How do you relieve pressure from cauliflower ear?
Impenetrable and blunt blows to the ear for example
during sports such as boxing and wrestling can be accompanied by a deformity of the eardrum if left untreated, and the eardrum becomes lumpy bumpy, which is called the cauliflower ear.
In the following we will say that early treatment prevents permanent deformity of the ear, timely use of appropriate types of protective head gear can save you from cauliflower ear.
How do you relieve pressure from cauliflower ear?
What you will read next:
What causes cauliflower ears?
Impenetrable ear traumas, or blunt traumas such as a heavy blow to the ear or the repetition of continuous gentle blows to the eardrum, such as what happens in sports such as boxing and wrestling, etc., cause blood to accumulate or hematoma in the cartilaginous structure of the eardrum. The accumulated blood becomes clot and it blocks the flow of blood to the injured area. Lack of blood supply prevents the damaged tissue from being repaired and the tissue and cartilage from being nourished. This is very common in sports injuries.
Another cause of cauliflower ear formation is damage in which the skin separates from the cartilage beneath it.
Occasionally, severe infections and inflammation of the eardrum are accompanied by deformity of the ear.
However, obstruction of blood flow due to accumulated blood clots causes the death of the eardrum cartilage, scar tissue is formed, and all these events will be accompanied by swelling and deformation of the eardrum, which is permanent.
It is good to know that if you start the treatment early after the ear is injured during a collision or impact, you can prevent the formation of cauliflower ears.
Early symptoms of cauliflower ears
Follow the blow, your ear:
- Swells
- will be red
- May have bruising
Do not underestimate early treatment and know that treatment should begin when the eardrum tissue does not have the effects of obstructed blood flow.
The pressure should be removed from the injured ear.
The goal of treatment is to relieve pressure and restore blood flow.
How to relieve pressure from cauliflower ears?
We should be able to re-establish blood flow as long as the obstruction of blood flow does not cause complications.
The doctor can relieve the pressure on the affected ear and reduce the swelling in this way:
- By performing a small incision, it drains the blood that has accumulated in the eardrum; sometimes the clot that causes the blockage can also be removed, finally, it can sew the edges of the cut skin with special delicacy and thread.
- It will use a special pressure bandage on the area, this pressure bandage will prevent the hematoma from forming again by applying pressure.
- This pressure bandage lasts for a few days to a week and during this period, the injury site is examined regularly so that the condition and the possibility of infection in the area are not neglected.
Pressure dressing after ear lobe injury
Sometimes the doctor can drain the accumulated blood without an incision by inserting a fine needle, and then apply pressure dressing for a few days to a week to prevent the hematoma from forming again.
The best way to prevent the formation of cauliflower ears is to prevent damage to the ear.
Proper use of standard head gears during high-impact exercise will protect you from this permanent complication.
Who is most at risk for developing cauliflower ears?
- Athletes of high-impact sports such as wrestling, boxing and rugby
- People who wear heavy earrings.
- People who have heavy piercings to the top of their earlobes.
It is recommended that you see a doctor in the first few hours of an ear injury to begin treatment to relieve pressure on the eardrum.