What makes wrestlers ears

You may be wondering if there's any way to prevent cauliflower ear. Wearing the right headgear when playing sports — especially contact sports — is a must. Helmets not only can save you from developing cauliflower ear but protect you from serious head injury as well.

Always wear a helmet if you are biking, blading, riding your scooter, or playing any sport where helmets or other forms of headgear are recommended or required like football, baseball, hockey, boxing, or wrestling. If someone receives a sharp blow to the ear, there are ways to prevent cauliflower ear. A doctor can drain the blood from the ear through a cut and then reconnect skin to the cartilage by applying a tight bandage. Sometimes stitches are needed to sew the ear if the skin is badly ripped.

The doctor may sometimes give the patient antibiotics to prevent an infection. This pressure dressing may need to stay in place for several days to a week. The site will require monitoring for signs of infection or signs that additional treatment may be needed. Antibiotics may also be prescribed. This is the most common version of treatment, often seen on the internet in videos of coaches and teammates draining the ears.

The problem with the incision is that it is very painful, leaves a large scar, and the athlete is unable to practice or compete for weeks at a time. The benefit is that the stitches keep the ear from refilling before the athlete returns to the mats.

The problem with draining via a needle or syringe is that it still leaves scar tissue though less than a scalpel which makes it easier for recurrence in the future, and without the stitches to keep the ear knit together, the ear simply refills with fluid again and again. Since many drain their ears on their own, there is also the danger of infection.

Also, neither of these methods do anything long term. The strategies discussed above may work to keep the ears shape in the moment, but the second they return to the mat they are in danger of a reoccurrence of cauliflower ear, starting the process all over again. The basic idea is that the athlete makes a mold of their ear, preferably before their ear is damaged. If fluid is not allowed to build up in the ear, then cauliflower ear cannot develop. Not only does it work to prevent cauliflower ear even if an athlete chooses not to wear headgear, but for those unlucky enough to have a filled ear, it makes the healing process faster and less painful.

This is novel for a few different reasons. First and foremost, headgear now becomes a bonus protection rather than the true prevention of cauliflower ear. Second, where normally someone who experiences trauma to the ear would need to stay off the mats for days at a time, the ear splint helps the ear heal faster so they can return to the mat the next day.

Third, if an ear does fill with fluid, the doctor can now use a syringe to drain without fear of fluid accumulation since the mold will keep the ear compressed to prevent refilling. One final benefit is that the molds can be put in the freezer to wear as a cold compress.

If your ear is injured, the blood vessels that supple blood to the ear cartilage can tear, causing blood to pool up between the cartilage and the perichondrium. The perichondrium is the connective tissue that surrounds the cartilage, and is important for transportation of blood and nutrients to the cartilage. This leads to infection and death of the tissue. Once that happens, new fibrous tissue can form around the area, creating a cauliflower texture on your ear. Anyone who is at risk for trauma to their head and ears is at risk for cauliflower ear.

According to board-certified plastic surgeon Manish H. Ice the injury as quickly as possible. You can do this by applying ice for minute intervals.

That will help reduce the swelling and may prevent cauliflower ear. You should also seek medical treatment right away. Your doctor may be able to treat the condition by draining the excess blood from your ear. They do this by making an incision at the site of the injury so that the blood can drain out of the injury.

After draining your ear, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to help prevent infection. Your doctor will also place a compression dressing on your ear to ensure that it heals in the correct shape.

Ask your doctor when you can resume normal activities. Cauliflower ear is permanent, but in some cases, you may be able to reverse the appearance using corrective surgery, known as otoplasty. During the surgery, your doctor makes a cut behind your ear to expose the cartilage. Your doctor then either removes some of the cartilage or uses stitches to reshape your ear. You may need general anesthetic for the surgery, but in some cases, a local anesthetic can be used.

You should be able to resume physical activities within six weeks, though your doctor may recommend waiting longer. The best prevention for cauliflower ear is to prevent the trauma in the first place. If you participate in high-risk sports, such as wrestling, wear a helmet to protect yourself.