Treating Developing Cauli Ear ...

**Nihonto** · Posted On: 4/19/2008 11:58am

My left ear is swolen and getting some fluid under the skin. Each sparring session it gets a bit worse. I would like to avoid cauliflower ear if possible. I really don't care but my wife will. Should I pack it in ice? Leave it? I don't think it's bad enough to see a doctor since the swelling is only on the outside.

**bob** · Posted On: 4/19/2008 5:11pm

Your best bet is to get it drained early (you only have a few days before the swelling starts to harden) and then pack it with gauze soaked in collodion for at least a couple of days. If you don't pack it with pressure, the swelling will likely come back again.

Your doctor can drain it but you might find it easier just to pick up some hypodermics yourself and get a reliable friend to do it, particularly if it's going to be a recurring thing. You have to be very careful when you drain it not to pierce the cartilage of the ear and to not get it infected. You might want to take a few days off grappling, or at the least wear ear guards. In fact, I strongly reccomend ear guards anyway.

There are multiple threads on this, the search function is your friend.

**Eddie Hardon** · Posted On: 4/19/2008 6:54pm

Good Advice from Born Sceptic. A work colleague has a cauliflower ear from his many years of Rugby. He had 2 cauliflower ears because he was the Hooker (make your own jokes but it means that he was the centre man in the scrum and had to try to use his feet to hook the ball and pass back through his Pack). He had the doctor drain 1 ear and that sorted it. I can't remember why he didn't have the second ear sorted.

Doctor. Hypodermic. Drainage.

**DSL** · Posted On: 4/19/2008 7:04pm

If you do it yourself, google it and you can find videos and other info on how to do it, including the compress to put inside the ear and how to make it. Insulin needles work fine, rubbing alcohol etc, I think a key is the compression dressing afterwards to help keep the swelling from returning.

**Nihonto** · Posted On: 4/19/2008 8:01pm

ok I'm going the "do-it-yourself" method. I stabbed it with a sterile needle and was able to get some drainage. But it still has some swelling. But if it continues to bleed out it might go down more. Using cotton soaked alcohol and taping it up. As long as there is no infection I should be fine. Besides I have two of them right? ...

**wa2ruff** · Posted On: 4/20/2008 7:05pm

I had it from my many years of wrestling, and a few years ago I got it drained by a Dr. After he drained it, he put a couple stitches in it from back to front clear through my ear. The reason he did it that way was because the cartilage gets separated when you get cauli ear, and by putting the stitches in, the separation bonds back together. I havent had any problems since. I hope you get it fixed up bro

**DSL** · Posted On: 4/20/2008 8:37pm

Yeah, one of the old tricks was was a button on each side, thread through, exact same concept.

**studbolt** · Posted On: 4/20/2008 8:41pm

Head gear is way under rated. If you dont wanna be drainin your ears every few weeks pick some up.

**Nihonto** · Posted On: 4/20/2008 8:41pm

Well the small amount I was able to drain had little effect.

I went to see a doctor today and let me just say this:

Doctors can be fucking stupid! Even though I have a good sized fluid bubble. He was convinced that it would all be "re-absorbed". And he refused to drain it. He said you can only get cauli ear if the ear was torn/ripped open repeatedly. I told him I did it in a Jiu-jitsu class. He immediately went into how he used to do Kempo. And get this ... how he used to be in the special forces and CIA (yes CIA) and learned d3adly single strike kills, and how it was far superior to these "sport martial arts" that I do. But I would never be able to learn it because I was a civilian.

I **** you not. This really happened, I thought I was in a Twilight Zone episode.

On the good side, he did issue me antibiotics. I will try and find another doc.

So I'm getting close to saying **** it - I will have imperfect ears and just leave it alone.
Only thing is I'm a data systems engineer that has to dress up in a suit occasionally and interact with customers. They will just have to get used to the new thug look I guess.

**studbolt** · Posted On: 4/20/2008 8:44pm

I would said "hey whats that??" and slapped a arm triangle on his ass. Drag him into the closet and let him wake up confused and outta breath....just like my ex wife used to...