BBC Morning Live doctor explains exactly what you should do if you have a nosebleed

If you tilt your head back when you have a nosebleed, you could make yourself sick and bleed more. So if you do this, you need to stop now, a doctor is warning.

Speaking on BBC Morning Live today, Dr Oscar Duke - who is a regular on the show - said that 'nosebleeds can be a real problem for people at this time of year'.

This is because inflammation can cause a nose bleed e.g if you got a cold, if you’ve been blowing your nose, or even .

Along with nose picking - a habit he strongly advises against - all of these can irritate the nasal passages and cause the blood vessels in your nose to bleed. "Most of the time it’s not hugely serious problem but it can’t be dangerous and a sign of an underlying medical condition", he said.

If you have the following underlying conditions, it could be the reason for your nose bleed:

• Deviated septum (bash to nose broken, narrowing or just born with it)
• Blood disorders
• High blood pressure
• Nasal tumors

Get medical attention when...

• You have a nosebleed the last for 20 minutes or more
• You have heavy blood loss
• You are swallowing lots of blood
• Your nosebleed is due to a blow to your head
• You have dizziness, bruising, or difficulty breathing

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Should I tilt my head back if I have a nose bleed?

Dr Duke said: "You get a lot of old wives tales, some good some not so good" - and tilting your head back is a major no-no.

The expert said that holding the bridge of your nose will not work and you need to stop tilting your head. He explained: "Putting your head back is definitely not the right thing to do as when you tilt your head back, the blood is more likely to go backwards and you swallow into your stomach.

"Not only is that unpleasant, but it can make you vomit and when you vomit there’s a thrust with that pressure which is putting pressure through the very blood vessels that you’re trying to stop bleeding".

When you vomit, this does the opposite of what you're trying to do and makes the 'bleeding even worse - so definitely do not put your head back'.

Another 'never do' treatment option to avoid is stuffing tissue up your nose. The doctor further explained: "Sometimes when people come to hospital with a very severe nosebleed that they cannot manage at home.

"It's then that we will pack their nose [with tissue]. But that should be done under only medical guidance." Because of this, you should never stuff "tampons, tissues or anything like that into your nose as you could cause more damage."

But what can help? "Sucking on a ice cube or a ice lolly will help to shrink down those blood vessels", he says, and this will "potentially stop it from bleeding quite so much - so this is a good one to try."