Should I see a physician for a possible fractured nose?

Hello, it is always recommended to see a physician if you have any suspicions your nose may be broken.  The physician can verify that and go by treating your condition.

Dear ...,I would definitely recommend you see a physician for your current condition as soon as possible. While the outer appearance of your nose may not look damaged, bleeding, swelling and soreness are all signs of trauma. There is a possibility of internal damage to the septum due to the impact, which should be examined properly for your well being. Hope this helps!Best Wishes,Dr. Ali Sajjadian

I think it's a good idea to see a physician. Even though your nose might not look broken the inside might need some attention. Your physician can make sure your septum isn't damaged and make sure there isn't a septal hematoma. Good luck! 

Most physicians will have you wait and see if any deformities arise once the swelling resolves.  You may have a septal fracture that may be visible on exam.  Look out for any nasal deviation that wasn't present before surgery. 

Anytime you have nose bleed after a nose injury it is wise to see a nose expert to make sure that you do not have a blood clot within the septum and document whether the nose is broken. A blood clot in the septum needs to be drained as soon as possible to avoid perforation of the septum. Swelling can hide a minor change in the nose after fracture which may show up later and if it is not documented the insurance may not cover, should the surgery become necessary later.

When in doubt, it is always best to go with seeing an expert and having things checked out. But I do understand that every time you have a bump or bruise you don't necessarily need a CT scan or a full medical work-up. So your question is quite reasonable, I believe. Thanks for asking.Your nose looks fine; your nose breathes properly. The swelling you described is not overly dramatic or you would have mentioned that. The "occasional brief migraine" may be more significant than you describe, but if you already have occasional migraines, then this too is of less concern, than if, for example, you have never previously had a migraine. If you were to see me I might suggest that self-treatment with an anti-platelet drug (ibuprofen) might increase bleeding and bruising more than it would reduce inflammation. But other physicians recommend ibuprofen even in the setting of elective cosmetic surgery, so that is not an absolute either. Just safe and my kind of precaution.So, if I'm being safe, proactive, and medico-legally rigorous, I might also suggest seeing a specialist. But honestly, unless your migraines don't go away, or if you begin to notice differences in nasal appearance or function, I don't think I would recommend you see a doctor. At least yet.Even if you had a CT scan or MRI scan that showed a nasal fracture, I wouldn't be able to do anything to make your nose "better" if it looks the same, and breathes normally. I'd just tell you to let me know if your nose became deformed in appearance, developed airway blockage, or those migraines became chronic or more severe.I've bumped my nose enough to make it bleed, too, and I haven't had it checked out by a colleague (and I can get a "free" curbside consult). But none of those other concerns were present. So be careful, and if you still have doubts (you asked the question for a reason), got see a specialist and put your mind at ease. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

I would recommend seeing a physician to evaluate your nose after the trauma you sustained to it 2 days ago.  Since you had bleeding, it is possible you have internal nasal damage.  You mentioned your nose does not look broken, which may be the case, but it is possible to still have a break of the nose without it obviously appearing broken.  

The most commonly missed injury after a nasal fracture is a missed septal hematoma. That is a blood clot in the nasal wall separating the two nostrils, and if left untreated can result in an eventual hole in the septum and a hissing sound when you breath. I highly recommend that you visit a rhinoplastic surgeon early on to check everything. A family physician may miss this, unless you remind them, now that you know. There are other things that can also be checked for , so definitely go in and see a doctor.

It is always a good idea to see a plastic surgeon if you took a good shot to the nose and you had a lot of bleeding.  Best of luck.

It is important to document for medical necessity the extent of the injuries to the internal and external portion of the nose. Trauma to the nose can result in a non displaced  or displaced nasal fracture and can also cause a deviated septum. The cartilages of the  nose can also be fractured off the nasal bones. Simple x-rays of the nose will help make the diagnosis along with examination and consultation by an ENT/ facial plastic surgeon. For many examples of broken nose repair in our practice, please see the link below