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How Do I Know if my Nose is Broken?

Ok, i got in a little scuffle and my nose is hurt and swollen - how do I know if it's broken?

Tags:

crooked

Wait for the swelling to go down

If the nose did not bleed, it is probably not broken. Wait for the swelling to go down (a few weeks) and if you think the nose looks the same, do nothing. You save money and time.

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Toby Mayer, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Nasal fractures are only impotant if they block your breathing or change appearance

It actually doesn't matter if a X-ray shows a fracture: it only needs treatment if your nasal shape has changed or your breathing is now blocked. You would be wise to get examined so that someone can look inside and see that the internal nose is OK. Then wait a few days and see how your appearance and breathing are. Good luck.

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Mark B. Constantian, MD

Nashua Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Possible broben nose

It can actually be very difficult to tell if a nose is broken. Obviously if the nose is way off to one side it probably was broken, if it is severely flattened and depressed it is probably broken, and if the bones move it is broken. However if the nose is generally swollen and basically in the middle it is hard to tell. Even x-rays can be deceptive at this time. I always tell patients like this to wait 10 days and then reevaluate . By then enough swelling should be gone to tell... more

Richard Galitz, MD

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

Nasal Fracture

Diagnosis of nasal fracture is typically best performed by an in person evaluation with an experienced physician in nasal anatomy. The physician can palpate your nose, examine the inside of your nose with anterior rhinoscopy, and order additional studies if necessary. While a plain x-ray is sometimes required by an insurance company for diagnosis, there is little to no diagnostic value in ordering this. An experienced nasal surgeon can: Determine the location of... more

Anil R. Shah, MD

Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon

Best time to examine/reduse nasal bones is 7 days post injury

Nasal fractures are very common. Many young children fracture their noses and don’t even know it. As an adult if you sustain a nasal fracture you can expect significant swelling and bruising within a few hours of the injury. Whether or not your nose is fractured may not be that important. If it still looks good, your breathing returns to normal and you have no other symptoms, fractured or not it doesn't require any treatment. I recommend seeing an ENT surgeon 1 week after the... more

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Thomas Buonassisi, MD

Vancouver Facial Plastic Surgeon

Enough nonsense. Plain x-rays are pointless.

Please ignore the advice to get an x-ray of your nasal bones. It's nonsense! The only role for x-rays might be if there were concern about fractures other than the nasal bones (e.g., the orbits, mandible, maxilla, etc.) but then in those cases a maxillofacial CT scan is better. So assuming that the only concern is a nasal fracture, here's why x-rays are a waste of time and money: 1) if the nose is obviously crooked when the swelling subsides (and wasn't crooked before), then you know it's... more

David C. Pearson, MD

Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon

Nasal Fracture? How Do You Know if Your Nose is Broken?

Hi Joe Joe, If you had trauma to your nose and have new difficulty breathing, it is important to be examined to make sure that you do not have a nasal septal hematoma (which could destroy your nasal cartilage, resulting in a "saddle nose" deformity). If your nose is off to one side of your face like a Picasso, and not swollen yet, it can be reset, but don't wait too long because swelling is on its way. Once the nose is swollen, you should wait 5 days and then be evaluated by a... more

Michael A. Persky, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

There are several cardinal signs of a broken nose.

Here are the signs (things you can see) and symptoms (things that you sense or feel) of a broken nose. When there is a broken nose, not all may necessarily present. The signs of a broken nose include: A change in shape. Often, a change in breathing Bruising and swelling typically occur also Possible bleeding from inside the nose With respect to the clicking, you may have had the clicking before, but... more

Robert Kotler, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Diagnosing a Nasal Fracture

In any case where trauma to the nose has occurred it is possible that the nose has been fractured. Many times it is difficult to determine if a fracture has occurred until swelling has subsided. I would recommend seeing a nasal surgeon quickly to make sure you do not have a serious problem such as a septal hematoma. Then you could be re-examined a week to ten days later to reassess the nasal appearance and the position of the nasal septum. If your nose and septum appear normal, great! If... more

Jon F. Harrell, DO

Miami Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Is your nose broken?

Is it crooked is there a new bump or hump has the swelling gone down (4-7 days) x rays don't matter or help has your breathing changed after the swelling if it is straight and you can breath then it doesn't matter if its broken or not

Jed H. Horowitz, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

How to treat a broken nose

Here is my take on broken noses: A nose can be technically broken but not have outward or inward deformity and not cause any cosmetic or functional change: You look the same (after the swelling goes down in a week) and you have no change in nasal breathing. Thus, regardless of an x-ray finding, nothing needs to be done. If there is an obvious deformity or difficulty breathing after a week, then further treatment is indicated.

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Philip Miller, MD

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

Nasal Fracture, Is my nose broken?

The best idea is to see a board certified plastic surgeon after injury to determine if your nose is broken. I agree that plain x ray films are not helpful. CT images can be very accurate but are probably unnecessary. Pain, bruising, epistaxis (nose bleeds), obstruction, change in shape may or may not be present. The bottom line is that patients and surgeons generally (but not always) need to allow swelling to diminish before decisions about intervention can be made... more

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Todd Christopher Hobgood, MD

Phoenix Facial Plastic Surgeon

Common Sense Approach to Nasal Fracture

What we all like from our nose is something that looks great and functions properly. CAT scans and X-rays will tell you lots about the bone and soft tissue, but a broken nose that works great and looks great needs no treatment. In fact, if it looks and works great, treatment could be counter-productive. If you think you broke your nose, have it examined immediately to rule out a hematoma. A hemotoma can cause a lot of damage to your nose if not drained early... more

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Louis W. Apostolakis, MD

Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon

See a board certified plastic surgeon

Hi, Thank you for your question. If your nose has changed shape or been deformed, then it is possible that it is broken. You may have to wait until the swelling goes down to tell for sure. Otherwise, an X-ray may be necessary. Also, if your nose bled significantly after being injured, that is a pretty good indicator for a broken nose. Make sure you see a plastic surgeon as soon as you can since his experience is invaluable in helping you diagnose a problem early on. I hope that helps. Have... more

Sam Speron, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Your nose may be broken if...

A bump on the nose with swelling may well result in a fracture and the fracture may be very subtle and only appear on an x-ray. Most often nasal fractures go undiagnosed, individuals fall, get bumped, get hit, etc. The result is swelling, stuffiness and a little bruising, some tenderness, and not much esle to show for it. When evaluated in the emergency room the x-ray will show the fracture and patients will then see us in the office to find out what must be done. If the nose shows any... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD

Des Plaines Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Go to an expert on rhinoplasty.

Correcting a broken nose can be simple in the first few days, if it looks lopsided or different than it was before , it may be broken. See a nose specialist. You may need an Xray == but the exam by the expert should give you a good idea.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Broken nose diagnosis

The best way to know if the a nose is broken is to see a nasal surgeon. But short of this, if the nose has changed shape or if it feels unstable when you move it, it is most likely broken. At this point, you should get to a surgeon within a week so they can plan a closed reduction procedure, which will help to reset the bones. This is your best chance of avoiding a formal rhinoplasty down the road. Good luck!

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