|  | Conditions Treatments | Ears Hearing

Cauliflower Ear & Ice

A strange badge of honor for wrestlers, boxers and martial artists everywhere, cauliflower ear is a problem for those who engage in activities where the ear takes physical punishment. Also called auricular hematoma, cauliflower ear happens when skin separates from the cartilage in your ear and that space fills with blood. Once this happens, it's important to drain the blood fairly quickly, wrap the ear and apply ice to reduce swelling.

  1. Appearance

    • Cauliflower ear is so named because of what the ear looks like if the initial injury goes untreated. Blood hardens, new cartilage begins to form, and the ear takes on a white, puffy appearance that looks a bit like a cauliflower. If untreated, the condition can be permanent and deforming.

    Treatment

    • An auricular hematoma is not scarring or deforming if it is dealt with quickly, before the blood hardens and cartilage forms, which takes about seven to 10 days. To avoid this from occurring, the ear should be immediately drained of blood and wrapped up tightly with gauze and/or bandages all day for about a week. Ice should be applied several times a day to reduce swelling.

    Considerations

    • When playing a contact sport or game that can result in cauliflower ear, it's a good idea to wear a helmet or some sort of head gear to protect the ears from damage. Protection is the best defense against cauliflower ear, and head gear should be worn any time the ears have the potential to receive a severe blow.

    Warning

    • If cauliflower ear is not treated quickly, the blood inside the ear hardens and cartilage begins to grow back within about seven to 10 days. At this point, surgery may be needed to remove buildup and correct the deformation. It's important to seek treatment immediately any time the ear is injured.

    Fun Fact

    • The cartilage of the ear gets its blood supply from the surrounding tissue to which it is connected. For this reason, when the tissue is ripped away, the cartilage can die fairly quickly because of a lack of nutrients. Dead cartilage tends to fold up on itself, giving the pale, knobby appearance that is the hallmark of cauliflower ear.

Ears Hearing - Related Articles