Have you heard of Cauliflower Ear? If you are a fan of MMA or wrestling, you most likely have witnessed people with it. Cauliflower ear is a not a congenital ear deformity, but it is typically acquired from blunt trauma to your ear or ears. It manifests itself with a shriveled up ear appearance and deformed curvature of your ear. It is caused by ear trauma and is usually painful and swollen.
Have you heard that many wrestlers see their cauliflower ear as a badge of honor? In a 2016 article in USA TODAY Sports, Olympic wrestler, Kyle Snyder says about his cauliflower ears, “I love them….I like them just as they are.” He says his tortured ears is what he is most proud of and his best asset. He states “It happens because of the friction between you and your partner on the wrestling mat…The friction will cause little pockets where blood will fill and eventually that blood hardens out and you are stuck with this thing.”
While cauliflower ears may be considered a badge of honor for some, it can be very harmful for many as well.
The dangers of cauliflower ear may include:
- Pain
- Headaches
- Blurred Vision
- Hearing Loss
- Ringing In Your Ear
- Severe Bleeding
- Swelling of Your Face.
- Hematoma (large collection of blood outside of the blood vessels)
- Ear deformity
- Flopping Ear
Contact the office of Dr. Khosh in Manhattan if you suffer from cauliflower ear. He offers advanced otoplasty techniques that restore the appearance and function of your ear.
