Can hayfever cause nose bleeds?

Are nosebleeds common with hayfever?

Nosebleeds are not the most common of hayfever symptoms, but they are sometimes reported by people who have a particularly severe reaction to pollen. In general, nosebleeds are no cause for concern, but if they are persistent and severe you may want to double check with your GP to make sure there is no underlying problem.

What causes nosebleeds with hayfever?

The most likely cause of nosebleeds with hayfever is excessive sneezing, which, over time, can cause damage to the delicate tissues in the nose. The repeated pressure of sneezing and nose-blowing can cause these delicate blood vessels to rupture, triggering a nosebleed.

However, if your go-to treatment for hayfever is a nasal spray then this may be part of the problem. The chemicals found in nasal sprays can sometimes be quite harsh, and if you aim the spray too far inwards it will hit your Kiesselbach’s plexus, a delicate area of the septum that contains several blood vessels. This will cause more severe irritation and can harm the delicate blood vessels – especially if they are extra fragile from all the sneezing you’re doing!

How to stop hayfever nosebleeds

We’d definitely recommend using or switching to a herbal nasal spray such as our own Luffa Hayfever Nasal Spray. This is much gentler on the delicate tissues in the nose and will be much less likely to cause irritation. The use of a nasal spray can help to clear pollen out of the nose, which should hopefully reduce sneezing too.

Make sure that you’re using your nasal spray correctly too. You should always aim the spray slightly outward rather than inward. Try using the left hand for the right side of your nose and vice versa, as this will help to naturally tilt the aim of the spray away from your septum.

Even gentler forms of congestion relief are a Neti pot or steam inhaler. A Neti pot is a bit like a small watering can, which you can used to clear the nostrils with plain or saline water. Alternatively, add a few drops of our Po-Ho oil to a bowl of hot, steaming water and gently inhale the steam to loosen congestion.

Working on reducing your overall reaction to pollen is also a good idea, as this will help to reduce the sneezing and congestion that may be triggering your nosebleed. Try our Pollinosan Hayfever tablets, which contain a complex of hayfever-fighting herbs, including Luffa. They’re non drowsy too!

And finally, make sure to check that your diet doesn’t contain too many histamine-rich foods like chocolate and fermented foods, as this can worsen your symptoms. Avoiding dairy is a good idea too, since dairy can worsen congestion. Find out more about diet and hayfever here.