Cauliflower ear is a condition often experienced by wrestlers and boxers. But why does it happen? And does it impact the ability to hear? Dr. Arica Rock, Au.D. gives a quick overview, while stressing that prevention is key.
I’m Dr. Arica Rock at Bloomington-Normal Audiology, and welcome to I Hear You, where the audiologists at BNA answer your hearing-related questions. Oscar in Bloomington asks, “What is cauliflower ear. Does it affect hearing?” Great question. Cauliflower ear is a deformity of the outer ear. It’s often caused from an injury, and it’s usually due to sports such as wrestling, boxing, and martial arts. It typically happens after repeat incidents. There is no cure for it, so immediate medical attention is necessary to prevent it from developing. It’s often caused because of the lack of blood flow to the outer ear, which causes damage to the cartilage. It does not typically affect hearing because it’s more cosmetic to the outer ear. Plastic surgery is sometimes the only way to help correct it and help make it look more normal. Since there’s no cure, prevention is really the key. It’s important to wear head gear if you’re involved in any of those sports like wrestling, boxing, and martial arts. So if you’re involved in any of those sports, it’s important to take it seriously and wear the head gear to prevent this from happening. Hope that helps! If you have more questions, let us know. I’m Dr. Arica Rock at Bloomington-Normal Audiology, and we’re ‘hear’ for you.