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Is It Safe To Travel By Flight While Having Nose Bleed?
Posted on
Mon, 17 Aug 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 17 Aug 2015
Answered on
Mon, 7 Sep 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : I have had many nose bleeds and they would last over an hour and needed to go to the ER first to get a balloon packing and when it was taken out 3 days later it bled again so they cauterized it in 3 spots in my right nostril about 2 weeks later my left nostril bleed for a long time about 45 minutes had to get that cauterized in 6 spots over a period of time. I had my nose cauterized 9 times within 1 and 1/2 months about 1 month ago was my last cauterization.
I was invited to go to Disney world in Florida for New Years, which is about 4 months away. It's a 2 hour flight. And l have been really cautious about my nose ever since those bleeds. Will it be alright to fly. I Googled it and saw a lot of people get nose bleeds during or after flying.
Do I need to worry about getting a nose bleed from the multiple pressure changes and/ or the dryness of the plane cabin ( even if I use my saline gel and nasal spray)?
And if so should I not go, because what if I can't stop it on the plane. The 4 past nose bleeds lasted over 1 hour long or close to an hour each and the only way I could stop them was to go to the ER/ ENT specialist.
Now that I'm cauterized so many times should I be safe?
I was invited to go to Disney world in Florida for New Years, which is about 4 months away. It's a 2 hour flight. And l have been really cautious about my nose ever since those bleeds. Will it be alright to fly. I Googled it and saw a lot of people get nose bleeds during or after flying.
Do I need to worry about getting a nose bleed from the multiple pressure changes and/ or the dryness of the plane cabin ( even if I use my saline gel and nasal spray)?
And if so should I not go, because what if I can't stop it on the plane. The 4 past nose bleeds lasted over 1 hour long or close to an hour each and the only way I could stop them was to go to the ER/ ENT specialist.
Now that I'm cauterized so many times should I be safe?
Brief Answer:
Yes. You should avoid the flights.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query.
1. The nose has a large blood supply from multiple blood vessels as it warms and humidified the air we breathe. Hence multiple cauterizations do not mean that the nose will not bleed again.
2. You have not described any diagnostic work up. Unless the underlying cause is identified, further bleeds may occur.
3. You should avoid the fights and take a road trip instead if the journey is important.
I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Yes. You should avoid the flights.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query.
1. The nose has a large blood supply from multiple blood vessels as it warms and humidified the air we breathe. Hence multiple cauterizations do not mean that the nose will not bleed again.
2. You have not described any diagnostic work up. Unless the underlying cause is identified, further bleeds may occur.
3. You should avoid the fights and take a road trip instead if the journey is important.
I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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