Here’s a shocking fact: Most broken noses aren’t actually broken. They’re just deeply, deeply bruised. The cartilage is flexible, like a cheap tent pole. True fractures happen more often in the thin nasal bones near your eyes. How can you tell? Look in a mirror.
If your nose now points west when it used to point north, or if it makes a crunching sound when you touch it (don’t touch it!), you’ve probably got a fracture. Another clue: black eyes that appear hours later. This happens because gravity pulls the bruising down, making you look like a raccoon that lost a boxing match. Surprise: you might not even have black eyes for a day or two. Patience, grasshopper.
