The Ultimate Resource to Cauliflower Ears
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Exactly what is a cauliflower ear?
A Cauliflower ear is only a bruise (or hematoma) that does not heal. Your ear is made up of cartilage so when you get a hit or knock towards the ear blood enters you ear and becomes stuck between the cartilage. When the blood cannot drain and obtain out of the ear it will stay within the ear, set and become rather hard. Because the blood within the ear starts going hard the cartilage will begin to die, which makes it shrivel and fold a little bit which is why a cauliflower ear looks twisted, similar to a cauliflower.
How do you have it?
Lots of people think that you receive a cauliflower in one direct hit, but this is rare. Most players obtain cauliflowers from training six days per week and also the ears are constantly getting hit and bumped constantly. For this reason the more experienced and serious trainers get cauliflower ears as the recreational players staying somewhat un-scarred. Judokas get hit in the head from defending grips, Rugby players stick their heads into scrums and Brazilian Jujitsu practitioners get their ears stuck between your mat and their opponent.
How do doctors fix it?
A doctor will put a nearby anaesthetic in your ear first and then stick a syringe in and proceed to suck out all of the blood that’s stuck in the ear. If you ear has been swollen for several days and it is beginning to go hard the doctor might have to use a sharp knife to make an incision before taking out the blood with the syringe.
If your cauliflower isn’t that bad the doctor may request you to rub some anti-inflammatory cream around the ear in addition to request you to ice it 3 to 5 times each day. This will assist in reducing the swelling within the ear.
When should I drain it?
Sooner is preferable to later. If you do drain your ear immediately, prior to the cartilage is damaged then your ear will more frequently than go back to the way it normally looked. If you do not drain it straight away the blood will go hard, once this occurs you cannot drain the blood out and the only way to repair it is to get an operation.
Can you prevent them?
You can put on some headgear called “Cauli stoppers” to avoid a Cauliflower ear. The headgear will protect your ears from getting hit and they’re well worth the cost for individuals who never want cauliflower ears.