The term cauliflower ear refers to a deformity of the ear caused by blunt trauma or other injury, such as what may occur during a boxing match. If left untreated, the injury leads to a blockage that prevents blood flow and damages tissue. This results in a bumpy or lumpy appearance on part of the ear, similar to a cauliflower. Early treatment can help prevent permanent deformity and other irregularities. Fortunately, the types of injuries that cause cauliflower ear are often preventable by wearing the right type of protective head gear.
What are the symptoms?
If you’ve experienced an ear injury or hit to the side of your head, you should check your outer ear in a mirror for swelling or bruising. You may also notice a change to the shape of your ear. As blood begins to pool around the injured area, fresh blood supply to your ear cartilage is cut off.Left untreated, cauliflower ear can lead to:
- ringing in your ear
- hearing loss
- headache
- blurred vision
A study in the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine found that wrestlers with cauliflower ear were more likely to experience hearing loss than wrestlers without this specific condition. Cauliflower ear may also be associated with increased risk for ear infections. Spotting the beginning signs of cauliflower ear will protect you from other complications, as well as help prevent deformity of your ear.
What causes cauliflower ear?
The ear is vulnerable to blunt trauma. When the ear is struck and a blood clot develops under the skin, or the skin is sheared from the cartilage, the connection of the skin to the cartilage is disrupted, causing cauliflower ear.The cartilage of the ear has no other blood supply except that supplied by the overlying skin. When the skin is pulled from the cartilage, and/or separated from the cartilage by blood (as with accumulated blood from injury or inflammation, or infection), the cartilage is deprived of important nutrients. Ultimately, the cartilage dies and the risk of infection is increased.
What is the treatment for cauliflower ear?
The goals of treatment are to prevent permanent damage to the cartilage by draining blood from the hematoma, treating any infection, and reducing inflammation in order to re-establish the connection of the skin to the underlying cartilage. Also, antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection.
Patients may be referred to an ear, nose, and throat doctor (otolaryngologist) or even a plastic surgeon to treat this deformity and assure proper healing.
Cauliflower ear repair consists of draining accumulated blood (the hematoma) through an incision in the ear and applying a compressive dressing to sandwich the two sides of the skin against the cartilage.
Prevention of Cauliflower Ear
The most important thing you can do to prevent cauliflower ear is to wear the appropriate head gear when engaging in activities that increase your risk for ear trauma, such as wrestling, boxing, rugby, and other similar sports. It's of crucial importance to get a proper fit for protective head gear. A helmet that's too loose can slip out of place, leaving you vulnerable to injury. One that's too tight may itself be damaging to the ears, especially as you repeatedly rub it against your ears putting it on and taking it off.
It’s very important to be aware of the risks and to have a doctor evaluate any trauma to the ear, even if it seems superficial. Treatment can help prevent the unsightly, often permanent, cosmetic effects of cauliflower ear. But it has to be done very soon after the injury occurs to be effective.
