Broken Nose

A broken nose is the most common fracture of the face. It involves a break in the bone or cartilage over the bridge of the nose.

During play, sports, accidents, fights or falls there is a chance that you can break your nose. Sometimes it is hard to tell if your nose is broken. If your nose looks crooked and swells up it doesn't necessarily mean that it is broken. After a few days when the swelling goes down, it will be a lot easier to tell whether you broke your nose or not.

• Swelling of the nose.
  
  
• Pain in the nose.
  
  
• Bent or crooked appearance.
  
• Bruising around the nose and eyes.
  
  
• Nose bleeding or a runny nose.
  
  
• Nasal passage may be blocked.
  
  
• A cracking sound or feeling when the nose is rubbed or touched.

• Nose or sinus infection.
  
  
• A permanent change of appearance of the nose or tip of the nose.
  
  
• Drainage from one or both nostrils.
  
  
• Deviated septum (the septum divides the nose into two nasal passages).
  
  
• A large volume of blood in the nasal passages.
  
  
• A loss or change in the sense of smell.

• A physical exam by a medical professional.
  
  
• If there are other facial injuries or possible fractures, an X-ray or CT scan may be necessary.

An evaluation by a medical professional of a broken nose may be delayed until swelling has gone down, which may take several days.

• Immediate medical attention may be required.
  
  
• Have the victim breath through their mouth.
  
  
• To avoid blood going down the throat, the patient should lean forward in a sitting position.
  
  
• Immediately apply ice to the fractured area.
  
  
• Acetaminophen is recommended to relieve pain (do not use anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin).
  
  
• Do not try to straighten a nose that you suspect is broken.
  
  
• Do not move a victim if you suspect a neck injury.

• A large amount of blood loss.
  
  
• A nose bleed that will not stop (epistaxis).
  
  
• Persistent, clear drainage from one or both nasal passages (during a severe head injury, cerebral spinal fluid may start draining from the brain into the nasal passages).

Most nasal fractures do not require treatment other than controlling the symptoms and pain. Treatment is usually done within 7 to 14 days from a nasal fracture by a doctor straightening the bone or cartilage. If there is excessive damage to the nose, a nose job or (Rhinoplasty) may be necessary.