Nosebleeds

[powerhawk]

Every once in a while I get a nosebleed, and I think it's related to lifting. Usually it happens after deadlifts.

Is this something worth fretting over?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Never fret, my child. Many people have nosebleeds when lifting, and it is not usually associated with leukemia or any other life-threatening situation. They will usually get less frequent with time, unless you're doing something to aggravate the situation like living in Arizona. If it is a problem for much longer, get your nose looked at by a ENT specialist, not your GP who will just tell you to quit lifting weights.

[JakePatrick]

Powerhawk,

This may or may not be relevant to your condition, but if I've had FAR too much caffeine before training, I am sometimes prone to nose bleeds. "Far too much" is somewhere in the range of 9 - 15 shots of espresso. For me, a faster-than-usual heart beat and a lower-than-usual amount of energy are precursors to a bloody nose while training. Interestingly, as I have gotten stronger and accrued more time under the bar, this issue has disappeared.

Just keep training hard, and if the problem doesn't stop, make sure you clean up. And don't point to it and ask people if they think it's cool, too. They don't.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The gym owner will not think it's cool.

[powerhawk]

It doesn't happen when I'm lifting, not yet anyway.

It usually happens during the night after or a day later.