Blood in your snot is usually from tiny blood vessels in your nose getting irritated or broken. It is often not serious, but sometimes it can be a sign that you should see a doctor.
Common harmless causes
The inside of the nose is lined with very delicate blood vessels that can break easily from minor irritation. Dry air, colds, flu, or allergies can dry out and inflame the nasal lining, so blowing or wiping your nose makes those small vessels bleed a little and mix with the mucus. Frequent or forceful nose blowing, nose picking, or using drying nasal sprays/decongestants can also cause streaks of blood in otherwise normal snot.
When it can be more serious
Sometimes blood in mucus is linked to sinus infections, where inflamed, congested sinuses irritate the nasal lining and cause minor bleeding. Less commonly, structural problems (like a deviated septum or nasal polyps), blood- thinning medicines, high blood pressure, or clotting disorders can make bleeding more frequent or harder to stop.
Red flags to seek urgent care
See a doctor or urgent care quickly if:
- The bleeding is heavy, you’re swallowing or coughing up a lot of blood, or it will not stop after 10–15 minutes of firm pressure on the soft part of your nose.
- You also have chest pain, trouble breathing, severe headache, recent significant injury to your face/head, or you are on blood thinners and the bleeding is new or worse.
Self-care you can try
If the blood is just light streaks and you otherwise feel okay, you can:
- Use saline spray or rinses and a humidifier to keep your nose moist, and avoid blowing too hard or picking your nose.
- Stop or limit over-the-counter nasal decongestant sprays if you are using them a lot, and switch to saline unless a doctor tells you otherwise.
Why seeing a doctor can help
A clinician can look inside your nose, check for infection, polyps, or structural issues, review your medications, and order tests if a clotting problem or lung issue is suspected. If this is happening often, the blood amount is more than just small streaks, or you feel dizzy, weak, or short of breath, getting medical evaluation soon is important even if you feel unsure.