Thinking of getting my ear drained but if I do will I be able to train?

No. This has not cost me girls or money in any way. I have cauli, and I still have a good job, girls and pretty good money. It has in no way detracted from my life. It is a 'badge of honor', to a lot of us, and it's something that other wrestlers/grapplers immediately recognize. I have never gotten weird looks, occasionally someone (usually while I'm working in Europe) might ask about it, but I just tell them I wrestled in high school/college. They usually just want to know if it's from rugby, they call it 'rugby ear' over here a lot.

It's easy for outsiders to try and belittle it and call it disgusting, but where I'm from (Iowa) it's a culture thing, and we're proud of it. I've had it since I was 14, and I've never noticed any negatives.

I came up wrestling with Billy Martin as my coach (wrestlers know who he is) and cauliflower ear was never considered a badge of honor. It was just what happened when you didn't wear headgear like you're supposed to. Either way, some people want it.....others don't. Your body......your temple. I happen to like my temple with tons of tattoos........others like their temple with cauliflower on it. Either way, train away.
 
in my experience, it is tender for about a 2-3 week while it 'heals'.

If I were you, drain it/get it trained and wear your headgear whenever you train.
Also, put ice on it and put some pressure on it.

Like, after you drain in, put some on it for 10-15 minutes and then wrap your head in an ace bandage and keep it tight on the ear. Maybe even sleep with it on.
You'll notice that as the ear hardens and heals, it actually gets smaller.
 
I'm at the doctors now and waiting for him to drain it. Will let you know how it goes. Planning on hitting class tonight with the headgear.
 
I'm at the doctors now and waiting for him to drain it. Will let you know how it goes. Planning on hitting class tonight with the headgear.

Don't train the day that you drain it. The blood rush alone will fill it right back up. Give it a few days, then train with headgear.

He'll probably put a compression bandage on it and tell you to keep it on for 24 hours anyway.
 
So, I just got back and I met with the Nurse Practicioner and she didn't know what she was doing. She used a needle without the syringe and she basically poked 3 holes in it and tried draining it that way. I told her she needs the syringe to pull the blood out but she disagreed. I'll talk to one of my training partners tonight as he's a nurse and maybe I can just have him do it for me. It was a 100% complete waste of time.
 
I have had to get my ear drained a few times and in my experience even with a head gear I am not able to train right afterwords without it filling back up. After its drained you should keep it compressed without any training for at least 3 or 4 days but a week would be ideal btw there is no way it would be a whole month. I think you should suck it up and take a week off training. Coli sucks, I have it pretty bad on my left ear and I wish I didn't now but didn't care that much at the time.
 
I would suggest an ENT rather than a regular doctor's office, which is usually not familiar with this type of thing. I went to a regular doctor the first time and he tried to freeze my ear with a spray before draining. All I got was a chemical burn and temporary scar.
 
Well, after class last night I went to my training partners house and his wife who is a nurse drained my ear. It looks and feels 1000 times better. She got a little over 3cc's in the first syringe and was able to just squeeze a ton more out without the syringe. She got about 1/2 cc in another syringe. Overall she prob. got between 4-4 1/2 cc's out of the ear. She said that was the most she's ever drained. Now, it looks great and almost normal again. I will only train with the headgear on from now on.
 
Well, after class last night I went to my training partners house and his wife who is a nurse drained my ear. It looks and feels 1000 times better. She got a little over 3cc's in the first syringe and was able to just squeeze a ton more out without the syringe. She got about 1/2 cc in another syringe. Overall she prob. got between 4-4 1/2 cc's out of the ear. She said that was the most she's ever drained. Now, it looks great and almost normal again. I will only train with the headgear on from now on.

Good, now stay the fuck off the mats for a few days. Just take the weekend and let that ear fuse.
 
All doctors will tell you to take a month off after getting your ear drained but really two-three weeks is all you need.
 
So, my ear does look better but it def. has filled up a little bit. I'm going to get a referal to an ENT specialist and have it done properly. They will make an incision and drain it then stitch it back together. I have a deviated septom so I'm going to see if I can bang the two out at the same time. I will def. time time off of training when I do this. Draining it is just a temporary fix.
 
So, my ear does look better but it def. has filled up a little bit. I'm going to get a referal to an ENT specialist and have it done properly. They will make an incision and drain it then stitch it back together. I have a deviated septom so I'm going to see if I can bang the two out at the same time. I will def. time time off of training when I do this. Draining it is just a temporary fix.

That is really going overboard for no reason. Draining your ear with an insulin needle is easily your best option. After that compress it with a bandage around your head for a week and you will be good to go and with no scars and less time off training.

edit: there is also no reason to go to the doctor to get this done. You can buy needles at a pharmacy for a few dollars and some funny looks and draining an ear is really easy. Just stick the needle in the pocket of blood your draining and draw it out. It really doesn't take a professional to do this.
 
Back
Top