Understanding Broken Nose Symptoms: Causes, Pain & Treatment

A broken nose or nasal fracture occurs when one of the bones in the nose is cracked, which usually occurs as the result of high impact trauma. A broken nose is likely lead to several common symptoms.

Pain

• A broken nose is usually accompanied by severe pain at the site of the break. Tenderness and pain may persist if the nose is disturbed by vibrations or touched.

Swelling

• A broken nose often results in a high degree of swelling around the nose and may result in bruising, causing the area around the nose to become discolored.

Shape

• A broken nose can result in an obvious or subtle change in the alignment and shape of the nose. In some cases the nose may have to be physically realigned.

Respiration

• A nasal fracture may lead to difficulty breathing through one or both nostrils. Difficulty breathing through the nose that persists should be addressed by a doctor.

Bleeding

• A nose break is likely to be accompanied by nasal bleeding, which may be profuse and can originate from a break in the skin instead of coming only from the nostrils.