IDK where else to ask about cauliflower ear/safety/prevention

[beat...people...up?]

Not sure where to ask this, so putting it here. Sorry, grappling techniques forum, advance apologies if I gross you out.

So I've been grappling roughly 6 times a week for a few months now and twice now I've had the inside of my right ear swell up. The first time I basically smooshed the swollen part out with a q-tip until whatever the fluid was inside came out, my ear scabbed up, and then it was fine and looked normal. This time it feels hot and I don't want to smoosh the swollen place because it hurts too much. If I just leave it alone will it be OK?

I really do not want to wear headgear. It's probably dumb but I think it looks dorky. (Whereas getting my ears mashed up is really going to help my hireability in the future--I'm aware).

 

[mattemate]

If you keep rolling without headgear or taking a break you'l get cauliflowers.

Also if you get a hematoma drain it correctly with a syringe and a small clamp, like from a refrigerator magnitude or clothes pin. Don't pop it. Jesus.


As long as you just out in headgear when your ears hurt you won't have to wear it that much

 

[Deleted member 405583]

 

[beat...people...up?]

If you keep rolling without headgear or taking a break you'l get cauliflowers.

Also if you get a hematoma drain it correctly with a syringe and a small clamp, like from a refrigerator magnitude or clothes pin. Don't pop it. Jesus.


As long as you just out in headgear when your ears hurt you won't have to wear it that much

Thanks for the advice. I'm a newb, so I don't know these things. I have to say, though, who has a syringe lying around their house??? not me. Do I need to go to a doctor? that video makes it look like... not something I could do on my own. Though my hematoma is less pronounced than that guy's.

 

[asian-glow]

Do not go to the doctor. I sat in the ER for 5 hours for a procedure that could have been done at home.

1. Acquiring syringes from a pharmacy
Do not bother to go in person. You will waste time bc they will think you are a degenerate druggie and deny you. Call every pharmacy in your local area for one that will give you one that is a decent gauge (appropriate gauge in link at end)

2. If you are hesitant doing it yourself
There is a really good chance that someone at your school is a nurse. If so, buy the proper materials and have them do it for you. You should really learn though because I can tell yours is going to just fill up again due to your training frequency.

Pro tip: If you let people in the gym know or medical friends, they can probably get you gauze, syringes, gloves, for free.

3. Wearing headgear
I really didn't want to wear headgear either and you know what? I got cauliflower anyway. I rolled about 5 times a week so once I developed cauli my ear was so tender I could not roll pain free without the headgear. And don't cheap out on headgear too much - comfort is important.

The most important advice I can give you is to get it drained asap and to just not roll for a few weeks because it will fill back up. Don't be like me where I had to poke myself at least 10 times and still ended up with a fucked up ear.

With that said, if you are like every other BJJ guy I know who refuses to listen to sound medical advice do this: get it drained, apply pressure to it, wear headgear, and keep redraining it. You will probably still get some cauli but you can minimize it with persistent draining and pressure.

http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/cauliflower-ear-self-treatment.805712/

 

[TheGZA]

Do not go to the doctor. I sat in the ER for 5 hours for a procedure that could have been done at home.

You sound poor.

 

[Oshime2]

You sound poor.

Or someone who doesn't want to spend their day in a waiting room?

The first two times I had my ear drained I went to a minor injury clinic. Sat around for probably 2 hours both times. I said no thanks after that.

 

[mattemate]

1. Acquiring syringes from a pharmacy
Do not bother to go in person. You will waste time bc they will think you are a degenerate druggie and deny you.

Not necessarily. First pharmacy I went to, I just went right to the pharmacist, showed him my ears, and explained. He gave me about five or six syringes for free.

ou should really learn though because I can tell yours is going to just fill up again due to your training frequency.

I was draining 2-3 times a day. A wrestler showed me his trick. Cut the sleeves off t shirts and use as a headband. Put it over your ear. Very tight and slows down refilling. There are magnets available for that purpose too.

The most important advice I can give you is to get it drained asap and to just not roll for a few weeks because it will fill back up.

