If you suddenly find yourself bleeding from the nose when you’re not involved in an accident, experts say the first place to begin is to have your blood pressure gauged.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) warns that high blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms; and that many people with high blood pressure feel fine.
However, the BHF says, there are some warning signs that affect some people with the condition. One such sign can appear in the nose – nosebleeds.
The National Health Service also says that nosebleeds are more likely to occur in people with high blood pressure.
High blood pressure. Also known as hypertension, is a medical condition that means that the heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body.
The condition puts extra strain on the heart as well as other organs and the blood vessels and can cause damage. It is a factor in many serious health conditions and illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, strokes, heart failure and heart attacks.
Perhaps even more concerning is the fact that many people do not even realise that they have it. This, along with the fact that it is often symptomless, and that is why hypertension has earned a reputation as being a “silent killer”.
Public Health England says on its website: “Often described as a ‘silent killer’ because it rarely causes symptoms.
However, it is worth noting that there is some debate around whether nosebleeds are directly caused by having high blood pressure. One study, published in JAMA network in 2020, found that people with high blood pressure were 2.7 times more likely to need emergency care for nosebleeds than people with healthy blood pressure.
Separate research, recorded in the Journal of the Saudi Heart Association, measured the blood pressure of 80 people over three months and found that half the participants experienced regular nosebleeds.
Researchers concluded that high blood pressure did not cause nosebleeds, but the bleeding was more difficult to control in people with hypertension.
The BHF lists other signs of high blood pressure as:
- Blurred vision
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Headaches.
The only way to be sure if you have high blood pressure is to be tested, either by your GP or using an at-home kit. If you are concerned about your blood pressure you should speak to your doctor.
