How to stop a nose bleed

Introducing "Old Wives Tale Tuesday." I love to hear old wives tales, so I thought I would pick a day and post one weekly.  My favorite part is that because this is a searchable blog, I can send people to it or look myself for a quick refresher! Yahoo!!!

Here is a random thing that I learned as a kid to stop a nose bleed:

Wad up a square of toilet paper, dip it in white vinegar and place it gently in your nose.  The burning sensation is the cauterizing action sealing up the tear.  If it isn't working fast enough, twist or twirl it and breath in ever so slightly.  This will make you sneeze and somehow this is a magical combination.

I was hit in the face with a sled, by accident, at the end of a blistery cold recess in elementary school and had daily nose bleeds for months afterward.  The school nurse couldn't figure it out and would just send me home if it lasted more than an hour.  They would come from 1 side or both and last "for-e-ver.".  My moms traditional remedy was to swallow 1/4 tsp of loose cayenne pepper on the end of a spoon. It worked, but took much longer.  When we figured out this little genius (white vinegar on the tip of toilet paper), I never had a problem again, nose bleeds were now a 1-2 minute nuisance, no longer a 1 hour life stopper.

When people ask me what I recommend to stop excessive nose bleeds I first try to figure out why they are happening by asking them about the time of day, frequency, life circumstances etc. then I remind them that I am not a doctor and cannot recommend anything but I can tell them that I would start with drinking more water.  Turns out that the number one cause for spontaneous nose bleeds is dehydration.  Then I tell them my "old wives tales suggestions, above. So, the next time you have a spontaneous nose bleed, or "pick a winner" (as my family used to say), remember this tale and tell us how it worked for you.