Nosebleeds are no fun. Some of us have dealt with them since early childhood, and some people have never had even one. Getting your first can be pretty terrifying, considering there is simply blood leaking out of your face for no apparent reason. There are a couple of reasons a nosebleed (scientifically referred to as epistaxis), but they come in two types: anterior and posterior.

Anterior nosebleeds are the more common of the two, and are caused by irritation to blood vessels in the nasal septum. The irritation can be caused by aggressive nose blowing, dry air, or a poking finger, which then results in some of the blood vessels in the nasal septum breaking. A posterior nosebleed originates in the back or deepest part of the nose, and is far less common than an anterior nosebleed. These types of nosebleeds usually only occur in people with an underlying condition or who are taking drugs that interfere with blood clotting.

Check out the video to learn more about the nasal septum, and about how to actually stop the bleeding if you do suffer from a nosebleed.