Home treatment may help treat
problems and prevent complications after an injury to your face.
First aid for bleeding
Facial injuries can bleed a lot even if they are minor injuries. Stop any bleeding from the nose, mouth, or face so you can see what the injury is. Crying
increases blood flow to the face and can make a nosebleed or facial bleeding
worse. If your injured child is crying, speak in a quiet, relaxed manner to
soothe him or her.
First aid for a suspected broken bone
Do not move misshapen facial bones. It may make an injury worse, increase bleeding, or cause more
Use ice. Cold will reduce pain and swelling.
ice or cold pack immediately to prevent or minimize swelling. Apply the ice
or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times a day. After 48 to 72 hours,
if swelling is gone, apply
warmth to the area that hurts.
head elevated, even while you sleep. This will help reduce
For the first 48 hours, avoid things that might increase
swelling, such as hot showers, hot tubs or hot packs, or drinking alcohol or
Do not take aspirin or other nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the first 24 hours. Aspirin prolongs the
clotting time of blood and may cause more nose or facial
Eat soft foods and cold foods and fluids to reduce jaw
and mouth pain. Avoid hot foods or beverages, which may increase swelling
around the mouth.
Do not smoke. Smoking slows healing because it decreases
blood supply and delays tissue repair. For more information, see the topic
Medicine you can buy without a prescription
Try a nonprescription
medicine to help treat your fever or pain:
Aspirin (also a nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drug), such as Bayer or Bufferin
Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and
forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two
medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine.
Be sure to follow these
safety tips when you use a nonprescription medicine:
Carefully read and follow all directions
on the medicine bottle and box.