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Keys Down Neck Stop Nosebleed

Q. I have read in your column that people put keys down the back of the neck to stop a nosebleed. This is extremely unclear. What does “drop them down the back of the neck” mean? I interpret this as dangling them DOWN someone’s throat. Could that be possible? It seems quite a choking risk to me!

A. DO NOT put keys down your throat! They should go down the back of the neck under the shirt collar. Take a look at the photo on our Web site for clarification (www.peoplespharmacy.com).

A reader recently shared this story: “I am a teacher and students in my room get frequent nosebleeds. Our school nurse drops her keys down the backs of these students and it works perfectly! I have even done it in the classroom to avoid disruptions! I have had a 100 percent success rate!”

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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