Broken Nose' redirects here, for the Song by Catherine Wheel, please see Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve (album)

Adam and Eve is the fourth full-length album by the English alternative rock band Catherine Wheel. Released in 1997 , the album peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers and number 178 on the Billboard 200...

A nasal fracture, commonly referred to as a broken nose, is a fracture of the bone

Bone

Bones are rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue...

 or cartilage

Cartilage

Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...

 of the nose

Human nose

The visible part of the human nose is the protruding part of the face that bears the nostrils. The shape of the nose is determined by the ethmoid bone and the nasal septum, which consists mostly of cartilage and which separates the nostrils...

. Because of the protrusion of the nose from the face and the fragility of the bones of the nose, a broken nose is one of the most common facial injuries, comprising almost 40% of all facial injuries

Facial trauma

Facial trauma, also called maxillofacial trauma, is any physical trauma to the face. Facial trauma can involve soft tissue injuries such as burns, lacerations and bruises, or fractures of the facial bones such as nasal fractures and fractures of the jaw, as well as trauma such as eye injuries...

.

Causes

Nasal fractures are caused by physical trauma

Physical trauma

Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...

 to the face. Common sources of nasal fractures include sports injuries, fighting, falls, and car accidents.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a broken nose include bruising, swelling

Swelling (medical)

In medical parlance, swelling is the transient enlargement or protuberance in the body and may include tumors. According to cause, it may be congenital, traumatic, inflammatory, neoplastic or miscellaneous....

, tenderness, pain, deformity, and/or bleeding of the nose and nasal region of the face. The patient may have difficulty breathing, or excessive nosebleed

Nosebleed

Epistaxis or a nosebleed is the relatively common occurrence of hemorrhage from the nose, usually noticed when the blood drains out through the nostrils...

s (if the nasal mucosa are damaged).

Diagnosis

Nasal fractures are usually identified visually and through physical examination. Diagnosis may be confirmed with X-rays or CT scans, particularly if other facial injuries are suspected.

Treatment

Minor nasal fractures are allowed to heal on their own. Doctors may prescribe ice, pain medication, and nasal decongestants to ease discomfort during the healing process. For nasal fractures where the nose has been deformed, the doctor may attempt to realign the broken bone and cartilage pieces. This can be done manually, or, for more serious breaks, with an outpatient surgical procedure.