How can you tell if you have a broken or just a bent nose?

Broken nose: If you have just injured your nose, signs of a broken bone or septum may include: bleeding, trauma to the skin including laceration, bruising, swelling, bruising that extends under the eyes, pain and tenderness. The bony bridge of the nose may be displaced a little or a lot and somewhat mobile when touched. If you suspect a broken nose, you should seek evaluation with a physician.

Broken nose: If you have just injured your nose, signs of a broken bone or septum may include: bleeding, trauma to the skin including laceration, bruising, swelling, bruising that extends under the eyes, pain and tenderness. The bony bridge of the nose may be displaced a little or a lot and somewhat mobile when touched. If you suspect a broken nose, you should seek evaluation with a physician.

New from injury: If the nose has been bent a long time with no mechanism of injury then it is just bent. If you injured it and the bend came after then it is probably broken. Rhinoplasty can fix both.

Nose trauma: If the nose was straight before, then became crooked after injury, then it was broken. You can't bend the nasal bones ! note-- this needs immediate evaluation by ent. If surgery is needed then it needs to be done within a couple of weeks. Otherwise, the nose will heal crooked and require more complex later surgery to repair.