A child’s nosebleed is no joking matter

Did the Fonz (Henry Winkler) know that mountain climbers often get nosebleeds at high altitudes because as the amount of oxygen in the air decreases and the air becomes drier, blood vessels inside your nose can crack and bleed? Apparently hedid.inoneepisodeof “Happy Days,” when he ends upsittingnearthetopofthe cheap seats at a concert, he remarks, “A guy could get a nosebleed up here.” And, “Aaay,” that’s the origin of the term “nosebleed seats.”

For kids, nosebleeds aren’t something to joke about. They are pretty common from 3-10 (from dry air or nose-picking), and the remedies are the same as they are for a mountain climber:

Sit or lean slightly forward and allow blood to exit the nose. Then, firmly pinch the nose closed just below the upper bony part. If you can, use a dark towel to wipe off the blood; it might be less distressing for a child.

Check to see if the bleeding has stopped after five minutes (15 for a mountain climber).

Don’t pack a nose with gauze or tissue unless it’s a last-ditch effort to stop the bleeding before you head to an urgent care center. The reason: When you remove the tissue, you may remove a formed scab, and the bleeding may start again.

Energy drinks and heart risk

In the U.S., a lot of people are drinking juiced-up, sweetened (or artificially sweetened) energy drinks. A new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that about 30 percent of kids 12-17 down energy drinks regularly, and almost 45 percent of our military personnel drink at least one a day — 14 percent drink three or more. All that “energy” is bad for some folks’ heart.

The study found that people drinking 32 ounces of caffeinated energy drinks saw sustained spikes in blood pressure and a change in their so-called QT interval (the time between heart beats), which can trigger life-threatening arrhythmia.

The researchers say caffeine in the drinks isn’t to blame for cardio changes. The heart issues happen because the drinks contain ingredients that haven’t been properly investigated, such as taurine (an amino acid) and glucuronolactone (a naturally occurring byproduct of glucose breakdown).

Want a better beverage to boost your energy? Try green tea. While it has some caffeine, green tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that may have anti-anxiety effects.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.