The most common fracture around your face is a broken nose. Did you know that men break their nose twice as often as women do? A broken nose can heal on its own in less than a month, but you might experience severe pain and complications. You could end up with a bent nose and have difficulty breathing in future. This is the reason why you should seek medical help ASAP if you think you might have a broken nose. Nose surgery or Rhinoplasty is often the optimal solution to correct a previously broken nose.
Dr Michael Kernohan is a specialist plastic surgeon in Sydney. Find out more about broken nose surgery and what to expect before and after the surgery.
A broken nose is called a nasal fracture in medical terms. It is a common injury that implies a rupture of a bone in the nose. This can cause a lot of pain, swelling and bruising around the nose or under the eyes. The most common symptoms of a broken nose include:
There are different causes of a nasal fracture. Most often, these fractures can occur during sports activities or as a result of car accidents, fighting, or falling down. Engaging in a contact sport like rugby or football is one of the most common causes of broken noses.
While a broken nose can heal on its own, the recommendation is to see a doctor at your local Emergency Department if you suspect you have a nasal fracture. There are many complications that can occur if your broken nose is not treated properly including:
In most cases, a nasal fracture is diagnosed by physical examination. This means that the doctor will touch your nose and face to see if there is a rupture or not. If you are in too much pain, an anaesthetic might be used to numb the area and allow the doctor to perform the physical examination. An X-ray is not usually required, unless your doctor suspects other facial fractures. In this case a CT scan might be necessary.
It is essential to get proper treatment to make sure you avoid unwanted complications associated with a broken nose. A nose splint, manual realignment or a rhinoplasty surgery might be necessary to correct a broken nose.
Cold compresses can be used during the first two days after the injury occurred to help reduce the swelling and bruising. Antibiotics can also be prescribed to help avoid infections after the fracture occurred.
There are two types of nose surgery procedures that can be performed to fix a previously broken nose.
The surgery performed to change the shape of your nose is known as rhinoplasty. It is done to reshape the nose when there are multiple fractures or if the injury to your nose has affected the shape. The procedure is also preferred when there is an obstruction in the air passage. This particular surgery can also be done for cosmetic purposes or to correct the birth defects of the nose. Dr Kernohan will create a customised plan for your surgery after taking into consideration your facial features
When there is damage to your nasal septum or it is torn, it may affect normal breathing through your nostrils and can also cause infection. The deviated septum is corrected surgically with a septoplasty.