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Facial trauma - Symptom

Alternative Names

Maxillofacial injury; Midface trauma; Facial injury; LeFort injuries

Symptoms:

  • Changes in sensation and feeling over the face
  • Deformed or uneven face or facial bones
  • Difficulty breathing through the nose due to swelling and bleeding
  • Double vision
  • Missing teeth
  • Swelling around the eyes that may cause vision problems

Signs and tests:

The doctor will perform a physical exam, which may show:

  • Bleeding from the nose, eyes, or mouth, or nasal blockage
  • Breaks in the skin (lacerations)
  • Bruising around the eyes or widening of the distance between the eyes, which may mean injury to the bones between the eye sockets
The following may suggest bone fractures:
  • Abnormal sensations on the cheek and irregularities that can be felt
  • An upper jaw that moves when the head is still

A CT scan of the head may be done.

  • Reviewed last on: 8/6/2009
  • Alan Lipkin, MD, Otolargyngologist, private practice, Denver, CO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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