No matter how sad it may be, every day patients with various bodily injuries come to the trauma centers of our country. A trauma such as a broken nose is quite common these days. What are the signs of this damage? What treatment is required for the victim? How long does it take to recover from an injury? We will try to find answers to these and many other questions in this review.
Nose fracture: causes and types
So what do you need to know about this? How to identify a broken nose? As a rule, this injury occurs as a result of a shock, fall or traffic accident. The degree of harm to health will vary depending on the severity of the injury. Most often, professional athletes, especially wrestlers, face such a problem.
According to localization, several types of fracture are distinguished:
- the back of the nose;
- nasal bone;
- nasal septum.
By type of damage, injury can be classified as follows:
- Closed fracture. With such damage, the integrity of the mucous membranes and skin is maintained. The injury is accompanied by the appearance of hematomas and severe edema.
- Open fracture. It is characterized by appropriate damage to the skin and mucous membranes. In the area of ​​injury, bone fragments may be visible.
Traumatologists also distinguish fractures with and without displacement. The latter type is considered the easiest option for treatment. The patient recovers very quickly after the injury.
Signs of a fracture
Let's dwell on this in more detail. How to determine a broken nose and what to do in the first place to help the victim?
Traumatologists distinguish the following symptoms:
- acute pain in the area of ​​damage;
- nose bleed;
- severe swelling in the cheekbones and eyes;
- subcutaneous hemorrhage and bruising;
- deformation;
- lacrimation
- impaired respiratory function.
The clinical manifestations described above are clear signs of a broken nose. In this case, the victim should immediately receive medical attention. Symptoms may vary slightly depending on the nature of the damage.
Open fractures are considered the most difficult. They are characterized by a wound surface from which fragments of bone stick out. In this case, the risk of infection is high. Such alarming symptoms as an increase in body temperature, redness of the skin, softening of tissues, and fever may indicate this.
A feature of a closed fracture without displacement is the preservation of the shape of the nose, without deformation. How to find out if the nose is broken in this case? The main signs of a fracture in this situation are hematomas, edema, small subcutaneous hemorrhages, pain, discomfort and ruptures of the mucous membranes. A clear sign of any broken nose is bleeding. With such an injury to the respiratory organ, it is usually very profuse. If bone fragments were displaced during the fracture, then this will be noticeable by the characteristic deformation of the nose. The presence of an injury of this type will be indicated by a shift of the septum, a curvature and a change in the shape of the respiratory organ.
In this case, it is important to distinguish a nasal bone fracture, the signs of which we described above, from bruises and other types of injuries. To do this, it is necessary to consider the clinical picture as a whole.
How to distinguish a fracture from a bruise?
What you need to know about this? Many are interested in how to determine a broken nose or bruise. In this case, the signs are quite similar to each other. However, there are some distinctive features. For example, if the nose is only injured and there is no fracture, then swelling will appear only along the edge of the damaged organ. Pain with bruises is quite tolerable. In the case of bone damage, the pain becomes unbearable, the patient may even fall into shock. Bruising with a bruise is not so strong and it is easily stopped by using special compresses and vasoconstrictive drops. Symptoms of a fracture and a bruised nose are similar. However, in case of bone damage, the clinical picture will be more pronounced.
Danger of this condition
Now that you know how to determine a broken nose, you need to figure out why it is scary. After an injury, a person must undergo a course of complex therapy with subsequent rehabilitation. Otherwise, pretty unpleasant consequences can occur.
These include:
- sinusitis;
- curvature of the nasal septum;
- chronic rhinitis;
- the development of infectious processes;
- violation of the function of smell;
- frequent nosebleeds;
- neuritis;
- anosmia;
- hyposmia.
The most dangerous complication after a nose fracture is infection. In this case, the recovery will be significantly delayed. If the injury also affected the bones of the skull and meninges, then meningitis may develop. The consequences can be quite deplorable, even a fatal outcome is possible. With severe hemorrhage, blindness may occur in the eyeball. If timely medical assistance is provided to the victim, the development of these unpleasant consequences can be completely avoided.
First aid
This issue should be given special attention. We have already examined what the signs and symptoms of a broken nose are. First aid should be aimed at relieving edema and pain. It is best to use a cold compress for this purpose. You can also attach ice to the damaged area. An important measure is to stop bleeding. To do this, the victim must assume a standing or sitting position. The head should be thrown back as far as possible, and the nostrils are clamped. After that, cotton swabs dipped in hydrogen peroxide should be placed in them.
If the nose fracture is open, then the injured surface should be treated with antiseptics. This will help prevent infection from entering the bloodstream. To relieve acute pain, an adult should be given one tablet of pain medication. This will reduce the likelihood of pain shock. After first aid, the victim must be taken to the emergency room. There he will be provided with professional medical care and appropriate treatment will be prescribed. Do not attempt to repair damaged bones yourself. Such actions can cause serious harm to the health of the victim and subsequently cause serious complications.
How to treat an injury?
