The nasal cavity is covered by a unique type of moist skin known as mucosa (also referred to as mucus membrane). This area receives a significant amount of blood flow, primarily to warm and hydrate the air we inhale. Beneath the mucosa, there are numerous blood vessels.
A nosebleed occurs when the mucosa is injured, exposing a blood vessel that ruptures. Common causes of nosebleeds in children include picking the nose, dry air, excessive nose blowing, infections in the nose, and trauma to the nose.
Around half of children aged 6 to 10 years are likely to have a nosebleed. If a child frequently experiences nosebleeds during their childhood, it is unlikely that these episodes will persist into adulthood.
After the initial nosebleed, the damaged blood vessel needs a couple of days to fully recover. It’s typical for scabs and crusts to come off or be removed before the blood vessel is completely repaired, resulting in nosebleeds that may happen one or more times daily.
Cautery is thought about when over-the-counter treatments like nasal creams, saline solutions, moist air, resting the nose, and waiting don’t significantly reduce or stop nosebleeds. When done by a specialist in ear, nose, and throat care, nasal cautery is often very effective in reducing how often and how severe nosebleeds occur.
Cautery involves using a chemical (silver nitrate) or heat energy (electrocautery) to destroy unwanted blood vessels in the nasal area. For young kids and a few older ones, this usually happens in the operating room while they are under general anesthesia. For older kids and teens, chemical cautery might be done in the clinic, either without any anaesthesia or with just a little bit of a numbing cream. If you need to be under general anaesthesia, you’ll get to speak with the anaesthesiologist on the day of the surgery to go over any concerns you might have about the risks and safety of the anaesthesia.
To ensure the safety of you or your child, it’s crucial to be without food in your stomach before receiving anesthesia.
After the operation, you’ll be roused from your sleep in the recovery room. Once you’re conscious, you’ll be moved to the area designated for finishing your recuperation.
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