Cauliflower Ear: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of It

We’d like to begin this by telling you, it’s NOT what you think it is.

This article isn’t about a vegetable or even an ear you find on a human that looks like a cauliflower ear!

You can actually see it pretty visibly on a wrestler’s ear if you’ve ever watched a wrestling show. Sometimes the athletes are suffering from it. Medical experts also refer to it as perichondrial hematoma or wrestler’s ear. In short, it’s a deformity of the ear caused by trauma.

Why does the cauliflower ear happen?

This mainly happens when blood pools in the pinna of your ear (outer part of an ear) after it’s been struck or hit by someone or something. The hematoma a.k.a the pooling of blood needs to be fixed and treated right away. Otherwise, it may result in big damages such as hearing loss.

Why do we call it ‘cauliflower ear’?

People call it Cauliflower ear for the very reason your ear may get the TEXTURE of cauliflower once you’re suffering from it.

There’s no apparent treatment but there are so many cures for a cauliflower ear. So how will you know if you’ve got a cauliflower ear? Stick with us and we’ll tell you all you need to know about the Cauliflower ear.

Some more causes leading to a Cauliflower ear

• Direct trauma to your ear can cause this.point 149 |
• If you hit on your head or the side, a cauliflower ear can appear.point 202 |

• If you struck your cartilage of the ear, blood can pool up between the cartilage and the perichondrium (the connective tissue).point 107 | The supply of blood gets cut off and then it can lead to infection and eventually, your tissue dies.point 189 | When this happens, new fibrous tissues form around the ear, creating a cauliflower texture on your ear.point 276 |

Symptoms of Cauliflower ear

• Most of the time, you won’t feel a thing especially if you’ve never experienced a hit or injury to your head or on the side.point 136 |
• However, if you have, check your ear for swelling or bruising.point 188 |
• Sometimes, if the hit is severe, you might be able to see it clearly on your ear in the mirror.point 264 |

• There might be ringing or some sort of weird noise in your ear that you might hear.point 67 |
• Loss of hearing, although it is a much later stage, can occur too.point 121 |

Treatment for Cauliflower ear

 point 9 | 1

When you get an injury in or on the ear, remember to immediately apply ice to it with 15 minutes interval. Avoid any further plays, activities, or whatever it is you want to do until your doctor tells you to. Although chances of cauliflower ear are so many, swelling and further infections can be prevented through this.

• Remember not to be afraid of seeking medical help.point 42 |
• The doctor will help you drain your ear and prescribe you antibiotics for the moment.point 113 |
• The doctor will also use compression dressing on your ear to make sure that it heals in the correct shape.point 200 |
• Although you can cure it properly, it can reoccur instantly.point 251 |

  So make sure you keep an eye on your ear!

A doctor from Children’s Hospital of Orange County; Dr.point 81 | Nguyen Pham, pediatric otolaryngologist says: “the cartilage becomes thick and starts to look like the cauliflower vegetable, hence the term ‘cauliflower ear.point 222 |

” That is the case when and if you don’t take swelling of your ear seriously and don’t rush towards treatment.point 108 | 1

How to prevent it

First things first, try to protect the trauma especially if you’re into wrestling, don’t forget to wear a helmet over your head.point 122 | Remember to keep in mind your child’s health as well, if they’re into kick-boxing, wrestling, or just simply any sport, make sure your child uses protective headgear that includes ear guards.point 295 | 1

Ask your doctor about blood thinners if you’re into sports big time. You have to stay off of them as the chances of getting it is too high if you’re using blood thinners.