Rhinoplasty: Q&A
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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?
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31 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
Eva S
in Seattle, WA
+4
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...
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+3
Broken nose?
Besides obviously having a crooked nose after nasal trauma, patients may have broken their nose and have more subtle findings. One good indication that you may have broken your nose is if you had a bloody nose immediately after a particular nasal trauma event. The reason why, is the nasal bones blood supply is provided by a structure called the periosteum. This structure surrounds the nasal bone and is as thin and fragile as tissue paper. So when the bone fractures,the periosteum overlying...
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+3
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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+3
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...
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+2
Broken nose?
Here are a few tips to figuring out whether nor not you broke your nose. One or more of them should get you to see a facial plastic surgeon:
With the swelling gone, about 7 days, it looks different.
It is crooked now and was not before your less than friendly encounter.
It still hurts 7 days after the injury
You heard a crack and it bled
You can feel an irregularity in the bones that was not there before
You have bump in your nose that you...
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+2
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...
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+2
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...
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+2
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...
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+2
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.
+1
Broken nose
Broken noses are not always obvious on exam or even x-rays. Generally, if your nose looks different, more crooked or flattened, and is sore for several weeks, that is a good indication. Other signs are new nasal obstruction or bleeding from the nose at the time of the trauma.
+1
Broken Nose Diagnosis and Treatment
Thanks for posting this great question. If you go to an ER, they may do X-rays. In some cases, these will show a fracture in the nasal bones. However, X-rays are not really necessary and will miss some fractures -- including fractures of the septal cartilage. The best way to assess for a broken nose is physical exam by a nose surgery specialist. If the nose bones are mobile or deviated, or if there is air under skin (making a crackling sound when touched), these are indicative of a fracture....
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+1
Nasal Fracture Diagnosis
Nasal fractures are very common. Many 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 (broken) may not be that important. If it still looks good, and your breathing returns to normal, it doesn't require any treatment. It is possible to fracture the cartilage which may not show up until months later when everything...
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+1
Nose Fractures are Accompanied by Bruising, Swelling, Bleeding, Distortion, Deviation & Difficulty Breathing
Nasal fractures occur frequently following facial trauma. In many cases, fractures are accompanied by bruising, swelling, bleeding, distortion of nasal structure, deviation of the nose, and difficulty breathing through the nose.
In many cases, the diagnosis of a nasal fracture is relatively simple. Some patients have obvious deformities such as nasal flattening or significant nasal deviation, which makes the diagnosis obvious. In other cases, the diagnosis of a nasal fracture can be very...
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+1
How Do I Know if my Nose is Broken?
There are obvious signs and subtle signs of a fractured nose. If is twisted, deviated, mobile, or flattened then it is probably broken. If it is swollen, it may be broken and X-ray studies may help in the diagnosis. If there is an immediate nosebleed after trauma then it is probably broken
+1
Advise for nasal trauma
The three things to consider with a possible broken nose are:
1) Is there a change to the shape of your nose?
If there is obvious deformity (other than swelling), there has probably been a nasal fracture and you’ll need to see a facial cosmetic surgeon. Many times this will not become evident until the swelling (edema) has abated. If you ice the nose 20 minutes each hour, usually you will be able to tell in 5 days.
2) Is breathing through your nose negatively...
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San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
Form and function following rhinoplasty.
The 2 key issues following isolated nasal trauma are a) Is the nose deformed? and b) Is nasal obstruction present? A physical examination by a qualified nasal surgeon is recommended at 1 to 2 weks following trauma if either of these findings are present.
Mario. J. Imola, MD, DDS, FRCSC.
+1
Evaluating a nose for a possible fracture
Identifying a broken or fractured nose is not always straight forward.
1. If there is obvious displacement then it is most likely fractured. You should definitely see a nose surgeon if this is the case because a simple closed reduction (manipulation to re straighten the nose) may then be necessary.
2. An xray may or may not always pick up a broken nose because the nasal bones are small and sometimes it may just be cartilage that is fractured and this usually...
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+1
How Do I Know if my Nose is Broken
The main sign would be epistaxis or nosebleed. Next there would swelling and pain or disfigurement. It is important for the emergency physician to examine inside the nasal passages and look for a septal hematoma and if present then drain it immediately. An x-ray is virtually a worthless study and a CAT scan of the facial bones should be done to look at the nose and surrounding facial bones. If there are fractures the swelling should be allowed to subside and then reduction...
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+1
A Broken Nose - How Do I Know?
Anytime you have nasal bones that are broken you will have a nasal bleed. If you do have a nasal bone that is broken it is almost impossible not to have a nasal bleed.
+1
Broken nose is usually a clinical diagnosis.
It is possible to crack the bones of the nose traumatically and have them remain stable. Usually no treatment is needed. If the bones are displaced, however, it is generally determined by the surgeon clinically. X-rays can be deceptive but occasionally may be of help.
+1
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...
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+1
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...
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+1
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
+1
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...
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+1
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.
+1
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...
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+1
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...
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+1
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...
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+1
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!
+1
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.
+1
By a simple x-ray
In order to determine if your nose is indeed broken, your physician will have to order an x-ray to visualize the position of your nasal bones.
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