Why Is There Blood In My Snot?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

Blood-tinged nasal mucus can happen when small blood vessels in your nose break most often related to dry air, upper respiratory infections, or nose blowing.

Explanation

Common causes of blood-tinged mucus include:

Dry air or low humidity
Trauma or injury to the nose
Frequent nose blowing during a cold or allergy
Upper respiratory infections
Nose picking
High blood pressure
Blood-thinning medications

The lining inside your nose is very delicate. When it gets dry or inflamed, small blood vessels can break and mix a small amount of blood with mucus. This is typically not a cause for concern. However, if you notice bleeding is heavy or frequent, you should discuss with a healthcare provider.

(References)

Parajuli R. Evaluation of Etiology and Treatment Methods for Epistaxis: A Review at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central Nepal. Int J Otolaryngol. 2015;2015:283854. doi: 10.1155/2015/283854. Epub 2015 Aug 9. PMID: 26346242; PMCID: PMC4546759.
Abrich V, Brozek A, Boyle TR, Chyou PH, Yale SH. Risk factors for recurrent spontaneous epistaxis. Mayo Clin Proc. 2014 Dec;89(12):1636-43. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2014.09.009. Epub 2014 Nov 6. PMID: 25458126.
Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470247/

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