Epistaxis is one of the common clinical symptoms, usually caused by nasal cavity diseases, but can also be caused by systemic diseases. Occasionally, bleeding from lesions near the nasal cavity flows out through the nose. Epistaxis is mostly unilateral, but it can also be bilateral, with intermittent recurrent bleeding or continuous bleeding. The amount of bleeding varies, with mild cases having blood in the nasal mucus and severe cases causing hemorrhagic shock, and repeated bleeding can lead to anemia. Most bleeding can stop on its own. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, epistaxis falls under the categories of "nasal redness" and "nasal bleeding." The disease is located in the nose and is closely related to the lung, stomach, and liver. It is often caused by lung heat, liver fire, and stomach fire damaging the nasal collaterals, forcing blood to flow abnormally, or by qi deficiency that cannot hold the blood, or by yin deficiency with excessive fire damaging the nasal collaterals.
Lung Meridian Heat Depression Type: Nosebleed with drops of blood, not a large amount. Dry nose and mouth, hot breath, or cough with yellow phlegm; the tip and sides of the tongue are red, the coating is thin, white, and dry, and the pulse is floating and rapid.
Stomach Heat Excess Type: The nosebleed involves a large amount of blood, which is bright red or dark red, with dry nose and mouth or bad breath, thirst with a desire to drink, or discomfort in the stomach, restlessness, bloating, dry and hard stools, and short, dark urine; the tongue is red, the coating is yellow, thick, and dry, and the pulse is surging, forceful, and rapid.
Liver Fire Flaring Upward Type: The nosebleed involves a large amount of blood, which is dark red, with symptoms of headache, dizziness, bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, distension in the chest and hypochondria, irritability and easy anger, red face and eyes; the tongue is red, the coating is yellow, and the pulse is tight and rapid.
Yin Deficiency and Excessive Fire Type: The nosebleed has red blood, occurring intermittently, with not a large amount, accompanied by dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, palpitations, insomnia, and hotness in the five centers (chest, palms, and soles), with flushed cheekbones; the tongue is tender and red, or dark red with little fluid, the coating is scant, and the pulse is thin and rapid.
Spleen Qi Deficiency Type: The nosebleed seeps with a pale red color, the amount varying, accompanied by a dull complexion, fatigue, lack of strength, palpitations, shortness of breath, low and timid speech, and reduced appetite; the tongue is pale, the coating is thin, and the pulse is slow and weak.
It is recommended to perform moxibustion once a day, targeting 2 to 3 acupoints each time, with each acupoint being treated for 30 to 40 minutes. Rotate the points treated, with a 10-day period constituting one course of treatment, and then rest for 2 to 3 days before continuing with the next course. (If time permits and there is a need, more acupoints can be treated with moxibustion. The specific duration should be adjusted according to one's own physical needs.)
1. In dry seasons, for patients with a history of nosebleeds, families should have chlortetracycline ointment on hand, which can be evenly applied to the nasal cavity daily to moisturize the nasal mucosa. 2. In case of a nosebleed, clean cotton balls can first be used to fill the nasal cavity to stop the bleeding. If cotton balls are not available, pressure can be applied to both sides of the nostrils with fingers for 5 minutes.