Even if you take precautions during your work hours, sometimes you just cannot see a workplace injury coming. You might suffer a fall, or a piece of equipment strikes you, or a flying object hits you in the face. Any of these events could break one or more of your facial bones.
A facial injury could be serious enough to require immediate medical attention. Even if you do not need the help of paramedics, you will likely require some kind of treatment. The Cleveland Clinic describes the various treatments available for facial fractures.
Emergency treatment
An accident serious enough to break your facial bones may also cause life threatening injuries. The injury might block your throat, making it impossible to breathe. You may also suffer a traumatic brain injury or cardiovascular trouble. In these situations, medical providers will worry about saving your life before dealing with your broken bones.
Surgical treatments
In the event doctors recommend surgery, you might require an open reduction. This is a surgical procedure where doctors position the fractured bones back into their proper place. This is in contrast to a closed reduction, when doctors reset your broken bones without making an incision.
If the injury is severe enough, you may need reconstructive surgery. Doctors may recommend this surgery if you have multiple fractures. Sometimes doctors have to rebuild facial features by taking skin, muscle or bone from another part of the body and using them in the reconstruction.
Medicines
Regardless of whether you need surgery or not, a doctor will probably prescribe medication to relieve your pain. Your health care provider may also prescribe oral steroids if you have swelling. Some facial injuries open up the risk of infection. If so, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics.
While doctors can treat many kinds of facial fractures, recovery will depend on the severity of the injury. Some facial injuries inflict scarring that never fully goes away. It is also possible to lose your sight or hearing in a major accident. No matter your injury, you may see if workers’ compensation offers benefits to help you.
