Facial Fractures

This leaflet is intended to reinforce advice given after your injury has been assessed in the department. 

A fracture is a broken bone. The cheekbone is known as the zygoma and the eye socket is the orbit. 

Some features include: 

• Pain, swelling and bruising to the side of your face and around the eye 

• Flatness of the cheek 

• Altered sensation or numbness below the eye, side of the nose and front teeth. 

• Nose bleed 

• Blood stained saliva 

• Pain and restricted jaw movement 

• Sunken eye 

• Blurred or double vision. 

• Blood inside the eyeball 

The swelling and bruising to your face will usually get worse for the first 2 to 3 days following the injury. 

It is normal to have blood clots in your nose and back of throat for several days. 

There is a risk of sudden swelling of your eye if you blow your nose. This happens when air escapes through the fracture around your eye socket into the soft tissue, do not be alarmed, this will settle over 7 days. 

Aftercare 

If you have suffered a fracture of either or both these bones please follow the advice below 

• Take regular painkillers as directed by the doctor 

• If you have been prescribed antibiotics then take them as directed and complete the full course. 

• The swelling will begin to settle in 5-7 days. 

• Use steam inhalations 4 times daily 

• Avoid blowing your nose 

• Avoid using heavy machinery/driving or working at heights if your vision is affected. 

• Avoid deep sea diving or flying until seen in clinic. 

Follow up 

Please bring a recent picture before injury to clinic to help the doctor assess the extent of injury. 

An outpatient appointment will be communicated to you by post or telephone (our number will appear as 0800, please do not ignore). 

If you have not heard from us within 1 week of attendance or if you have ongoing concerns please contact the on-call Maxillofacial surgeon on the following number: 

01592 643355 Ext 29749