Monday, February 22, 2010

Cauliflower ear .... ?

I talked to someone this weekend about cauliflower ear.

He said his got worse when he wore the ear protection because it was constantly rubbing his ear a little bit vs the random banging while grappling... well, wrestling in his case.

Now I don't know what I should do.

I am going to drain the little bit of fluid that is in my ear right now... Or I should say that Allie is going to do it for me.  (Thanks girl!  That's real love right there.  lol)

So, does anyone have any input on cauliflower ear...  Any tips on how to not let my ear get all Randy Couture?

Here is what it looks like right now... It's not bad yet.  I doubt people would even notice unless I pointed it out, but still... I don't want it to get any worse.  I have a weird shaped ear to begin with, so I circled the cauliflower-ing area... hehe  (Warning:  If you click the picture my face gets huge. lol)

11 comments:

  1. That guy must have had ears that really stuck out, or wearing the wrong size headgear.

    Lots of guys at the gym wear headgear when their ears get puffy and it seems to help. I wear mine all the time and have not gotten puffy, or black and blue, ears since.

    I think you just need to make sure you adjust it properly so the headgear isn't sliding all over the place.

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  2. You are probably right. I think I will get some... and maybe a singlet to match so I can look straight up spastic wrestler. lol


    I can just stop wearing it, if it doesn't work out.

    All know for sure, is that I do not want cauliflower ear... and I will do whatever I can to prevent it.

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  3. I have had my ears swell up twice. (One on each side!) Just keep draining it regularly and you'll be fine. I had to drain one of them like eight-nine times a day, and I'd get a lot of fluid each time, but after 2 weeks or so it was back down to mostly normal and you can't really see any difference. I would say that headgear protect you and unless you already have enormous elephant ears, your ears will never touch the inside of adult-sized headgear. The side benefit of wearing headgear is the little cap you can buy that covers your hair (I have lost a LOT less hair since using it, though it is hot as the dickens!)

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  4. Georgette - How did you drain your ears?

    I was told to use an insulin needle to suck it out.

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  5. Never had it myself, but this is what I've gathered about prevention and treatment from the net.

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  6. Wear ear guards when you are in the process of draining them for that week or so. Maybe wear earmuffs during your time learning Deep half guard or any other bottom position that your head can be rubbing on the mat.

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  7. Rome Za - That is a good idea. My ear was super sore after draining it anyway...so if nothing else a head bra would alleviate the pain. Thanks!

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  8. Here in Korea they call it "Mandugi" because it looks like "Mandu" which are boiled or fried dumplings. Check out the pic and you'll think "yep yep, I can understand why they call it that" ;)

    http://www.kimchibulgogi.com/images/mandu_boiled_crop.jpg

    Now I want to call you "dumplin'"

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  9. If it gets too puffy then clip it when you sleep at night. What happens is there is an open sac in your ear constantly filling with fluid. So clip it at night so it can't fill up and then wear head gear or take it easy for a week so it can start to re-solidify.

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  10. From personal experience as a wrestler, if its a little bit it wont be noticeable and if it gets to a point where its inflamed so much where it hurts to touch get it drained, but if u plan to keep wrestling for a long time in the future once you get it and it hardens up after about a week or week in a half the swelling will decrease about half and then that area will take a lot more to get soft again. Basically cauliflower ear only affect whats not yet hardened cartalige.

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