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Patient Education

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Facial Injuries

Overview

At one time or another, everyone has had a minor facial injury that caused pain, swelling, or bruising. Home treatment is usually all that's needed for mild bumps or bruises.

Causes of facial injuries

Facial injuries most often occur during:

  • Sports or recreational activities, like ice hockey, basketball, rugby, soccer, or martial arts.
  • Work-related tasks or projects around the home.
  • Car crashes.
  • Falls.
  • Fights.

In children, most facial injuries occur during sports or play or are caused by falls. Minor facial injuries in young children tend to be less severe than similar facial injuries that occur in older children or adults. Young children are less likely to break a facial bone. That's because they have fat pads that cushion their faces, and their bones are more flexible. But young children are more likely to be bitten in the face by an animal.

Head injuries may occur at the same time as a facial injury. So be sure to check for symptoms of a head injury.

Types of injuries

Facial injuries may be caused by a direct blow, a penetrating injury, or a fall. Pain may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may start soon after the injury. Acute injuries include:

  • A cut or puncture to your face or inside your mouth. This often occurs with even a minor injury. But a cut or puncture is likely to occur when a jaw or facial bone is broken. The bone may come through the skin or poke into the mouth.
  • Bruises, Opens dialog from a tear or rupture of small blood vessels under the skin.
  • Broken bones, such as a fractured cheekbone, Opens dialog.
  • A dislocated jaw. This may occur when the lower jawbone (mandible) is pulled apart from one or both of the joints connecting it to the base of the skull at the temporomandibular (TM) joints. This can cause problems even if the jaw pops back into place.

Treatment

Treatment for a facial injury may include first aid and medicine. In some cases, surgery is needed. Treatment depends on:

  • The location and type of injury, and how bad it is.
  • How long ago the injury occurred.
  • Your age, health condition, and other activities, such as work, sports, or hobbies.

When you've had a facial injury, it's important to look for signs of other injuries, such as a spinal injury, Opens dialog, an eye injury, Opens dialog, or an injury to the mouth, such as a cut lip or injured tooth.

Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

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All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.