Why Does The Bridge Of My Nose Hurt? Understand The Root Causes

We might feel pain around different parts of our body at random times and wonder what has caused the pain. But it is not every day that you get to hear someone say “Why does the bridge of my nose hurt? Understand The Root Causes”. So when you do, do not ward it off saying, ‘Oh, it’s just a nose pain’, because it could be more.

The most common reason for the pain is tight-fitting spectacles, but not always. Bridge-of-the-nose pain can be due to several issues ranging from a nose injury to even cancer in rare cases. In this article, let us find out what are the different reasons why the bridge of your nose hurts, and what are the possible treatment options.

Why Does The Bridge Of My Nose Hurt? Common Causes for the Pain

Injury to the nose

The bridge of the nose is the hard part before the soft cartilage part of the nose. It is often the scapegoat in sports injuries, fist fights, accidents, or falls. Its proximity to the sinus even increases its risk for injury and infection. Trauma to the nose can lead to bad swelling which makes it difficult to tell if the nose is broken or not.

Doctors usually make you wait until the swelling is reduced so that they can make a proper assessment of your nose. Symptoms of a broken nose are difficulty breathing, nasal bleeding, or a visible change in the shape of the nose. Urgent medical attention is required if the patient displays signs of infection like fever, pus, drainage, redness, etc.

In some cases, the nasal drainage can be a clear thin liquid. It is the CSF(cerebrospinal fluid) draining from the brain. It is followed by symptoms like headache, nausea, hearing impairment, neck stiffness, etc. Immediate medical intervention is needed in this case as it also increases the patient’s risk of infection.

Ethmoid Sinusitis

Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses of which facial pain is a major symptom. There are different variations in sinusitis and pain of the nose bridge is a symptom of ethmoid sinusitis. Ethmoid sinuses are located on either side of the nose bridge and have small air cells.

Excess mucus buildup can lead to inflammation of these sinuses and cause pain on the bridge of the nose. Other symptoms of sinusitis include fever, coughing, fatigue, runny nose, headache, congestion, etc. It is advised to seek medical help at the earliest if the symptoms persist, as if left untreated, it can lead to other serious health complications.

Nasal Furunculosis

It is an infection in the area of nasal hair growth. It can be an after-effect of another respiratory infection or caused by excessive nose picking or blowing. Besides nose pain, it also causes crusting, redness, smelly discharge, swelling, etc. It gives the feeling as if there is a big pimple or blister inside the nostrils. It is often treated with antibiotics.

Sarcoidosis

It is a rare medical condition caused by the excessive growth of granulomas/lumps of inflammatory cells inside the nose. It is an immune response of the body to allergens/irritants. Although it is found in the lungs extensively, it can happen inside the nose too. The condition is followed by crusting, bleeding, congestion, and loss of smell.

In extreme cases, the inflammation can get really severe and lead to saddle nose deformity which is a collapsed nasal bridge. In most cases, it goes away on its own. However, if you are experiencing severe pain, do not refrain from seeking medical care.

Perforated nasal septum

It is a hole in the nasal septum, the cartilage part of your nose that separates your nasal passage into two nostrils. It does not always come with symptoms and some people live for years not knowing that it exists. This can occur as a side effect of rhinoplasty, nasal cancer, cocaine use, etc.

Apart from the pain that comes with it, some of the symptoms of perforated nasal symptoms are crusting, bleeding from the nose, a whistling sound when breathing through the nose, nasal pressure, foul-smelling discharge, chronic rhinitis, difficulty breathing, etc. Treatment options would depend on the extent and severity of the condition. In some cases, surgical intervention might be required.

Cancer

In very rare cases, your nose bridge pain can be a sign of cancer in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus. The paranasal sinus is a hollow space in the bones around the nose. A cancerous growth inside this space can be the reason why the bridge of your nose hurts.

Other symptoms of this type of cancer include a bulging eye, watery eyes, headaches, facial numbness, nasal congestion, face bleeds, pus from the nose, vision changes, loss of smell, etc. These symptoms overlap with other health issues as well. Therefore, it is always recommended to get tested by a medical professional before reaching any conclusions by yourself.

Diagnosis and Treatment for Pain In the Nose Bridge?

To diagnose the cause behind the pain the doctor might seek your medical history and the prevalent symptoms you have. It could also involve imaging studies like CT or MRI scans to find if there is any abnormal growth inside the nose. Oftentimes, pain on the bridge of your nose can be treated with home remedies. Some of the home remedies to cure the pain in the nose are:

• Applying ice packs covered in cloth for 15 min on the nose.
• Taking painkillers – eg: acetaminophen
• Keeping the head raised on a pillow to allow the nose to drain and reduce swelling
• Wearing a nose guard for protection while healing
• Inserting soft gauze rolls inside the nose to prevent further bleeding
• Steam inhalation to open sinus cavities and release tension

Nasal infection or sinusitis is usually treated with antibiotics. In the case of sarcoidosis, patients are usually put on steroids. A broken nose, however, needs to be corrected surgically.

Conclusion

We hope you have got an answer to “Why does the bridge of my nose hurt? Not one, but many. The pain on the bridge of the nose could be due to injury, sinusitis, perforated nasal septum, nasal furunculosis, sarcoidosis, and even cancer. While most of the painful episodes can be cured by home remedies like cold compressing, steam inhalation, nose guards, etc, severe cases might require medication and even surgical procedures.

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