Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooMaxillofacial Trauma
Jaw & Head
What It Is
Maxillofacial trauma, also known as facial trauma, is any type of physical injury to the face. It can involve soft tissue injuries, such as cuts, bruises or burns, or fractures of the facial bones, such as the nose, the upper jaw (maxilla), the lower jaw, the cheekbone, the eye socket or the forehead (MedlinePlus, 2025). Symptoms tend to depend on the type of injury, but can include changes in feeling in the face, a face that looks uneven or out of shape, difficulty breathing through the nose because of swelling and bleeding, double vision, missing teeth, and swelling or bruising around the eyes (MedlinePlus, 2025).
These injuries can cause loss of function and disfigurement, such as loss of vision or trouble moving the jaw (MedlinePlus, 2025). Even though they often aren't life-threatening, they can be. A facial injury can block the airway or cause severe bleeding, so making sure the airway is clear and the bleeding is controlled are the first priorities of treatment (MedlinePlus, 2025).
Common causes of facial trauma include assaults, falls, road traffic accidents, sports injuries, work-related injuries and wounds (MedlinePlus, 2025). A blow from a fist or an object is a common cause. In a recent UK study of facial fractures, assault was the most common cause, followed by falls and then road traffic accidents (Abukhder and Mobarak, 2022).
Maxillofacial Trauma Anatomy
Commonly injured bones in facial trauma include the nasal bone, the maxilla (upper jaw) and the mandible (lower jaw). The mandible might be fractured at its body, symphysis (the front, at the chin), ramus, angle and condyle. The frontal bone (forehead) and zygoma (cheekbone) are other locations for these fractures. A fracture can also occur in the bones of the palate and in the bones that join together to form the eye socket (orbit). In the UK study, the lower jaw was the most commonly fractured bone, followed by the eye socket and the cheekbone (Abukhder and Mobarak, 2022).
Looking After a Minor Broken Nose
Not a diagnosis — for more information, contact me or another trusted healthcare provider.
Treatment
Self-Care & Treatment
How a Maxillofacial Trauma is Treated
Treatments your hospital team or family doctor or nurse practitioner may discuss with you
Tips
- Wearing seat belts when riding in a motor vehicle can help prevent facial injuries in an accident (MedlinePlus, 2025).
- When playing sports or doing work that could injure your face, wear protective headgear to keep your face protected as much as possible (MedlinePlus, 2025).
- Make sure you wear a helmet when riding on a motorcycle or other motorised vehicle to help prevent injuries that could be avoided.
Treatment
My Approach
After a facial injury, the hospital team deals with your airway, bleeding and any broken bones first. I can then help with what's often left behind: swelling, a stiff or sore jaw, tight neck and shoulders, and scars. If a fracture was treated with surgery or stops your normal daily activities, or a head injury needed hospital care, I need your team's okay before any hands-on treatment, and I work within their limits.
Please bring any X-ray or scan reports and notes from your medical team to your first visit. They're an important part of planning safe treatment for you.
I start by asking what your team has told you, then assess your jaw, neck and shoulders, and any changes in feeling in your face.
While It's Healing
- Easing the neck, shoulders and upper back
- No pressure over a broken bone until your team confirms it has healed
- Gentle lymphatic drainage for swelling, once your team is happy
- I'll show you how to use ice safely at home
Once Your Team Allows More
What to Expect
Typical Course
What I Focus On
Please read
When to See a Doctor First
When to Get Emergency Help
Call 911 or go to the emergency room at your nearest hospital if you have a severe injury to your face (MedlinePlus, 2025). For an injury to the nose or face, also get emergency help if you have:
- a nosebleed that will not stop
- a large cut or open wound, or something in the wound, such as glass
- clear, watery fluid trickling from your nose, which could be a sign of a serious head injury
- a severe headache with blurred or double vision, or eye pain and double vision
- neck pain or a stiff neck with numbness or tingling in your arms
- a purple swelling inside your nose, which may be painful or block your breathing
- other signs of a severe head injury, such as vomiting, collapsing (passing out) or difficulty speaking
Do not drive yourself; ask someone to take you, or call 911 for an ambulance (NHS, 2023).
The sight of a lot of blood from the nose is usually enough to worry most people. Each main hospital will have its own maxillofacial (maxfax) or ENT (ear, nose and throat) teams, and care is often shared between several specialists, which may include anaesthetists, plastic surgeons, maxillofacial and ENT surgeons (Abukhder and Mobarak, 2022).
Sources
References
- MedlinePlus (2025) Facial trauma. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001062.htm (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
- Abukhder, M. and Mobarak, D. (2022) 'A retrospective cohort study on the aetiology and characteristics of maxillofacial fractures presenting to a tertiary centre in the UK', Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 77, 103622. doi: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.103622
- NHS (2023) Broken nose. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-nose/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).