Anatomy
Only the upper part of the bridge of the nose, right next to the skull, is made of bone (the nasal bone). The rest of the bridge of the nose is made of cartilage (the nasal septum).
Cause
A direct blow can cause a fracture of the nasal bone. It can also cause displacement of the nasal septum.
Symptoms
Pain and swelling of the bridge of the nose. In the event of a fracture, there will be tenderness and often a crunching sensation when pressing on the top of the bridge of the nose (the nasal bone). Nosebleeds are common. If there is an accompanying headache or general malaise, one must consider whether the blow has caused a concussion.
I sjældne tilfælde kan der komme blødning i næseskillevæggen, hvilket medfører at næseskillevæggen hæver op og næsen stopper til (kræver akut lægebehandling). Hvis der opstår feber, tiltagende ømhed af næsen og tilstopning kan det være tegn på infektion, hvilket kræver umiddelbart kontakt til læge.
Examination
Any athlete who receives a blow to the head and subsequently complains of feeling unwell, visual disturbances or blurred vision should immediately stop playing sport and be taken for a medical examination. All head injuries must be taken seriously!
If a broken nose is suspected, you should see a doctor within 24 hours. If the nasal septum swells up and blocks one (or both) nostrils, seek urgent medical attention, as the cartilage in the nasal septum may suffer permanent damage. An X-ray of the nose is almost never indicated.
Treatment
A nosebleed is treated by pinching the nose. If the nose is broken and there is a deviation, it can be set within 5–8 days, once the swelling has subsided. In children, this must be done within 3–5 days. A broken nose without a deviation is treated by resting the nose until the pain subsides. Contact sports can usually be resumed after about 4 weeks.
Rehabilitation, specific:
Rest and take it easy until the symptoms have subsided. After that, you can gradually resume training, but you should stop if symptoms return, for example in the form of a headache.
Bandage
Special face bandages can be manufactured for use in case of nasal fractures, allowing sports activities to be resumed more quickly.