Nosebleeds

/ˈnoʊz.bledz/ noun

Definition

Bleeding from the inside of the nose, usually caused by dry air, a blow to the face, or occasionally by a medical condition.

Etymology

Compound word: 'nose' (from Old English 'nosu') + 'bleed' (from Old English 'blēdan'). This straightforward descriptive term has been used in English for centuries, though medical literature now sometimes uses the Latin term 'epistaxis' for the same phenomenon.

Kelly Says

Nosebleeds happen because the nose's interior is packed with tiny blood vessels in a very small space—it's one of the most blood-rich areas of your body relative to its size, which is why a simple bump can cause such dramatic bleeding. Altitude actually causes nosebleeds because lower oxygen makes your blood vessels dilate to compensate!

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