Yeah he ain't gonna stop rolling

 

[Evenflow80]

Well I went in to drain mine and the Dr billed me about $480 later. To be fair he drained it realy good, got blood all over his expensive shirt, and stitched it up afterwards so it doesnt fill up again. Right now my left ear is hot and tender and I already feel a little bump forming. God help me if I get it again.

 

[beat...people...up?]

I was draining 2-3 times a day. A wrestler showed me his trick. Cut the sleeves off t shirts and use as a headband. Put it over your ear. Very tight and slows down refilling. There are magnets available for that purpose too.

Sweet, an excuse to cut the sleeves off my shirts. You lost me at magnets, though. Magnets?

Well I went in to drain mine and the Dr billed me about $480 later. To be fair he drained it realy good, got blood all over his expensive shirt, and stitched it up afterwards so it doesnt fill up again. Right now my left ear is hot and tender and I already feel a little bump forming. God help me if I get it again.

Good luck not getting it again. I'm still at the just a little bump stage and I'm kind of hoping it will go away. If it gets worse, I'll go to the pharmacy.

To be perfectly honest, the reason I'm hoping this is just going to go away is that I'm still a white belt. If you're like a master of the sport I can understand getting cauliflower ear. To get it this early would seem to mean I'm just kind of an idiot. >.<

 

[George Costanza]

For the love of God please don't Pop it. Drain it with a clean syringe. You can find many videos on YouTube. You don't "need" a doctor to do it. I'm sure your coach or someone at your gym would do it for you. I used to do it every few months until I said fuck it. But I've been grappling my entire life. Cauli is definitely not something most new grapplers want. After you drain it if you go back to training it's going to come back. So wear headgear for a month after draining it or take a break from grappling for awhile. Keep the area clean and sterile.

 

[woodguyatl]

Thanks for the advice. I'm a newb, so I don't know these things. I have to say, though, who has a syringe lying around their house??? not me. Do I need to go to a doctor? that video makes it look like... not something I could do on my own. Though my hematoma is less pronounced than that guy's.

Don't know where you live but in the country Tractor Supply or a feed/livestock/farm supply store will have syringes for giving meds to animals. The are available over the counter and sterile.

Also, who cares what headgear looks like? You think mouthpieces look cool? Honestly, you're rolling around with sweaty guys on the floor.

I have headgear that I don't wear all the time. I put it on when my ears start to feel a little hot. Also, make friends with a a local doc who knows what he/she is doing. When I get a bad swelling I get it drained and then stitched up.

 

[Cappy Goodtime]

The worst cauliflower ear I've ever seen was on a white belt who has since quit. That's gotta suck to explain.

 

[mattemate]

Sweet, an excuse to cut the sleeves off my shirts. You lost me at magnets, though. Magnets?



Good luck not getting it again. I'm still at the just a little bump stage and I'm kind of hoping it will go away. If it gets worse, I'll go to the pharmacy.

To be perfectly honest, the reason I'm hoping this is just going to go away is that I'm still a white belt. If you're like a master of the sport I can understand getting cauliflower ear. To get it this early would seem to mean I'm just kind of an idiot. >.<

How is it?

Also re my earlier posts, if you get those super strong rare earth magnets, you can put a couple on either side of the swelling once it's been drained. They will stay compressed and slow refilling. If you don't keep it under pressure, it refills pretty fast.

I had a video up on my FB for a while of me draining one. The reactions I got were pretty funny. Some people love it, others practically pass out.

 

[rmongler]

Just wear the head gear vro.

You know why guys like Felipe Pena or Yuri Simoes wear head gear in training? Because they don't give a fuck and don't have the insecurity the kinds of people who don't become woorl champions have.

 

[beat...people...up?]

How is it?

Also re my earlier posts, if you get those super strong rare earth magnets, you can put a couple on either side of the swelling once it's been drained. They will stay compressed and slow refilling. If you don't keep it under pressure, it refills pretty fast.

I had a video up on my FB for a while of me draining one. The reactions I got were pretty funny. Some people love it, others practically pass out.

It's better, actually. I wound up getting sick this week so didn't train for two days, by which point the swollen part opened up on its own (where I had popped it before), I guess drained, and formed a scab. It wasn't too large and was in the inner part of my ear so is basically gone. I'm frustrated being sick but obviously I don't want to go in and give it to someone else at the gym.


I'll get some headgear soon.