10 Broken Nose Symptoms
A broken nose, also called a nasal fracture, occurs in the bones forming the bridge or the cartilage separating the left and right nostrils. It is the most common facial fracture due to the location of the nose and the way it sticks out from the face.
Causes of nasal fractures include falls, running into a shutting door, car accidents, contact sports like football and boxing, and physical fights. A broken nose may be minor or serious. A minor nasal fracture can heal without treatment. However, a serious nasal fracture requires medical treatment, which may include surgery.
If you have a nose injury and are worried it could be broken, consult a doctor. Below are the 10 most common broken nose symptoms.
Symptom #1: Pain
Pain is probably the first sign of a broken nose, as indeed most injuries. This is because when nasal bones or cartilage break, they interfere with the normal structural and functional status of the nose and surrounding tissues. When this happens, the immune system goes to work in a bid to restore the tissues to their normal state. This leads to inflammation and pain.
Consequently, the pain can make it difficult to breathe through the nose. If you feel pain in your nose after falling or hitting it against a door, wall, or an opponent, you may need to visit a doctor for assessment. A broken nose will usually present with additional symptoms like swelling, bruising, and tenderness.
Symptom #2: Swelling
A broken bone causes blood and other body fluids to leak from the injury site into the surrounding tissues. The injury also causes inflammation in the affected tissues as the immune system reacts in response to the injury. Collection of body fluids and inflammation lead to swelling at the site of injury.
Swelling of the nose in addition to other symptoms like pain and stuffiness are indications that you have a broken nose. The swelling may also affect the areas around the nose, and together with the fracture may lead to the appearance of a crooked nose.
Symptom #3: Crooked Appearance
If your nose has a crooked appearance after a fall, an accident, or a fight, it’s almost certain that you have a nasal fracture. The extent of deformity may indicate how bad the fracture is. A deformed nose is usually the result of a fracture in the bridge of the nose, although other tissues like cartilage may also be affected.
The bend may affect movement of air through the nostrils, making it hard to breathe through the nose. This is more likely to happen if the cartilage separating the two nostrils is injured and swollen thereby constricting the nostrils. Other related broken nose symptoms include pain and tenderness to the touch.
Symptom #4: Nosebleed
A nosebleed is another symptom of a broken nose. As with other injuries, a nasal fracture can cause injury to blood vessels within the nose including capillaries and larger blood vessels. In case of injury to blood capillaries, bleeding is usually mild.
However, when larger blood vessels such as arteries have been ruptured, a serious nosebleed may occur, requiring immediate medical attention.
Symptom #5: Nose Tenderness
If your nose feels tender to the touch after a forceful impact on it, it may be broken. A blow to the nose destabilizes the tissues within and around it. This causes tenderness which is apparent when you touch it. Additional symptoms of a broken nose like swelling, blocked nostrils, and physical deformation will also be present.
Note, however, that although tenderness is one of the symptoms of a broken nose, only an examination by a doctor can ascertain whether it is broken or not. A superficial injury to the nose can also cause tenderness. For this reason, an X-ray or other form of imaging is usually required to examine the bones and tissues underneath.
Symptom #6: Bruising
A broken nose may cause bruising of the nose and its surrounding. It may even cause a black eye. This happens when the blow causes injuries on the skin. Bruising may only affect the top layer of skin in which case it can clear within a few days. More serious bruising may cause discoloration and lead to crusting of the skin within a few days.
As with several other symptoms of a broken nose, only a visit to the doctor can determine the extent of damage. In case the bruising is clearly superficial with no pain internally, you can wait for it to clear in a few days.
Symptom #7: Crackling Sound upon Touching the Nose
A crackling sound when you touch your nose following a hard blow could indicate that you have a badly broken nose. Severe pain, bleeding, and blockage of the nostrils may also be present. The crackling sound is produced by pieces of broken bone and cartridge. If it occurs days after the blow, crackling could also result from dried blood inside the nose.
In most cases, such broken nose symptoms are indicative of the need for medical treatment. You should, therefore, visit a doctor for examination and treatment. The examination will involve an X-ray to show the extent of the damage. The doctor will the determine the type of treatment that your nose requires.
If you suspect that you might have a nasal fracture, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible without manipulating the area too much. Do not attempt to put it back in place or reduce the fracture on your own, as it can result in further complications.
Symptom #8: Nasal Obstruction
A broken nose can lead to nasal obstruction in addition to the other symptoms. This can make it difficult for you to breathe through the nose. It may also lead to, or increase, snoring.
Nasal blockage due to a broken nose usually occurs because the cartilage separating the two nostrils is broken or injured in a way that it occupies the otherwise open airways. Injury of the cartilage can also lead to bleeding, internal swelling, teary eyes, and increased mucus production. All these contribute to the material causing nasal blockage. In the case of this symptom, visit a doctor for specialized care.
Symptom #9: Headache
A headache that begins after a serious blow to the nose may be a broken nose symptom. The headache may arise as a result of the force of the blow due to concussion. This type of headache begins soon after the blow.
A broken nose may also lead to a headache if the sinuses are blocked or infected. The nasal blockage can mean that the sinuses do not drain properly. When this happens, it can cause congestion in the sinuses and may even lead to sinus infections. Headaches arising from sinus congestion or infection will usually begin hours or days after the nose injury.
Symptom #10: Dizziness
Dizziness is described as a lack of balance or stability. It is a non-specific symptom that is associated with many conditions. For patients with a direct trauma to the head resulting in a nasal fracture, dizziness may appear shortly after.
It can be associated with head trauma itself or it can be due to blood loss depending on the magnitude of the fracture. Either way, it is important to sit-down to prevent falls and further injuries.
