How Do Wrestlers Get Cauliflower Ear & Is It Dangerous?

If you are in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), there is a high chance you will deal with cauliflower ear. It is quite common in that combat sport, and in fact, 30-40% higher level belts deal with it in their career. What does cauliflower ear look like & Is it dangerous?

Yes, we agree, BJJ, MMA or wrestling creates a big impact on your body and there are lots of positive benefits of it as well, but there is a dark side too if you aren’t cautious – cauliflower ear.

Though it is an injury that requires serious kind of attention, it is a crown among professional BJJ, MMA or wrestling fighters too, as they believe it is a clear sign that you’re involved in BJJ, MMA or wrestling.

Cauliflower ear can appear due to many reasons.

However, mostly, it is associated with BJJ. If we say we have seen this injury mostly in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it would be 100% correct.

This is mainly because many fighters don’t use the headgear. Their ears and head are exposed and constantly encounter brutal hits from their opponent. Consistent hard punches or kicks on the ear break the blood vessels inside the ear and cause it to deform.

Today, we have lots of ways to treat it. Some of them require immediate action, like drainage, and others are helpful when it comes to permanent deformities, like surgery.

This condition looks common, but can it be dangerous?

It is a common question that revolves around the mind of many people.

Yes, it can be dangerous. Apart from permanent disfigurement, there are lots of issue and side effects which you can face.

For example, it affects hearing. After pain, your ear feels stiff and you start to hear lesser than before. But, according to experts, this happens rarely. Usually, the cartilage die and the blood vessels break on the outer side of the ear. Hearing loss will happen only if the inner side of the ear, closed to the ear canal, will get damaged.

This is the only situation that causes ear damage. In some other cases, hard punches or kicks flood you with shock and affect your hearing. If there isn’t any damage to the ear canal, it will be temporarily and vanish within a few minutes.

Experts recommend instant consultation with a physician if you are dealing with hearing loss as a side effect symptom. Prompt treatment is necessary to resolve the issue, otherwise, it can be permanent as well.

Some people think that if you drain the cauliflower ear immediately, everything becomes great. Well, this isn’t always the case.

You get the stuff out and it looks fine, however, it won’t be the happy solution always. If it is still bleeding from the inside, you can deal with the swelling again. Furthermore, if you are not a professional, you can damage the condition even more.

The needle is inside your ear. It can indeed create scar tissue too. If you aren’t relying on the antibiotics, or if the professional hands aren’t treating you, the ear won’t heal.

You will, in fact, keep on draining it time and time again.