Nose Injuries and Disorders

Also called: Nasal disorders

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Summary

Your nose is important to your health. It filters the air you breathe, removing dust, germs, and irritants. It warms and moistens the air to keep your lungs and tubes that lead to them from drying out. Your nose also contains the nerve cells that help your sense of smell. When there is a problem with your nose, your whole body can suffer. For example, the stuffy nose of the common cold can make it hard for you to breathe, sleep, or get comfortable.

Many problems besides the common cold can affect the nose. They include

Deviated septum - a shifting of the wall that divides the nasal cavity into halves
Nasal polyps - soft growths that develop on the lining of your nose or sinuses
Nosebleeds
Rhinitis - inflammation of the nose and sinuses sometimes caused by allergies. The main symptom is a runny nose.
Nasal fractures, also known as a broken nose

Start Here

Your Nose, the Guardian of Your Lungs (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)

Diagnosis and Tests

Panoramic Dental X-Ray (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

Complications of Sinus Surgery (American Rhinologic Society)
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (American Rhinologic Society)
How to Use Nose Drops Properly (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists)
Nasal Sprays: How to Use Them Correctly (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Nose Surgery (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
Nosebleed, First Aid (Logical Images)
Rhinoplasty (Functional) (American Rhinologic Society)
Septoplasty - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Septoplasty and Turbinate Surgery (American Rhinologic Society)
Sinuplasty (Balloon Catheter Dilation) (American Rhinologic Society)

Related Issues

Aspirin Desensitization (American Rhinologic Society)
Petroleum Jelly: Safe for a Dry Nose? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Specifics

Bacterial Nasal Infections (Merck & Co., Inc.)
Broken Nose (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Cosmetic and Functional Nasal Deformities (American Rhinologic Society)
Deviated Septum (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
Fibrous Papule of Nose (Logical Images)
Nosebleeds (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
Nosebleeds (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Post-Nasal Drip (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis or Laryngeal Papillomatosis (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
Rhinitis (Hay Fever): Tips to Remember (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) Also in Spanish
Runny Nose (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Sinus Tumors (American Rhinologic Society)
Stuffy Nose (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)

Health Check Tools

Nose Injury (DSHI Systems)
Nosebleeds (DSHI Systems)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Epistaxis (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Nose Diseases (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

Nasal Anatomy (American Rhinologic Society)
Sinus Anatomy (American Rhinologic Society)

Find an Expert

American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery
American Rhinologic Society
Find an ENT (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Children

Chronic Nosebleeds: What to Do (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
Going with the Flow of Nosebleeds (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Nosebleeds (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
What Makes Me Sneeze? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
What's a Booger? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Why Does My Nose Run? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

Nosebleeds (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Choanal atresia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Foreign body in the nose (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Nasal endoscopy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Nasal fracture - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Nasal polyps (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Nose fracture (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Nosebleed (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Stuffy or runny nose - adult (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Stuffy or runny nose - children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish