How to Heal a Broken Nose

Nose injuries are fairly common. Broken noses occur with sever blows often from sports or automobile accidents. Symptoms of a broken nose include pain, bleeding, swelling, black eyes, crookedness and grinding of nose bones when moved. Once broken, there is not much that can be done, and often the nose heals on its own. Sometimes surgery is necessary to correct a deformity, but with initial attention and care the nose will heal correctly.

Instructions

• 1

  Ice nose immediately. This will bring down the swelling. Take acetaminophen to help with pain.

• 2

  Visit doctor as soon as possible. The only reason you should do this is so that your physician can check for a septal hematoma. This is when blood gathers in the divider of your nose, eventually killing the cartilage and causing your nose to collapse. It gets more difficult to treat as time goes on, so ruling this out soon after the fracture is a safe bet.

• 3

  Evaluate nose five to seven days after break when swelling has gone down. If there is a deformity you do not like and/or you cannot breathe, surgical intervention is recommended. You can either choose to do this right away, within ten days, or wait a few months for the fracture to heal and get cosmetic nose surgery. Sometimes, both options are necessary to heal a severe nose fracture.

• 4

  Wait it out. If your nose structure has not changed and you can breathe let the nose heal on its own. Nose fractures heal quickly and form a solid bond. Within three to four weeks the pain will subside and the fracture will be stabilized.

• 5

  Protect your nose. For four to six weeks after the fracture occurs, wear a protective nose and face shield while engaging in any rough activity. This will allow the nose to heal safely and prevent further injury.