Very OT! Anyone know about califlower ear?

Ok here's the scoop. I know this is very off topic, but I left practice(wrestling) and didnt talk to the trainers and the Dr.s Closed.
I was wondering if anyone has ever had or done anything about califlower ear? Im starting to get it, and never had it. My ear has literally just puffed up in the last few hours. I took some anti inflamitories(sp.) and I'm icing it. I have meets everyday this week and dont want to sit any because my ear is puffed up and gross. Any suggestions? BTW it really hurts...??
Sorry that this is so off topic.
 

leboeuf

Member
It will continue to get worse as the cartilage continues to break down. ONLY two choices exist. Quit, which I wouldn't do, and get ear protectors. I'm sure you have seen plenty of people wearing them. That s the reason most wrestlers wear them to stop the degenerative process. Anti inflamitories will only mask the problem not cure it!
What weight class do you compete in?
 
I do have headgear, but I do not wear it in practice, just meets. I will take your advice and wear it in practice now too. I wrestle 189.
 

j21kickster

Active Member
here ya go- use headgear!
Ear, cauliflower: An acquired deformity of the external ear to which wrestlers and boxers are particularly vulnerable.
The cause is damage due to trauma. When trauma causes a blood clot under the skin of the ear, the clot disrupts the connection of the skin to the ear cartilage. The cartilage has no other blood supply except the overlying skin so, if the skin is separated from the cartilage, the cartilage is deprived of nutrients and dies and the ear cartilage shrivels up to form the classic cauliflower ear.
The treatment of the hematoma (the blood clot) is to drain it through an incision in the ear and apply a compressive dressing to sandwich the two sides of the skin against the cartilage.
When treated promptly and aggressively, the development of cauliflower ear deformity is unlikely. Delay in diagnosis and treatment leads to more difficulty in managing this problem and may leave greater ear deformity.
 

j21kickster

Active Member
but you should see a doctor asap to have it taken care of- if you wait to long the results are often permanent- i would avoid practice unless you want a shrivled ear
 

elfdoctors

Active Member
J21kickster had a great writeup. The compressive dressing is often a gauze pad held in place with a stitch that goes completely through the ear.
Ear protectors do great to prevent recurrences. This problem is a lot less common then it used to be.
 
yeah... just decided to let you know I took your advice, and not my coaches. went to the doctor today and they drained it. probably the most disgusting/painful thing ever. They numbed it, then made an incision and just squeezed it. It was like poping a zit full of blood about the size of a thumb from the knuckle up. :nope:
Now for the heeling. The doctor decided to leave the 4mm incision open so it will drain on its own overnight and cover it with gauze. I have to miss a dual meet tomorrow.. just sucks.
 

j21kickster

Active Member
What did your coach say?
I know it sucks i had to miss a pole vault meet b/c of injury but you will be glad you did
 
My coach kept saying... ahh suck it up your fine. dont get it drianed... you'll be out for the season(im only out for a few days to provide time for the insicion to heal) I think he siad this b/c we have lost our 152 varsity and our 15 and 2 state ranked heavyweight due to injury, and that has hurt us... But Im only out for a couple days so its no big dael... yeah I am glad I got it taken care of.
 

elfdoctors

Active Member
If it was small enough to just leave open it will probably heal up fine. Avoiding a meet is just to prevent fresh bleeding which might need a larger procedure.
Before ear protectors became commonplace, wrestlers used to get these all the time. Multiple partially healed hematomas would eventually result in a ear that literally looked like a piece of cauliflower. Avid wrestlers considered this to be a badge of honor but most people think it looks ugly. Your coach sounds like he is from the old school.
 

purity

Member

Originally posted by Bonermeister
LOL - Have you guys ever seen any of the BJJ specialists known as the Gracie brothers?

Now that is cauliflower ear...

the machado brothers are bjj specialists, the gracies just introduced the western world to the style. but if you think the gracies got cauli's, you outta check out fighters like antonio nogueira, mark coleman, randy couture, and vanderlei silva.....it's mutilation beyond!
to midwest reefer: you got some great advice here on how to treat & prevent it but you should be proud dammit!! that's like an mma trophy of it's own!
 
D

daniel411

Guest
High school wrestleing was a blast! I wrestled at 135 weight class my first freshman and sophmore years. Have fun!
 

finland

Member
Daniel, You got that right! High school wrestling was a blast. Now that I am old, I am down to coaching little kids. Not as fun, but still a good time. Had cauliflower ear a couple times. Have it lanced and wear head gear, especially at practice. I didn't take anytime off when I got it and my ears look normal. Just put gause padding on it under my headgear.
 

nano reefer

Active Member
that fighter dude had it and the only reason he lost the fight was because the other guy kept slapping his abnormally massive thing called an ear.
 
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