Broken nose

The nose consists partly of hard bone tissue and partly of cartilage. In a broken nose the bony part of the nose is broken and may have shifted. This is almost always the result of a hard blow, such as a blow or knock to the nose.

How does a broken nose occur?

A broken nose is usually caused by external force, for example in a (traffic) accident or during a contact sport such as boxing.

In very rare cases a broken nose occurs during birth. The bone breaks when there is too much pressure against the birth canal. This hardly ever happens because the nasal bone in a newborn has not yet fully turned into hard bone and is therefore still very flexible.

Symptoms of a broken nose

Symptoms of a broken nose are pain, a nosebleed, swelling and possible deformation of the nose. The swelling and deformation are often the directly visible effect of a displaced nasal bone. In addition, the nose can become blocked on one side. This happens when the nasal bone is displaced and thus blocks a nostril. Due to the internal bleeding, bruising can occur around the nose.

Risks with a broken nose

In severe cases, subsequent damage may occur as a result of a broken nose. An example is a collection of blood around the nasal septum. The nasal septum is made of cartilage and can be seriously damaged by this accumulation of blood and even die off. Without cartilage the nasal bridge can collapse and this results in a saddle-like deformity (saddle nose).

Other possible complications of a nasal fracture are (permanent) breathing problems and a reduced or complete loss of the sense of smell. There is also a greatly increased risk of an infection of the nose or the sinuses.

How is the diagnosis of a broken nose made?

The diagnosis of a broken nose is often made after a physical examination by the doctor. This can be difficult at first because of bleeding or swelling. The doctor looks for a possible deformity of the nose and will feel the nose to assess whether it is broken.

An X-ray is generally not necessary, unless there is a suspicion of damage to surrounding bones such as the eye socket or the cheekbone. A CT scan can be made to map possible deformations and to rule out other accompanying damage to the head. Think, for example, of brain damage.

Treatment of a broken nose

After assessment by the specialist, it may be decided to surgically 'straighten' the nose. This is done under local anaesthetic or if necessary under general anaesthesia.

In less severe cases a non-operative treatment is preferred. In this case the advice will be to use painkillers and cool the nose with ice cubes to reduce the swelling.