What causes blood streaks in nasal mucus when blowing your nose in the morning?

Dec 07, 2022 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Xu Gang

Introduction

Blood streaks in nasal mucus upon waking may be caused by dry nasal mucosa, internal heat, or inflammatory irritation. Besides these factors, blood-tinged mucus could also result from blood pressure fluctuations, localized nasal conditions, or aggressive actions such as forceful nose blowing or picking. In daily life, drink plenty of water, avoid spicy, irritating, greasy, and drying foods, refrain from picking your nose, and avoid blowing your nose too forcefully.

Blood streaks in nasal mucus upon waking in the morning may be caused by dry nasal mucosa, internal heat ("shang huo"), or inflammatory irritation.

1. Dry Nasal Mucosa

Blood-tinged mucus in the morning mainly results from prolonged sleep during which moisture evaporates from the nasal mucosa, causing minor capillary leakage. This blood then mixes with nasal discharge, leading to blood-streaked mucus when blowing the nose in the morning.

2. Internal Heat ("Shang Huo")

Internal heat can irritate the nasal mucosa, resulting in blood-tinged mucus upon morning nasal blowing. In such cases, increasing water intake is recommended. Under a doctor's guidance, medications that clear internal heat—such as Huanglian Shangqing Pills or Niuhuang Jiedu Tablets—may also be taken for treatment.

3. Inflammatory Irritation

This typically occurs due to colds or inflammation-induced swelling and congestion of the nasal mucosa, leading to blood-tinged mucus in the morning. After a cold, it's important to drink plenty of fluids, rest adequately, and recovery usually occurs within about a week.

Besides the above causes, blood-tinged mucus when blowing the nose could also result from blood pressure fluctuations, local nasal diseases, or aggressive nose-blowing or picking. These conditions require appropriate medical attention. In daily life, it's advisable to drink plenty of water, avoid spicy, greasy, and irritating foods, refrain from picking the nose, and avoid forceful nose-blowing.

View All

Why does my ear hurt when I blow my nose?

Ear pain when blowing the nose may be caused by conditions such as otitis externa, acute otitis media, or acute tonsillitis. It is usually treated symptomatically once the underlying cause is identified. In otitis externa, local swelling occurs in the external ear canal. Excessive force when blowing the nose can force air through the Eustachian tube directly into the ear, stimulating the swollen area of the ear canal and causing ear pain.

View Full Answer

How to relieve sharp ear pain caused by blowing the nose too hard

Ear pain caused by blowing the nose too hard can be relieved by rinsing the nose with saline solution. Boil purified water, then cool it to about 37°C. Mix non-iodized salt into the warm water to prepare a saline solution. The patient should lean forward slightly and keep the mouth open. Insert the nasal irrigator into one nostril and gently squeeze the bottle, allowing the saline solution to flow into the nasal cavity through one nostril and drain out through the other nostril or the mouth.

View Full Answer

When blowing the nose, air pushes out from the ear.

In general, ear bulging during nose-blowing may be a normal phenomenon, but it can also be caused by nasal congestion, eardrum perforation, Eustachian tube dysfunction, or acute suppurative otitis media. Sometimes, when blowing the nose, the pressure changes may affect the ventilation of the nasopharyngeal passage and the middle ear, leading to altered air pressure that causes a sensation of fullness or discomfort in the eardrum.

View Full Answer

What causes nosebleeds when blowing the nose due to a cold?

Nosebleeds when blowing the nose during a cold may be caused by frequent nose-blowing, fragile blood vessels, dry nasal passages, or dry nasal mucosa. During a cold, the nasal cavity often produces excessive mucus. Repeatedly and forcefully blowing the nose may irritate the blood vessels inside the nasal cavity, leading to bleeding. Prompt measures should be taken to stop the bleeding. If symptoms persist or worsen, medical attention is recommended immediately.