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Fractured Nose

Complete list of fracture information

A broken nose is a fracture (crack or break) of the nasal bones. In most cases, there is also some damage to nearby nasal cartilage, particularly the nasal septum, the flexible partition that divides the left and right sides of the nose.

Symptoms of Fractured Nose

• Bruising, swelling and tenderness around the nose
• Nosebleed
• A deformed, twisted or crooked nose
• Blockage of one or both nostrils
• A deviated septum
• A bruise-like discoloration under the eyes

Treatment of Fractured Nose

If your injured nose is deformed or misaligned and you seek emergency treatment, the doctor may attempt to realign your nose immediately. This can be done with or without surgery. For persistent bleeding, the doctor may pack the front of your nose with gauze strips moistened with a salt solution or antibiotic ointment. If there is a bruise or blood clot on your nasal septum (a septal hematoma), the doctor will make a small incision to allow the blood clot to drain: A septal hematoma that is not drained can lead to permanent deformity of the nose.

If your injury seems to be less severe, your doctor may wait for a few days to allow swelling to subside before assessing thr situation. In many cases, the nose can be realigned within the first 10 days after injury in a nonsurgical procedure called a closed reduction. After that time, the realignment can be performed surgically with a rhinoplasty, which reshapes the external appearance of your nose. When the nasal septum needs to be repaired as well, the procedure is called a septorhinoplasty.