Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

nose job
See 
rhinoplasty.
nose picking
Using the finger to remove debris
from within the nose. Compulsive nose picking,
known medically as rhinotillexomania, is common
among children.
nosebleed
Bleeding from the blood vessels of the
nose. The nose is rich in blood vessels and is situ-
ated in a vulnerable position on the face. As a result,
any trauma to the face can cause bleeding, which
may be profuse. Nosebleeds can also occur sponta-
neously when the nasal membranes dry out, crust,
and crack, as is common in dry climates or during
winter months, when the air is dry and warm from
household heaters. People have increased suscepti-
bility to nosebleeds if they are taking medications
that prevent normal blood clotting, such as warfarin
(brand name: Coumadin), aspirin, or any anti-
inflammatory medication. Other predisposing fac-
tors include infection, trauma, allergic and
nonallergic rhinitis, hypertension, alcohol abuse,
and inherited bleeding problems. Also known as
epistaxis.
nosebleed, treatment of
To stop a nosebleed, a
person should pinch all the soft parts of the nose
together between the thumb and index finger, and
press firmly toward the face, compressing the
pinched parts of the nose against the bones of the
face. The person should hold the nose for at least 5
minutes and repeat as necessary until the nose has
stopped bleeding, sitting quietly and keeping the
head higher than the level of the heart (sitting up or
lying with the head elevated). The person may also
apply ice (crushed, in a plastic bag or washcloth) to
the nose and cheeks.
nosocomial
Hospital-acquired. For example, a
nosocomial infection is one that is caught in a hos-
pital. Since antibiotics have come into common
usage, bacteria that are resistant to them have also
become common, especially in hospitals. As a
result, there are now many nosocomial infections.