Nose Emergency

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Overview & Considerations

A fractured nose is the most common facial fracture. It usually results from a blunt injury and is often associated with other facial fractures. The bruised appearance usually disappears after 2 weeks.

Nose injuries and neck injuries are often seen together because a blow that is forceful enough to injure the nose may be hard enough to injure the neck.

Serious nose injuries cause problems that require immediate professional attention. However, for minor nose injuries, the doctor may prefer to see the victim after the swelling subsides.

Nosebleeds are very common. A nosebleed may be caused by trauma such as nose picking, forceful nose blowing, direct impact to the nose, and other situations. A nosebleed may also be caused by irritation or dryness of the lining of the nose, which may occur with low humidity and dry environment, allergic rhinitis, colds, or sinusitis. Deviated septum, foreign objects in the nose, or other nasal obstruction may also cause nosebleeds.

Most nosebleeds occur on the tip of the nasal septum, which contains many fragile, easily damaged blood vessels. More rarely, nosebleeds may occur higher on the septum or deeper in the nose. These higher or deeper nosebleeds may be harder to control.

Occasionally, nosebleeds may indicate other disorders such as bleeding disorders, use of aspirin or blood thinners, hypertension, or arteriosclerosis. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (also called HHT or Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome), a disorder involving a vascular (blood vessel) growth similar to a birthmark in the back of the nose, may be evidenced by nosebleeds.