How do nasal steroids “cause” nasal bleeding?
Nasal steroids work by thinning the lining of the nose. This allows freer air movement and reduces the sensation of nasal congestion often found with sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. However, the nasal septum has very thin tissue to begin with, and a rich network of blood vessels lies just beneath this thin tissue. Nasal steroids will often erode this tissue to the point that these blood vessels break, leading to epistaxis. Normally, physicians will recommend that patients go off of nasal steroids for up to a month while this eroded spot heals. Unfortunately, this leads to a recurrence of allergy symptoms. NoBleed™ allows patients to stay on their nasal steroids while the phytoestrogens in NoBleed™ repair this overly thinned area.
