Suspected broken nose

Your nose is swollen at the moment, so it may look worse than it really is.  We will not x-ray it as this does not affect our decision on how to treat you.  If your nose is clearly deformed an appointment will be made for you to see a specialist.  If your nose is swollen but not deformed, we will leave this to heal on its own.

 YOU SHOULD:

• Use ice packs (frozen peas in a cold damp towel) for 10 minutes, 3-4 times a day to reduce the swelling.
• Take tablets such as ibuprofen or paracetamol (both available from a chemist) to relieve the pain.

YOU SHOULD NOT:

• Blow your nose or pick at any scabs – it may start to bleed.

If your nose starts to bleed, you should:

• Sit down calmly in a chair, with your head down and a bowl in your lap
• Press firmly on all of the soft part of your nose, just below the bony part.  It will not help to squeeze the bony (hard) part.
• Press firmly and continuously, almost to the point of discomfort, for at least 10 minutes while breathing through an open mouth.
• Spit any blood in your mouth into the bowl
• If bleeding continues keep pressing on the soft part of your nose but also apply a cold compress to your forehead.  You can use ice wrapped in a wet towel or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in towel.  The cold compress will reduce the supply of blood  to your nose.
• If the bleeding continues for more than 20 minutes or you feel faint then go to your local emergency department, taking any medication you take with you.  It may be necessary to pack your nose with absorbable packs.

You should not swallow any of the blood or the clots as this will make you sick, as you vomit or retch your nose will bleed even more.

If after 3-5 days when the swelling settles you think your nose is deformed please contact us so we can arrange follow-up with a specialist.