Facial Fracture

I was boxing with one of my friends this Tuesday night and I fractured my cheek bone it is depressed 7mm.  My face is a little swollen but I am experiencing little pain. I have more numbness in my cheek, nose, lip and part of my mouth on the left side of my face and this is what is concerning me. I believe that the numbness is do to the trauma my face withstood while being hit. How long until the numbness goes away ? Or what I can do to get feeling back in my face?

[DrSylvesterMD]

Hi there,
If you do have a fracture of the cheek bone I suggest you have yourself evaluated by your general practitioner or see a Oromaxillofacial surgeon at the earliest. Do not wait for it to heal on its own. At least have an imaging studies done in order to assess the extent of damage.
Also, the facial nerve that emerges just below the ear and supplies the skin in the area of the cheek could have sustained a blunt trauma causing significant damage. All these needs to be evaluated at the earliest.
Do not prolong your agony as the physician could also start you on some good analgesics. If you have any further queries do get in touch with me.
Regards,
Dr Sylvester

[br3akdown]

I already went to a Doctor and the emgergency room. I have a broken facial fracture to my zygoma bone. My face is a little bit swollen, and I have a 7mm depression. As of right now I am on amoxicillin and vicodin. My face doesnt hurt at all when I am not on vicodin, it is just numb from my left nose to my lips. I am going to a oral specialist on Monday to get re-evaluated. All I really care at this point is will the numbness go away on its own or can something be done to restore feeling in my face? I am not completely numb, it is just cold when something touches it.

[br3akdown]

Also, I can feel heat/ cold, and if I pinch I can feel pain so I know my nerves arent completely dysfunctional. I hope thats a good thing so far. Thanks

[DrSylvesterMD]

Hi there,
What was the outcome of the visit to the doctor? Well the Facial nerve may not be completely severed there might be just a contusion type of injury to it. It will resolve in some time it that is the case. However a nerve conduction study needs to be done in order to determine that. So please do let me know what is the outcome of your last consultation.
In case of a mild nerve injury, physiotherapy or nerve stimulation exercises can help you recover the minimal loss of sensation that you experience.
If you have any further queries do get in touch with me.
Regards,
Dr Sylvester