Symptoms and treatment of a nasal fracture usually depend on the type of damage. As a rule, reposition is necessary. This allows you to restore the correct position of the fragments of the bones of the nose. Straightening and correction are usually performed under local anesthesia. The operation, depending on the severity of the injury, can be carried out manually or carried out using special medical equipment. To raise a sunken piece of bone, an elevator is usually used. There are severe clinical cases when the only way to return the nose to its previous form is rhinoplasty. The shape of the respiratory organ cannot be restored before the swelling subsides. This usually occurs 10-14 days after injury.
The further recovery process is conservative. As a rule, tampons with antibiotic formulations are placed in the patient's nostrils. The doctor may also apply a fixative dressing. It should be worn for two weeks.
Rehabilitation
What is she like? The recovery period, as a rule, takes place at home. During rehabilitation it is extremely important to eat right. A patient’s diet must include foods rich in calcium and iron. The basis of the diet, as a rule, is made up of dairy products, jelly, aspic, nuts, herbs, fish and seafood. For a full recovery after a fracture, physiotherapeutic procedures may be required.
Basically, patients are recommended the following procedures:
- Electrophoresis: helps stimulate tissue repair processes and accelerate the healing process.
- UHF: it has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, helps activate tissue regeneration.
- Infrared irradiation: normalizes blood flow and local metabolism. It also prevents the development of infection and has an analgesic effect.
Treatment duration
How long does a nose fracture heal? What to do to recover faster after an injury? The duration of the rehabilitation period will depend on the severity and individual characteristics of the patient. A full recovery can take from 2 to 6 months.
Is there any way to speed up this process? To minimize the risk of complications, the patient can adhere to the following recommendations of specialists:
- with a broken nose, sleep should only be on the back;
- for the period of rehabilitation it is better to refrain from visiting the sauna and bath;
- physical activity should be limited;
- should refrain from wearing glasses and other accessories that put pressure on the nose;
- it is better to take all drugs recommended by your doctor.
Fractures of the nasal bones represent a rather serious injury. Often they are accompanied by many complications and consequences, ranging from the appearance of significant cosmetic defects and ending with inflammatory processes in the brain. To avoid the appearance of such unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to consult a qualified doctor at the first sign of a fracture. Only with strict adherence to the doctor’s recommendations can a favorable outcome be expected.
Respiratory organ fracture in children
This issue should be given special attention. How to determine a child’s nose fracture? The primary diagnostic methods in this case will be approximately the same as in adults. In children and adolescents, a nose fracture is a fairly common trauma. This is due to age specifics. Due to some anatomical features, the nose is the most vulnerable part of the body, therefore it is especially prone to injury.
However, it is sometimes difficult to detect damage of this nature. How to determine a child’s nose fracture during an injury? It is necessary to evaluate the totality of signs indicating the presence of a fracture.
These include:
- Profuse nosebleeds.
- Strong discomfort in the damaged area. At the same time, pain can occur not only with physical impact, but also at rest. Due to age-related characteristics, a child cannot always tell parents how he feels. Therefore, you should definitely pay attention to such manifestations as screaming and crying.
- Inflammation of the mucous membranes and severe swelling.
- Bruising and swelling in the eye area.
- Curvature and deformation of the nose.
- Labored breathing. The first time after an injury, a child can only breathe by mouth.
However, similar symptoms can be observed with simple bruises. How to determine a child’s nose fracture? With a bruise, the pain goes away after a while. With a fracture, unpleasant sensations persist for quite some time. In addition, with a bruise, the child has difficulty, but can breathe through his nose. When a fracture is almost impossible.
What to do if a child breaks his nose? How to identify a fracture? The final diagnosis can only be made by a qualified doctor on the basis of a visual examination, x-ray results and ultrasound. To complete the picture, you may need to consult a surgeon, ENT doctor, ophthalmologist.
If, nevertheless, a fracture was diagnosed, then the first thing the doctor should give the child is painkiller. A cooling compress is usually applied to the injured area. To restore nasal breathing, drops that narrow the vessels are most often prescribed. To prevent further infection of damaged tissues, the doctor prescribes antibacterial therapy. In severe fractures, reposition of the nose may be required. This is a rather complicated and painful procedure, therefore, it should be carried out only by a highly qualified specialist. Reposition in children is usually performed under general anesthesia.
After a broken nose, the child needs special care. The length of the recovery period will depend on the severity of the fracture and the presence of other injuries. During rehabilitation should provide the child with peace, reduce physical activity. The use of glasses is prohibited for the duration of rehabilitation.
With proper treatment, the prognosis of a complete restoration of the functions of the nose after the fracture will be favorable. In the absence of appropriate treatment, improper bone fusion is possible. In this case, nose deformation and breathing problems in the future cannot be avoided.
Conclusion
How to identify a broken nose? This problem occurs quite often. The main causes of its occurrence are accidents and injuries. Damage of this kind occurs in people of any age. Especially often, nose injuries occur in special services, professional athletes, as well as in children and adolescents.
In this review, we examined in detail the signs and treatment of a nasal fracture. First aid for injuries of this type must necessarily include anesthesia and a cooling compress. To avoid unpleasant complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible in order to undergo the necessary course of treatment.