The nose has two bones at the bridge and a long piece of cartilage that give it its shape. When you break your nose, either or both of these parts can be pushed to one side. In addition, a nasal fracture can cause damage to the bones that join the nose to the skull. Below we review everything you need to know about a broken nose.
What Are the Symptoms of a Broken Nose?
When you break your nose, you may experience:
- Swelling on and around the nose.
- Pain when the nose is touched.
- A crooked shape to the nose.
- Bleeding from either side of the nose.
- Difficulty breathing through the nose.
- Bruising around the nose and eyes.
If you experience these symptoms, you should see an expert ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician right away.
Diagnosing a Broken Nose
To diagnose a broken nose, your doctor may gently feel along the bridge of the nose, looking for irregularities in shape and alignment, unusual movement of the bones, a rough sensation of broken bones moving against each other and/or tenderness.
They may order an x-ray or other imaging study to identify the severity of the broken nose and look for other injuries.
How a Broken Nose Is Treated
A broken nose may be fixed either manually or surgically. To fix a broken nose manually, a doctor will:
- Administer medication via nasal spray or injection to relieve pain.
- Open the nostrils with a nasal speculum.
- Use special instruments to realign the broken bones and cartilage.
- Apply packing to the nose to keep it in position, or use a splint.
- Prescribe antibiotics to prevent an infection.
If the break is severe or you wait more than 14 days to be seen by a doctor, surgery may be required to realign the broken nose.
At-Home Relief
If you break your nose, you should be sure to:
- Rest.
- Avoid any activities where the nose could be bumped, like playing basketball at Boone Jaycee Park.
- Ice the nose for 20 minutes every hour or two while awake.
- Take over-the-counter pain medications as necessary.
- Keep the head elevated to reduce swelling and improve breathing.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Blue Ridge ENT today.