Treatment:

Your health care provider will immediately drain the blood by making a small cut in the lining over the hematoma. Once the blood is removed, gauze or cotton is placed inside the nose.

Expectations (prognosis):

If this injury is treated in a timely fashion, you can expect full healing.

Complications:

If the hematoma has been present for some time, it may become infected and will be painful. You may develop a septal abscess and fever.

An untreated septal hematoma may lead to a hole in the area separating the two nostrils. This can cause nasal congestion or collapse of the area, resulting in a cosmetic deformity called a saddle nose.

Calling your health care provider:

Any nasal injury resulting in nasal congestion or pain may develop into a septal hematoma. You should call your health care provider, who may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. Treatment by an ENT specialist can be done in an office setting.