies people. Seems like everyones situation is different. If I start training Muay Thai I'll look into cauterization. I've given it thought in the past. But I've heard that it's temporary for some people, that some doctors won't perform the procedure if you intend to fight (apparently it thins out the nasal walls), etc.
> 
> Guess all I can do is visit a doctor. None of you have my nose.


 
The point isn't to put pressue forward into the lip. It's to put pressure backwards into the tissue around the upper gumline.


-Rob


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## Sandwich (May 10, 2009)

Thesemindz said:


> The point isn't to put pressue forward into the lip. It's to put pressure backwards into the tissue around the upper gumline.
> 
> 
> -Rob



Well in that case, I didn't know that the blood vessels travel through the upper gum and then up towards the nose. :uhyeah:


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## DeadlyShins (May 10, 2009)

Talk to your physician about his recommendations.  No one here can give you specific medical advice like your doctor can.


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## oddball (May 19, 2009)

I had the silver nitrate sticks done as well, that really helped, but did not stop the nosebleeds.

The other thing you could try is different headgear if you can get away with it, something to cover up the face and nose.


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