Could I have cracked my nasal cartilage?

If you had any bleeding after your injury then you have had a disruption of the nasal mucosa or a nasal fracture. You will need to be examined by a Board Certified Otolaryngologist or Plastic Surgeon that has expertise in this area. If there is minimal to no deformity and no septal hematoma then one can wait and do any reconstruction if needed at a later time. If there is any functional deformity then one can do septal reconstruction or rhinoplasty in 6-8 weeks after injury, but it is prudent to wait a little longer if possible.

It is really hard to tell what happened without a thorough examination. I would highly recommend you consult with a local facial plastic surgery expert or otolaryngologist so that a more accurate assessment can be made in person. Good luck with this.

   This may be of little concern, but you would need an exam to rule out a septal hematoma.  There is no really good way to evaluate this without pictures or an exam.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Hello,

Thank you for the question.  Its hard to know what injury you actually sustained but its is safe to say the you disrupted the mucosa inside the nose. You may have also fractured the cartilage of your nostril or the cartilage of the septum near the nostril.  If you can I would have a plastic surgeon take a look at it but honestly waiting for it to heal is likely the best course of action.

All the best,

Dr. Remus Repta

 It is possible to fracture the nasal bones or the septum.  Sometimes patients break only the internal portion of the nose and the nasal bones  remain straight.  It's important to make sure there's not a septal hematoma, which can only be diagnosed upon physical examination. If he deviated septum is the result of the injury this can be repaired at surgery if  the septum isblocking air flow out of the nose.

The two may or may not be related, but without an exam it is difficult to say.  A bump from a helmet should not cause internal problems.