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Nose Injury/Fracture?

asked 11 months ago by Francie7 in Ireland
Latest answer by Etai Funk, MD
Question viewed 349 times
Tags: breathing, injury, misaligned, septum

On tuesday night I had a head-on-collision playing football that resulted with a misalignment of my nose, went to the minor injury clinic yesterday to have it looked at by the Doctor and he referred me to the ENT but I know its definately out of position because my air passage doesn't feel the same when breathing, its swelling a bit but I've no pain I tried pressing on it and I could hear abit of clicking?So all said what kind of injury have I gotten and should this be a straight forward repair

8 answers to Nose Injury/Fracture?

+2

Nose Injury/Fracture?

From your discriptions, it sound like fracture but need to be examined. You don't need to waste money on CT scan. If your nose is displaced, it is a fracture, either of nasal bones or nasal cartilages displacement or both. Can be corrected right away with closed reduction or open reduction after several weeks when swelling subsided.
Mohsen Tavoussi, MD, DO

Huntington Beach Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Sounds like it

Hearing a crack, significant bleeding and immediate deformity all suggest this is likely a fracture. You have 7-10 days to have it "set," which significantly improves the appearance and function of the nose. This repair is relatively straightforward. If you allow that time window to elapse, don't despair, it is still fixable. Most surgeons would prefer to wait until 6 weeks after the injury in that case in order to repair the fracture and improve your... more
Colin Pero, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drpero.com

+2

Repairing a fractured nose

Visible misalignment, swelling and bleeding all indicate that it is a pretty good bet that a nose is broken. However, a physical exam is needed and preferably a CT scan in order to confirm a nose fracture and determine how serious the injury is. The best time to fix a broken nose is in the first 24 hours. After that, excessive swelling and inflammation will prevent intervention again until it settles down after about a week. If you think your nose is broken you... more
Adam Hamawy, MD

Westchester Plastic Surgeon
+1

Nasal bone fracture

It sounds as though you have a nasal bone fracture and that your septum (the wall separating the two sides of your nose) has deviated. You will likely first need a closed reduction of your nasal bones. This will place your nasal bones back into position. If you continue to have nasal airway obstruction, you may require a septoplasty and nasal airway surgery. I hope that helps.
Etai Funk, MD

Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.funkfacialplastics.com

+1

Nasal fracture will most likely require a Rhinoplasty

From what you are describing, it does sound like you have a nasal fracture of your nasal bones at the very least. The inside, of the nose, should be examined to rule out a septal hematoma which will obstruct the nasal passages and breathing but if left unattended could cause cartilage damage and nasal collapse. An experienced ENT surgeon can do the exam. IMHO, I would avoid a closed nasal reduction because it's not only uncomfortable but the likelyhood of moving... more
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Early treatment of nasal fractures

Nasal fractures and nasal septal fractures can be treated early and potentially avoid the need for any further surgery down the line. The key is to get in to a surgeon early and to get in to someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to closed reductions. For the most part, these operations are damage control operations and will still require you to have further treatment in the future. However, we know that since you cannot breathe well now, the only hope of... more
Jay Calvert, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Nasal fracture

Hi Francie. It sounds like there is a good chance that you have fractured your nose. However, an exam is required to make that diagnosis. Your description of misalignment and audible clicking with palpation (pushing) suggests a structural injury to the bones and/or cartilage. Your difficulty breathing may be partly due to swelling which will resolve with time. In many cases, a misaligned nose may be reduced by a nasal surgeon without more complicated surgery. That is typically done either... more
James M. Pearson, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

How to tell if nasal injury is a fracture

The best method to diagnose a nasal fracture is via a clinical exam. If the external nasal structure (bone and/or cartilage) is newly deviated (accounting for tissue swelling) then there is a fracture. This is easier to diagnose, obviously, in the earlier stages after the injury before the swelling really sets in. I don't typically recommend any imaging studies (x-ray or CT scan) as this doesn't usually add much information for uncomplicated nasal trauma. Sometimes the... more
Thomas A Lamperti, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

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