Hello doctor, My nose got hit about a week ago and I got a bloody nose. Usually, when I get bloody noses I just leave it and it heals by itself but this time was diffrent. The next couple of days I could not breathe right through my left nostril, my nose kept dripping clear fluid and for some reason, I kept sneezing a lot. I had a bad headache the first couple of days and it is still a bit sore. Now that the swelling has gone down it looks like my nose is off to the left. Is it broken or fractured? Can it be fixed in an ENT office? And around how much would it cost because I do not think my insurance will cover it. I am trying to get it fixed as soon as I can because I do not want it to heal wrong.
Hello. You seem to be having a septal or nasal bone fracture. These fractures are visible in an x-ray. We usually correct the features within a day of it occurring. After that time fibrosis sets in and we do not attempt to correct until three months when healing tissue has fully formed. Subsequently, we can get a CT (computed tomography) scan of the nose and PNS (paranasal sinus) and do a septorhinoplasty surgery to correct any deformity. Nextly, clear fluid dripping from the nose after a trauma like yours is a cause for worry as it can be CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). CSF is localized in brains and meninges covering the brain. It should not come out through the nose. If it does, it means some defect in the body confines of CSF and it has to be plugged. Otherwise, infection can rise up to the brain. For the above issues, it is best to visit an ENT doctor asap. In my practice, I will ideally do an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) cisternography for CSF leak and also CSF fluid suggest estimation and CSF fluid beta transferrin examination. If it is found it is indeed CSF, then I do an endoscopic correction of the leak. The deviated septum and nasal deformity are secondary to CSF problem in the severity of the condition.  I hope this helps.