Nasal fracture - aftercare: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

P Your nose has 2 bones at the bridge of your nose and a long piece of cartilage (flexible but strong tissue) that gives your nose its shape.
P A nasal fracture occurs when the bony part of your nose has been broken. Most broken noses are caused by trauma such as sport injuries, car accidents, or fistfights.

T More About Your Injury
P If your nose is crooked from the injury you may need a reduction in order to put the bones back in place. If the break is easy to fix, a reduction can be done in the health care provider's office. If the break is more severe, you may need surgery to fix it.
P You may have a hard time breathing through your nose because the bones may be out of place or there is a lot of swelling.

T What to Expect
P You may have one or all of these symptoms of a broken nose:
- Swelling on the outside and on the bridge of your nose
- Pain
- A crooked shape to your nose
- Bleeding from either inside or outside the nose
- Difficulty breathing through your nose
- Bruising around one or both eyes
P Your provider may need to get an x-ray of your nose to see if you have a fracture. A CT scan or other tests may be needed to rule out a more serious injury.
P If you have a nosebleed that does not stop, the provider may insert a soft gauze pad called packing into the bleeding nostril.
P You may have had a nasal septal hematoma. This is a collection of blood within the septum of the nose. The septum is the part of the nose between the 2 nostrils. An injury disrupts the blood vessels so that fluid and blood may collect under the lining. Your provider may have made a small cut to drain the blood.
P If you need surgery, you will need to wait until most or all of the swelling has gone down. In most cases, this is 3 to 6 days after your injury. You may be referred to a special doctor -- such as a plastic surgeon or an ear, nose, and throat doctor -- if the injury is more severe.

T Symptom Relief
P For simple breaks, in which the nasal bone is not crooked, the provider may tell you to take pain medicine and nasal decongestants, and to put ice on the injury.
P To keep pain and swelling down:
- Rest. Try to keep away from any activity where you could bump your nose.
- Ice your nose for 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day. DO NOT apply ice directly to the skin.
- Take pain medicine if necessary.
- Keep your head elevated.
P For pain, you can use ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or acetaminophen (Tylenol). You can buy these pain medicines at the store.
- Talk with your provider before using these medicines if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or have had stomach ulcers or internal bleeding in the past.
- DO NOT take more than the amount recommended on the bottle or by your provider.

T Activity
P You can keep doing most daily activities, but use extra care. Try not to lift anything heavy unless your provider says it is OK. If you have a cast or splint, wear this until your provider says it is OK to take it off.
P You may have to avoid sports for a while. When your provider tells you it is safe to play again, make sure to wear face and nose guards.

T Self-care at Home
P DO NOT remove any packing or splints unless your doctor tells you to.
P Take hot showers to breathe in the steam. This will help ease stuffiness and break up mucus or dried blood that builds up after surgery.
P You may also need to clean the inside of your nose to get rid of dried blood or drainage. Use a cotton swab dipped in warm soapy water and carefully wipe the inside of each nostril.
P If you take any medicines nasally, talk to your provider before using them.

T Follow-up
P Follow up with your doctor 1 to 2 weeks after your injury. Based on your injury, your doctor may want to see you more than one time.

T When to Call the Doctor
P Call the provider if you have:
- Sudden numbness or tingling
- Sudden increase in pain or swelling
- Any open wound or bleeding
- Injury does not seem to be healing as expected
- Difficulty breathing that does not go away
- Any changes in vision or double vision

T Alternative Names
P Broken nose

T References
P Buttaravoli P, Leffler SM. Nasal fracture. In: Buttaravoli P, Leffler SM, eds. Minor Emergencies. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 33.
P Chi JJ, Alam DS. Facial trauma. In: Cameron JL, Cameron AM, eds. Current Surgical Therapy. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:1070-1081.

T Review Date 5/14/2016
P Updated by: Jesse Borke, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, Attending Physician at FDR Medical Services/Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Buffalo, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

T Related MedlinePlus Health Topics
- Nose Injuries and Disorders

