First Aid For
A Broken Nose

First aid for a broken nose!

A broken nose is a bone fracture in the bone over the bridge of the nose (duh!)

A broken nose is the most common of facial fractures. Most broken noses are caused by a blunt force blow to the nose. A speeding baseball would be a good example of this.

Sometimes a blow to the nose can cause the septum to separate (the wall dividing the nostrils). The symptoms can be the same as those for a fracture.

For serious injuries medical attention is immediately required but for minor nose injuries the doctor may ask to see you after the swelling has gone down. Swelling can last for up to 2 weeks.

This page is available as a PDF download.

You will need Adobe Reader to view this file. You can get it free here.

Symptoms

• Swelling
• Pain
• Blood coming from the nose
• Misshaped appearance (might not be immediately obvious due to the swelling)
• Difficulty breathing through the nose
• Bruising around the eyes

First Aid Treatment

• Broken noses require immediate medical attention.
• Have the patient breath through the mouth.
• Lean the patient forward in a sitting position. This keeps the blood from going down the back of the throat.
• Apply cold compress to the nose. Be gentle or have the patient hold the ice pack so that too much pressure is not applied.
• Take a pain reliever as needed.
• Broken noses can be painful and very frightening. When breathing airways are obstructed or the head is tilted back so blood goes down the throat a patient can quickly panic. Reassure the patient and do your best to keep them calm.
• DO NOT try and straighten a broken nose.
• DO NOT move the patient if you suspect that there might be a neck injury involved.