A break or crack in the bone or cartilage of your nose is a nasal fracture or nose fracture; basically a broken nose. The area that divides your nostrils, known as the septum just over the bridge of your nose is the area typically broken. More often than not, the cause is due to sudden impact. Broken noses frequently occur with additional facial or neck injuries. Contact to the nose during a contact sport, fight, or sheer clumsiness are typically the cause. Since the nose is a sensitive area, absorbing any kind of trauma often leads people uncertain if the nose is broken or nothing as severe. Today, we at ENT Specialists would like to briefly discuss a broken nose.
If you are uncertain that you or your loved one has in fact broken their nose, compare your symptoms with the following symptoms of a broken nose:
– In or around your nose there is a noticeable pain.
– The nose appears bent or crooked.
– Swelling around your nose or a swollen nose.
– Nose bleeds.
– A stuffy nose that won’t drain due to blocked nasal passages.
– Bruising around your nose and eyes.
– Rubbing or grating sounds or feeling when your nose moves.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, be sure to get medical attention immediately:
– Excessive nose bleed that won’t stop.
– Clear fluids draining from your nose.
– Difficulty breathing.
– A crooked or misshapen nose; Do Not try to straighten your nose yourself.
– If you suspect a head or neck injury.
Typically, a broken nose is derived from an accident of some sort; certain activities increase the likelihood and risk. Because children are still building bone mass, they are especially at risk of breaking their nose, increasingly so for those that engage in contact sports or rough housing. To help avoid the risk, it is encouraged to wear the proper head gear when appropriate.
When you see your doctor under the suspicion of a broken nose, the doctor will administer a physical examination. Along with a visual assessment, we feel the nose for anomalies. We will often ask you to come back after three days once the swelling goes down. In the event the nose break was severe, you will undergo either a CT Scan or X-Ray to determine the extent of the damage.
A broken nose that isn’t too extreme can be treated at home before seeing a doctor instead of the emergency room. Sit down and lean forward while breathing through your mouth if your nose is bleeding. Elevate your head to reduce throbbing pain, if your nose is not bleeding, apply a cold compress to your nose for 15 to 20 minutes 3-4 times a day to reduce swelling. To relieve the pain, take Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Motrin, or Advil to reduce the pain.
It is a lot easier to heal a broken nose within the first two weeks and to ensure there is no severe damage in the septum where blood can easily pool and require urgent treatment. Not all broken noses require extensive treatment but its best to consult a doctor to assess the extent of the broken nose. At ENT Specialists our doctors can evaluate the injury and present the most optimal treatment option. Contact us for all your ears, nose and throat problems.
