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The New York Times Discovers Cauliflower Ear

The Gray Lady has a piece up today about cauliflower ear and its relationship to our growing sport. The author gets the details correct but tries to spin the reasons why fighters or wrestlers don't treat it. To wit:

As a signature injury, cauliflower ear stands alone in one illuminating respect. Although most athletes tend to err on the side of overtreatment, or at least treatment, fighters develop cauliflower ear by avoiding medical care.

Long familiar to amateur wrestlers, the condition begins when creasing, pulling and rubbing creates a blood clot between the cartilage and the connective tissue of the upper ear, said Dr. Gregory Ator, an otology specialist at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Infection and swelling can follow.

Properly drained, sutured and insulated, the ear can recover. The condition poses no serious threat to hearing, Ator said. But without medical care, scar tissue can reshape the skin and cartilage to give the outer ear a mangled, stunted, pale appearance.

In a study of 635 mixed martial arts matches in Nevada, researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that the most common injuries were lacerations and wounds to the upper extremities. The study did not count conditions that develop over time, like cauliflower ear. In an article in The British Journal of Sports Medicine last year, the researchers concluded that overall injury rates for mixed martial arts roughly matched those of other combat sports.

With minimal subtlety, cauliflower ear announced itself to a national audience during a Saturday night broadcast on CBS on May 31, when a British fighter's ear exploded in a shower of blood and pus. The match was stopped as a technical knockout, causing no small controversy among fans, rival promoters and some mixed martial arts officials.

All too true except that while it's true fighters or wrestlers use their cauliflower ear as a badge of honor, the more important part is that healing the ear requires time away from training. Fighters and wrestlers know as soon as the ear heals, it's likely going to blow back up again, so they have no incentive to try to keep their ears pretty. Additionally, many fighters have no health insurance, so while the occasional draining of an ear with a syringe is ok, seeking the help of a medical professional is out of the question.

As for me, I've only had minor clotting a couple of times and have been very fortunate to avoid any gruesome damage. The other truth about cauliflower ear is that, for whatever reason, it doesn't affect everyone. Or, at least, it doesn't affect everyone equally. Some guys get it right away; others not so much. I've been fortunate, but to be honest, I wouldn't really care if I did get it. Then I'd be the only MMA blogger who even resembles a fighter.

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I’ve got ears that stick out quite a bit, and being that I’m relatively new to jiu jitsu, I’ve spent a lot of time pulling my head out of attempted chokes that I was stupid enough to get myself into. My ears have been yanked on, bruised, and mashed repeatedly over the last year, and I’ve never had the slightest problem. Other guys who started after me started having problems in two or three months. I guess some of us are just blessed with iron ears. I’d rather have an iron jaw, but hey, it’s better than nothing.

by AJB on Jul 31, 2008 11:48 AM EDT reply actions  

My left ear went first, and i drained it myself many times. Now it is nice and hard, lol.

In the process of my right ear as i write.

I don’t mind a little damage, but NO way would I let it get like BJ or others.

I use headgear while it heals up, so no missed training. Brute makes some decent low profile headgear.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Jul 31, 2008 11:54 AM EDT reply actions  

Thanks for the recommendation. I have been looking for some headgear since my ear was sliced up in training.

by zeroword on Jul 31, 2008 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions  

I tried that asics full size and they were way to big. The asics jr.’s arent to bad, much smaller. But the Brutes are much flatter and easier to hear with, by far my favorite so far. If you have Sports Authority near you, they are on sale for like 14 bucks right now.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Jul 31, 2008 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions  

Then I’d be the only MMA blogger who even resembles a fighter.

And Evan Tanner cries himself to sleep.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Jul 31, 2008 3:13 PM EDT reply actions  

The facts...it's about money...

Most fighters are POOR.

I train with a few professional and amatuer fighters and many of the 20 somethings simply DO NOT HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE.

Believe it or not, they train hard without thought to injury. Banging their ears is a badge of honor, yes, but many times they simply cannot afford to go get it fixed and they know the pain will go away and it will heal.

No joke.

by dohfil on Aug 1, 2008 4:14 AM EDT reply actions  

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