1. Hanging Out There
Given that your nose sticks out from your face, asking to be broken, it should not be a surprise to know that broken noses are the most common facial fractures. A broken nose accounts for roughly 40 percent of all nasal trauma. The nasal bones sit at the bridge of the nose. The rest of the nose is cartilage. Nasal fractures primarily involve the bones, but cartilage injuries are also common.
2. Raccoon Eyes
The most obvious signs of a nasal fracture are swelling, pain, blockage of the nasal passages, nose bleeds, deformity of the nose and black eyes. The black eyes occur because bleeding from a nasal fracture moves down the face towards the chin. However, just below the nasal bones is a sheet of tissue that is attached to the ridge of the cheek bone. This directs blood to the side where it can pool, form a bruise and appear as the typical "raccoon eye."
3. I Bwoke By Knose
Many broken noses require nothing more than ice to reduce swelling and a mild pain reliever like Tylenol. If the nose is quite deformed or if breathing is affected, an ears, nose and throat (ENT) doctor should look at it to see about straightening the nose and opening the nasal passages. However, many ENTs prefer to wait until swelling has significantly decreased. This may be a matter of two or three weeks. One injury that is an exception is an open nasal fracture. This is a fracture of the nasal bones that expose bones to the outside world. These need immediate surgical repair. Broken noses in a pediatric population require less surgery because the bones are more pliable and easier to manipulate and splint ("set").
4. Other Injuries
Nasal trauma need not include a broken nose to be a problem. Broken capillaries within the nasal mucosa, bruising of the cartilage and trauma to surrounding tissues can cause bleeding, pain, light headed feelings and even shock.
5. Initial Treatment
When a nose is injured, first apply ice to the nose. Sit the patient down, apply pressure by pinching the nose closed if it is bleeding, make the patient lean forward so that blood does not move back through the throat and cause choking, and be reassuring. Nasal injuries can cause significant anxiety because they involve facial structures and breathing is affected.
