What Causes a Nasal Fracture?
Commonly referred to as a broken nose, a nasal fracture is a break or crack in the bones in your nose, which are in the upper third. Contact with a fixed or moving object can cause a break. Contact sports (like hockey and football), household accidents, assaults, and motor vehicle accidents are common causes of a broken nose.
What Are the Symptoms of a Nasal Fracture?
Pain when touched, swelling of the nose and bleeding from the nose are common symptoms of a nasal fracture. If you have a nose injury accompanied by difficulty breathing, bleeding and a noticeable change in the shape of your nose, you should seek medical attention as it is probably broken.
To confirm a nasal fracture, your doctor will perform a physical exam. He or she will press on the sides of your nose and look inside your nostrils for signs of broken bones. An imaging test may be performed as well if your physician determines it necessary. Based on the severity of your injury a CT scan may be needed to assess your condition fully.
How Is a Nasal Fracture Treated?
The treatment for a nasal fracture depends on the severity. A minor fracture that has not changed the structure of your nose may not require medical intervention at all and will heal on its own. Larger breaks will require your doctor to reset the bones of your nose.
Most breaks can be reset in the office with numbing medicine. With the help of specialty instruments your broken nose is put back into place. An external cast will be attached to help keep your nose in place while the bone heals.
In severe cases, a short surgery may be required to re-align the structure. Delayed surgery after 6-12 weeks may be required if there is a cartilage break in the lower two thirds of the nose and/or the septum is broken further back in the nose causing breathing problems.
Call Aspen Facial Plastic Surgery at (801) 567-0516 for more information or to schedule an appointment.