Broken Nose

A broken nose, sometimes called a nasal fracture, happens when one of the bones in your nose breaks or cracks. This often affects the bone that forms the bridge of your nose.

Many things can cause a broken nose. Sports like football or hockey, fights, falls, and car accidents are common causes. These accidents usually involve force to the face.

A broken nose is painful. It's also very common to have a nosebleed. You might see swelling and discoloration (bruises) around your nose and even under your eyes. Your nose might look uneven or crooked. You might also have trouble breathing through your nose.

Fixing a broken nose often involves getting the bones back in the right position. This can usually be done without surgery. A doctor will carefully realign the bones, and in most cases, this is all that's needed.

Recognizing a Broken Nose: Common Signs and Symptoms

A broken nose, also known as a nasal fracture, can be painful and inconvenient. Knowing what to look for can help you get the care you need. Here are some common signs and symptoms:

• Pain and Tenderness: You'll likely feel pain, especially when you touch the area around your nose. This discomfort can range from mild to severe.

• Swelling: Your nose and the surrounding tissues will often swell. This swelling can make your nose look bigger or misshapen. The swelling may also affect areas around your eyes.

• Nosebleeds: Bleeding from the nose (epistaxis) is a frequent symptom. This bleeding can be light or heavy.

• Bruising: A broken nose often leads to bruising around the nose and sometimes even around the eyes (the area under the eyes, the bridge of the nose or the cheeks). This bruising is a result of broken blood vessels under the skin.

• Deformed Appearance: Your nose might look crooked or misshapen. This is a visible sign that something may be wrong.

• Breathing Problems: Difficulty breathing through your nose is another common symptom. This can happen because of swelling or damage to the nasal passages. You might feel like one or both of your nostrils are blocked.

• Mucus Discharge: Some people may experience a discharge of mucus from the nose. This is a natural response to the injury.

If you suspect a broken nose, it's important to seek medical attention. A doctor can properly diagnose the injury and recommend the best course of treatment. Ignoring the problem could lead to long-term complications.

If you get hurt in your nose, get immediate medical help if any of these things happen:

• You also hurt your head or neck: This could mean a bad headache, neck pain, throwing up, or passing out.
• You can't breathe easily: If you're having trouble breathing in or out, seek help right away.
• You can't stop the bleeding: If blood keeps pouring from your nose, and you can't make it stop, get medical attention.
• Your nose looks different, not just swollen: If your nose is noticeably crooked, twisted, or deformed in any way that's not from swelling, get help right away. This might be a sign of a more serious problem.
• Clear, runny liquid comes from your nose: If you notice clear, watery fluid dripping from your nose, it's a good idea to see a doctor.

These are signs that you might need urgent medical care for your nose injury. Don't delay getting help if you notice any of these symptoms.

A broken nose is often caused by things like:

• Sports: Playing contact sports like football or hockey can lead to a broken nose if a player gets hit hard.
• Physical altercations: Getting into a fight can also result in a broken nose.
• Car accidents: A collision in a car accident can easily break a nose.
• Falls: Tripping and falling, even from a relatively small height, can cause a broken nose.

Sometimes, a broken nose can happen from unexpected situations. For example, bumping into a stationary object like a door or wall, or even rough play, such as wrestling, can cause the nose to break.

Activities that could lead to a broken nose are those that put your face at risk of impact. Here are some examples:

• Contact sports: Sports like football and hockey can easily cause a broken nose, particularly if you're not wearing protective gear like a helmet with a face mask. This is because a forceful blow to the face is a major cause of nasal fractures.

• Physical altercations: Getting into a fight directly increases the chance of a broken nose, as a punch or other forceful impact to the face is likely.

• Cycling: While usually safe, cycling can pose a risk of a broken nose if you fall and your face hits the ground or another object. Wearing a helmet can significantly reduce this risk.

• Weightlifting: Lifting heavy weights without a spotter puts you at risk of dropping the weight and causing a facial injury. A spotter helps prevent you from falling and injuring yourself.

