Asked by: Kadim Olzhas, Kazakhstan

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Most nosebleeds involve superficial bleeding from the capillaries close to the skin and can be stopped with pressure and an ice pack.

But nosebleeds can also be caused by a torn internal carotid artery and in that case the bleeding can be fast enough to be life threatening.

It’s also possible for a milder nosebleed to block your airway and asphyxiate you. A 47-year-old man from Gravesend, Kent died this way in 2011.

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luis villazon
Luis VillazonQ&A expert

Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.

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