Should I See a Doctor if my Nose Makes a Cracking Sound One Week After an Injury?

The rationale for evaluation by a reputable ENT is to ensure you do not have a septal hematoma - a collection of blood within your nasal septum that can lead to cartilage loss if it's not drained. If your nose looks and breathes well, there may be nothing to do. The cracking sensation may be permanent. Hope this helps. Dr Joseph

You should always schedule a visit with a board
certified doctor if you feel you have suffered any type of damage to your nose
because of an injury. This holds especially true if you are noticing something
out of the ordinary, like the cracking sound you have posted about. It is better
to be overly cautious than to risk having a problem, and it is always advisable
to seek treatment as early as possible. 

Dear klynng23,


If you injured your nose, it bled, and now you can feel cracking noses, you should get this checked out because you might have broken it

If it looks the same, that is great news, also check your breathing and make sure that it is improving

Seeing a physician after the injury can establish a cause and insurance would cover any residual issues (breathing problems, crookedness and broken bones)


Best regards,

Nima Shemirani

Great question. Typically after someone hits his or her nose, if it breaks it typically bleeds a lot from inside the nose, which sounds like what you are describing. However, we typically only do anything to fix it if the nose appears deviated or you are having new difficulty breathing. Regardless of those symptoms, if you have a septal hematoma, it is good to drain it to avoid it from causing infection or leaving a septal perforation long-term. The cracking sound you are describing could be secondary to the injury or could be normal. If I grab my own nose and move the tip from side to side, I hear what could be described as a "cracking" noise, and it's just the cartilages moving against each other. Either way in your case it's safest to get it checked out, and it should be checked out within the first week of injury, because if you need surgery, you only have 2 weeks or so from the injury date to get it done. Good luck!
-Dr. David Mattos, New York Plastic Surgical Group

 Nasal trauma of this magnitude can indeed fracture the nasal bones, septum and upper lateral cartilages. Its important to make sure there is no septal hematoma.  It's also a good idea  to get an x-ray to document any nasal fracture.

It sounds like you did, at least, break the cartilage in the end of your septum. However, it sounds like the shape and appearance of your nose has not changed. It is unlikely then that you will need any surgery to repair your nose. However, you should consult with an experienced facial trauma surgeon to ensure that you're healing properly.

Stephen Weber MD, FACS

If you hear a cracking noise when you touch your nose, especially after hitting it hard enough to cause bleeding, you may have broken the nasal bones or cartilages or both. If there is no change in the appearance or your breathing, it may be that no treatment is required. However, it should be evaluated to ensure that the nose doesn't need to be stabilized.

You may have sustained a fracture of the nasal bones or the septum.  It is a good idea to be seen by a rhinoplasty specialist. If the nose is significantly deviated now from a fracture, it can be straightened but would have to be done ASAP.