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Suggest Remedies For Numbness And A Dent In Cheekbone Post An Injury

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Posted on Sat, 4 Jun 2016
Question: I fell and hit my cheekbone about 7 weeks ago. I had an X-Ray one week after the accident which revealed no fracture. However an NHS plastic surgeon later said I had cracked it and this was the reason for the hard lump on my cheekbone. He also mentioned the lump will also disapear over time. The thing which is bothering me at the moment is the numb sensation and also a dent over my cheekbone which becomes more pronounced when I smile. Will this also go away on it's own ? I'm a 42 year old woman who likes to take care of my apearance and not knowing the answer to this is driving me crazy. Will I need to have plastic surgery to correct in the future ? Do I have nerve damage ? Should I go back to my doctor and maybe ask for facial physiotherapy ? Why do I have this dent if there is no fracture ? From everything ive read I should only have a dent over the bone if there is an actual fracture ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Honey Arora (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Lump might be Hematoma, dent might become less pronounced with time..

Detailed Answer:
Hi..
Welcome to HEALTHCARE MAGIC..

I have gone through your query and can understand your concerns..

As per your complain it seems that due to injury there is Hematoma formation under the skin..
Hematoma formation occurs when there is rupture of a superficial blood vessel under the skin and it leads to accumulation of blood into soft tissues forming a lump..
At times the Hematoma becomes localized and encapsulated forming a hard lump..
But it is completely resolved although can take a long time of even 2 to 3 months..

Remedy:
Do alternate warm and cool compresses over it and also apply Heparin gel over it (keep away from eye)..

Next portion of your question is numbness in the area of the injury..
Well, it can happen due to damage to terminal nerve endings present in that area due to injury..
It is also recovered with time..
Do warm compresses in the area and also take Vitamin B complex supplements..

But in case if it does not improve in a month or area of numbness increase, you might need consulting a Neurophysician and get evaluated..

Now the next part of your question is a dent on the face in the area of injury..
Well a dent in the area of injury when you do not have any fractures ruled out can be most probably due to damage to the fat cells present under the skin that leads to appearance of a dent..
Although it can become less prominent with time due to a combined action of facial muscles and healing with formation of fat cells in the area but complete resolution cannot be guaranteed..
Therefore consulting a plastic surgeon and getting facial x Ray or MRI scan if needed after a thorough clinical evaluation can be done..
Proper treatment that whether you need plsstic surgery can be advised only after Clinical examination..
Facial physiotherapy can have some improvement but not complete resolution if the dent is deep...

Any further questions are welcome..


Hope this information helps..

Thanks and regards.
Dr.Honey Nandwani Arora.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Honey Arora (19 hours later)
Thanks for your reply ;)
When I saw the facial specialist, he said I the lump defiantly wasn't a heamatoma and that it was a callus which has grown over a crack in my cheekbone. The thing I'm not understand is ... How is a crack not a fracture ?
When I fell I felt my cheekbone compact into my face and there is defiantly a lobsided look to my face. Yet I am told it isn't a fracture and that no surgery is needed. When I have this along numness and a dent. I understand the nhs have cryterias for such surgery, like people who have problems with there eyes or jaw. Still I'm feeling more depressed everyday and feel I don't want anyone to see my face anymore. I hope you can answer all my questions including my original now you know it's definitely not a heamatoma. And why are they saying it's not a fracture but a crack... What is the difference pls. Also the bit About the numbness, you mention a MRI scan, what could one of these reveal. Also the cream you Recomened is this also applicable for callus and not heamatoma ? Thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Honey Arora (10 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Crack and fracture can be a bit different in different prospectives..

Detailed Answer:
Hi..
Welcome Again..

Let me answer your queries point wise:

1. Crack and fracture both indicate breakage of bone both many a times crack is considered as an incomplete break in the bone and fracture is considered to be used as a term when the bone breaks into two completely..
When there is a crack and the bone is in a location that it is not movable like cheekbone then it tend to heal on its own and do not need surgery..
But fracture might need reduction and immobilization to rejoin fractured segments..

2.Secondly callus is a fibrous or fibro-bony growth that can be formed at the site of bony cracks in an attempt to rejoin the bone and if it grow in excess it can appear as a lump..
In case if it is a callus and not a Hematoma the heparin gel will not help as it is used in case of Hematoma only and not callus..

3. MRI Scan will help in ruling out for nerve related problems like nerve injury/damage caused due to fall that is leading to numbness..

Hope I have answered your queries..

Any further queries are welcome..

Thanks and regards..
Note: Find out which dental treatment will work best for your teeth. Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Sonia Raina
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Answered by
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Dr. Honey Arora

Dentist

Practicing since :2011

Answered : 14093 Questions

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Suggest Remedies For Numbness And A Dent In Cheekbone Post An Injury

Brief Answer: Lump might be Hematoma, dent might become less pronounced with time.. Detailed Answer: Hi.. Welcome to HEALTHCARE MAGIC.. I have gone through your query and can understand your concerns.. As per your complain it seems that due to injury there is Hematoma formation under the skin.. Hematoma formation occurs when there is rupture of a superficial blood vessel under the skin and it leads to accumulation of blood into soft tissues forming a lump.. At times the Hematoma becomes localized and encapsulated forming a hard lump.. But it is completely resolved although can take a long time of even 2 to 3 months.. Remedy: Do alternate warm and cool compresses over it and also apply Heparin gel over it (keep away from eye).. Next portion of your question is numbness in the area of the injury.. Well, it can happen due to damage to terminal nerve endings present in that area due to injury.. It is also recovered with time.. Do warm compresses in the area and also take Vitamin B complex supplements.. But in case if it does not improve in a month or area of numbness increase, you might need consulting a Neurophysician and get evaluated.. Now the next part of your question is a dent on the face in the area of injury.. Well a dent in the area of injury when you do not have any fractures ruled out can be most probably due to damage to the fat cells present under the skin that leads to appearance of a dent.. Although it can become less prominent with time due to a combined action of facial muscles and healing with formation of fat cells in the area but complete resolution cannot be guaranteed.. Therefore consulting a plastic surgeon and getting facial x Ray or MRI scan if needed after a thorough clinical evaluation can be done.. Proper treatment that whether you need plsstic surgery can be advised only after Clinical examination.. Facial physiotherapy can have some improvement but not complete resolution if the dent is deep... Any further questions are welcome.. Hope this information helps.. Thanks and regards. Dr.Honey Nandwani Arora.