• Driving: A car accident, even a minor one, can cause a broken nose if you're not wearing a seatbelt and your head hits the dashboard or windshield. Seatbelts help to keep you in place during crashes, minimizing the risk of injuries.

Essentially, any activity that exposes your face to a forceful impact can potentially break your nose. Taking precautions like wearing appropriate safety gear and using common sense can help prevent this type of injury.

A broken nose can lead to several problems beyond just the broken bone itself. Here are some things that can happen:

• Bent Nasal Wall (Deviated Septum): The wall that separates your nostrils is called the septum. A broken nose can push this wall out of place, making one nostril smaller than the other. This is called a deviated septum. Sometimes, over-the-counter medications like decongestants or allergy medicine can help manage some symptoms. However, if the problem is severe, surgery might be needed to fix the bent wall.

• Blood Clot (Septal Hematoma): After a broken nose, a blood clot can form inside the nose, particularly around the septum. This clot, called a septal hematoma, can block one or both nostrils. It's important to get this clot drained quickly by a doctor to prevent damage to the cartilage in your nose. Prompt medical attention is crucial.

• Broken Cartilage: If the force that broke your nose was very strong, it could also damage the cartilage inside your nose. Cartilage is the flexible tissue that supports your nose. A severe break might require surgery to repair both the broken bone and the damaged cartilage.

• Neck Injury: A powerful blow to the face that breaks your nose could also harm the bones in your neck. If you think you might have a neck injury, go to the hospital immediately. This is important because a neck injury can be serious.

Protecting Your Nose: Simple Safety Tips

Nose fractures can happen. Here are some easy steps to help prevent them:

• Buckle up! Always wear your seatbelt in cars, trucks, and other motorized vehicles. This helps keep you from being thrown forward in a crash, reducing the risk of a nose injury. Similarly, make sure children are properly secured in car seats or booster seats that are appropriate for their size and age.

• Gear up for sports! When playing sports like hockey, football, or any other contact sport, wear the right safety equipment. This includes a helmet with a face mask. The face mask protects your face and nose from impacts.

• Helmet Heroes! Cycling and motorcycling also require helmets. Helmets are crucial for protecting your head and face from accidents.

By following these simple safety rules, you can significantly lower your chances of breaking your nose.

Your doctor might gently touch the area around your nose to check for any problems. They might also look inside your nose to see if anything is blocking it or if there are any signs of broken bones.

To make the exam more comfortable, you might get medicine to numb your nose.

Most of the time, X-rays or other similar tests aren't needed. But if your injuries are severe, or if your doctor thinks you might have other injuries besides a nose injury, they might order a CT scan. A CT scan is a detailed picture of the inside of your body, and it can help your doctor see if there are any other problems. It's a more thorough way to look inside the body than a regular physical exam would allow.

A minor nose fracture might not need a doctor's visit. If your nose isn't crooked or noticeably deformed, applying ice and over-the-counter pain relievers might be enough.

However, if the broken bones and cartilage in your nose are out of place, a doctor can often gently reposition them. It's best to see a doctor within two weeks of the injury, ideally sooner.

To do this, the doctor will numb your nose. They might be able to push the bones back into position with their hands. If needed, special tools can help.

The doctor might put padding inside your nose (packing) and a bandage outside. Sometimes, a small, temporary splint inside your nose is also used. The packing usually stays in for about a week, and the bandage for up to two weeks.

Your doctor might also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection. Bacteria are naturally present in the nose, and an injury can create a greater risk for infection.

If the break is severe, involves multiple fractures, or has been left untreated for more than two weeks, surgery might be necessary. Surgery can fix the broken bones and, if needed, reshape the nose.

If the nasal septum (the middle part of your nose) is damaged, you might have trouble breathing through your nose. This is because the septum divides the nostrils. In such cases, reconstructive surgery might be recommended to repair any damage to the septum.