I injured my nose..........how do i know if its broken or not? i injured my nose while playing volleyball, when i injured it i heard like a crack sound. my nose looks crooked but i can still breath through it, i didn't bleed at all when i injured it eithe

The : The main issue when deciding if there is a nasal bone fracture is to determine if there is a new deviation of the nose. This can be complicated by the fact that there could be asymmetric swelling after the injury which can give the appearance of nasal deviation. Many times a stepoff of the nasal bones can be felt during an exam as well. In some cases an x-ray may help but in general i don't find this as important as the physical exam. If there is a fracture of the nasal bones it is usually best to have them repositioned within about 10 days of the injury (if you want it treated). After that time the bones begin to set in their new position and it is more complicated to straighten the nose once the bones have fully healed.

The : The nose being so prominent on the face is therefore most subject to trauma when participating in sports. Since the nose is somewhat pyramidal in shape and is supported by a septum composed of cartilage and bone (kind of like a tent pole) nasal trauma can i wise injury to one or both of these structures. Nasal bleeding after a fracture is most common. I have seen some nasal injuries without bleeding, however. A deviated nasal bone can often be moved back into position within the first 7-10 days by the ENT doc. A deviated septum from injury causing airway blockage usually requires surgery. I like to have my patients bring pre injury pix of themselves with them. Sometimes there is an unrecognized nasal deviation prior to this recent injury that would make my attempt to realign the nose in the office an impossible task. If a patient with a twisted nose wants it fixed by septorhinoplasty, i emphasize the need to make sure they are finished with competitive sports that have high incidence of nasal trauma potential.