NHS issues advice about what to do if you see blood while blowing your nose

The majority of Brits are never too far away from the tissue box throughout the winter months.

Amid the cold weather and seasonal viruses, people are constantly clearing their noses - but what happens if you see some blood?

Spotting the red stuff on your hankie might give you a bit of a scare, but chances are, you've probably just been blowing your hooter too hard.

But if it rains rather than pours, then it might be a full blown nosebleed instead.

Again, this minor ailment is usually not serious or a cause for concern and can be treated at home.

It isn't even classed as a nosebleed until it lasts longer than ten minutes, according to the NHS, so don't panic if there is only a few splatters.

The NHS issued some advice for those who spot blood in their tissue (Getty Stock Images)

It explains that they occur because the 'inside of the nose is easy to damage' - and we can cause some chaos to it in a number of ways.

This includes picking your nose and blowing your nose too forcefully, while it can also bleed if the inside of your nose is too dry.

This might be down to a change in air temperature, so take note of your surroundings if you experience this.

The majority of the time, you can stop the blood flow fairly quickly yourself.

What to do if you have a nosebleed?

According to the NHS, if you have a nosebleed you should sit down and lean forward, while your head is titled forward and your mouth is open.

Pinch your nose just above your nostrils for up to 15 minutes and you can also put an icepack, such as a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel, against the top of the nose to try reduce the blood flow too.

It's usually not a cause for concern (Getty Stock Images)

And if you don't want to repeat the ordeal anytime soon, you should take it easy for the next 24 hours after a nose bleed.

To reduce the chances of getting struck down with one again, don't mess with your nose in any capacity, and steer clear of hot drinks and alcohol.

As well as this, the NHS recommend avoiding heavy lifting, strenuous exercise and lying down flat.

If you can't seem to shift your nosebleed after 15 minutes or so though, you might want to follow up with your GP.

Medical attention is only usually needed when an injury is involved, or if a person is on certain medication or has a specific condition.

But if you haven't got smacked in the face with a bat recently and don't tick the other two boxes either, you should be okay to sort yourself out at home.