Can you break or crack your nose cartilage?

Thank you for your question! An impact to your nose is the most common cause of a nasal fracture. Your doctor can usually diagnose a broken nose by performing a physical examination. Since this will include touching your face and nose, your doctor may apply a local anesthetic to numb your nose before examination. I recommend consulting with an experienced board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck!

Septal cartilage fractures are possible and usually associated with less bleeding or bruising. The immediate point to be careful about is a septal haematoma as it may require evacuation to avoid damaging the septal cartilage further. This is the main value of a visit to an emergency department straight after the injury.
It is normal for the bridge to be sensitive for a little while after the injury and it can reflect also a small fracture with or without displacement over the nasal bridge.
Ultimately, the pain and tenderness will settle and the reason for surgery would need to be to manage problems related to breathing or external shape, or a combination of the two.

Yes. It is very possible to "fracture" the cartilage of the nose. Surgery is typically indicated if there is either a cosmetic deformity (ie. a change to the external appearance of your nose) or a functional issue such as difficulty breathing.  As swelling from a nasal injury can obscure the actual deformity if present or make breathing worse, it is often important to wait a period of time to evaluate whether there is indeed something that needs correction.  You should have your nose looked at by surgeon experienced at performing nasal surgery. Good luck.

You can absolutely injure or fracture the cartilage in your nose.  Common areas include your upper lateral cartilage or septal cartilage.  Typically, surgery is recommended if there is a persistent cosmetic deformity, nasal obstruction, difficulty breathing or other symptoms that would warrant correction.  A thorough evaluation by a plastic surgeon or otolaryngologist would help determine what procedure would be best suited for you, if any.

Hi Sophie,
Nasal trauma can disarticulate or knock the cartilage out of its normal place. It is also common for the nasal bones, which make up the top third of the nose, to be fractured. This type of injury usually accompanies some nasal bleeding, however. Examination with a qualified plastic surgeon is paramount to see if surgery is needed. Best of luck!

Yes, your nose cartilage and also bone can be broken by trauma. If nose is deviated or you feel difficult when breathing, or your shape is no longer as before, you should contact a PS to determine if you are in need of a nose job.Membar of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)

It sounds like you sustained a significant blow.  A complete physical examination would be helpful to determine what the best course of action will be.  If there is any compromise to your breathing or if you continue to see an external deformity of the nose you want corrected, see a facial plastic surgeon for evaluation.  Depending on your symptoms and his/her findings, surgery may be an option.

The middle third of the nose is cartilage and can be injured with trauma even without a fracture of the nasal bones . It can be repaired but there is no rush . If the symptoms do not resolve or there is a persistent unwanted change to the appearance it is worth seeing a specialist in consultation.

Both the nasal cartilage and bone can be fractured during nasal trauma. It can take many weeks or longer for all swelling and tenderness to completely resolve.  Unfortunately, you are out of the window where the bones would be easily placed back into their proper position. At this point, I would recommend waiting 4-6 months for the nose to heal. At that point, if you have nasal obstruction or a cosmetic deformity due to the trauma, surgery is an option.  With that being said, I would recommend an evaluation by a medical professional to assess your nose as well as neurological symptoms in the near future.

Hi Sophie Bowen,Based from your story, it is possible that you may have displaced cartilage or greenstick fracture of the nasal bone, usually, this causes bleeding, but that is not always the case. Sometimes, it bleeds just under the skin without breaking the skin and manifests as bruising. It will be best to see a doctor.