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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of a broken nose may appear immediately or may take up to three days to develop. Signs and symptoms may include:
- Pain or tenderness, especially when touching your nose
- Swelling of your nose and surrounding areas
- Bleeding from your nose
- Bruising around your nose or eyes
- Crooked or misshapen nose
- Difficulty breathing through your nose
- Discharge of mucus from your nose (rhinorrhea)
- Feeling that one or both of your nasal passages are blocked
When to see a doctor
Seek emergency medical attention if you experience a nose injury accompanied by:
- A head or neck injury, which may be marked by severe headache, neck pain, vomiting or loss of consciousness
- Difficulty breathing
- Bleeding you can't stop
- A noticeable change in the shape of your nose that isn't related to swelling, such as a crooked or twisted appearance
- Clear, watery fluid draining from your nose
References
- Pope TT, et al. Maxillofacial and neck trauma. In: Stone CK, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Emergency Medicine. 6th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3101510. Accessed May 25, 2011.
- Fractures of the nose. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec21/ch312/ch312d.html. Accessed May 25, 2011.
- Ondik MP, et al. The treatment of nasal fractures: A changing paradigm. Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. 2009;11:296.
- Mendez DR, et al. Nasal trauma and fractures in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2011.
- Nasal fractures. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery, http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/Nasal-Fractures.cfm. Accessed May 25, 2011.
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