Nasal fractures
The nose sticks out from the face. So it is the facial bone that breaks most often. The signs are swelling, a bend or a flat shape, bleeding, and difficulty when you breathe through one side.
Surgeons often set the nose back in place in the first week or two. They do this before it becomes stiff. The wall inside the nose is the septum. If the septum is bent and blocks the air, the surgeon can correct it too.
Frontal sinus fractures
The frontal sinus is an air space behind the forehead. A strong hit can push in its front wall. This can make a dent that you can see. The hit can also crack its back wall, which sits against the lining of the brain.
- A break of the front wall only, with no movement, often needs checks alone.
- A break that moves, or a break of the back wall, needs a surgical check. This protects against a leak of the fluid around the brain and against later sinus problems.