Some swelling is normal after a nose injury, and your nose may look
crooked. Home treatment can often help reduce swelling.
Medical evaluation is needed after a nose injury if:
- You have a cut or puncture in the skin over a
possible broken nose. Bacteria can enter at the site of a cut or puncture and
cause a serious
infection.
- You have a large amount of
blood in the nasal septum (nasal septal hematoma).
- Your nose is
severely moved out of its normal position.
- You have persistent
drainage from one or both nostrils. This may be caused by cerebrospinal fluid
(CSF) draining from the brain into the nose (CSF rhinorrhea) and can occur
after a head injury or after surgery on the nose or ears.
- You have
a nosebleed you cannot stop (epistaxis).
