New Way To Stop Nosebleeds

Q. I know a lot of first aid, but I’ve never seen anything like this home remedy. A few years ago, a co-worker suddenly developed a major nosebleed. I tried ice, pressure and all the usual treatments, to no avail. The bleeding had me worried.
A co-worker stopped, looked and said “Nose bleed, huh? Where are your car keys?”
I looked stupidly at her–car keys? Emmett handed her his huge key ring, she loosened the neck of his shirt and dropped the keys down his back. Within 30 seconds the bleeding stopped!
She said her grandmother had used this method for years. I’ve been thinking about it ever since and can’t find any logical explanation. If you have one, I’d sure like to read it!
A. Putting car keys down the back is the most bizarre nosebleed remedy we have heard. It makes no sense to us.
There is a new product on drug store shelves that should work reliably, though. Biolife recently introduced NosebleedQR for nosebleeds and UrgentQR for cuts and scrapes. Both contain hydrophilic polymer powder combined with potassium salt. In one small study, the product stopped a nosebleed in less than a minute for most patients.
Q. My husband is 79 with blood pressure of 114/60 and cholesterol of 186. The doctor says these numbers are great, but my husband doesn’t feel great. He is often lightheaded and too weak to enjoy playing golf. Is there anything he can take to raise his blood pressure?
A. Doctors used to believe that low blood pressure was a good thing. But new research published in the journal Neurology (Dec 23, 2003) suggests that older people with diastolic blood pressure below 70 may be at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. His doctor may want to consider a strategy that will help maintain a more normal blood pressure.
Q. My girlfriend is a vegetarian and I am on the Atkins diet. When we eat together, I have a lot of cheese, soy, beans, salad and broccoli, which is very low in carbs. But a lot of these foods give me heartburn and gas. The guys at work give me a lot of grief, so please tell me what I can take to relieve the flatulence.
A. A traditional gas and heartburn remedy involves ginger. Some cuisines include this herb to reduce flatulence, but you can also get relief by taking it as a tea or in a capsule. Fennel can also be helpful in this regard. You can find Beano or activated charcoal capsules in a pharmacy or health food store. Either will help against gas.
For bad heartburn, Prilosec OTC is the hottest new acid suppressor. Baking soda (half a teaspoon in 4 oz of water) is a cheap alternative for occasional use. Chamomile tea can be soothing. Chewing gum or sucking on hard candy stimulates saliva, which can also help.
We are sending you our Guide to Digestive Disorders with a recipe for de-gassing beans and other suggestions for heartburn and gas relief. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. G-3, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Q. Has Serzone been taken off the market in Europe because of liver damage? Do you consider this a safe drug at this time?
A. Europe and Canada have removed the antidepressant nefazodone (Serzone) because of the risk of liver failure. Sidney Wolfe, MD, of Public Citizen, has urged the FDA to “remove this drug from the market before more people are injured or killed.”