Cauliflower ear

[Ben Christy]

Before i get started "hopefully" with bjj and with all the interest in grappling latly i just wated to get a heads up about this. What is caulflower ear how can it be prevented why dont bjj studenst wear head gear etc. Should people studying ringen wear head gear does it concern you? should it concern me?

[david welch]

Your ear is a cartilage platform covered in skin. The cartilage gets it's bloodflow from the skin. If you get hit hard enough that you get a bloodclot between the skin and the cartilage, of if you are wrestling and get the skin pulled away from the cartilage, the cartilage can die. Without the cartilage framework, your ear can take on a missformed shape. The shape is what we call cauliflower ear.

Headgear can protect your ears, and if you are getting cracked in it a lot you might want to think about it.

If you get your ead injured enough that you can notice swelling, you need to go to the doc to get it drained. A lot of times that will keep cauliflower ear from happening.

[Matt Shields]

I have heard a few people at my BJJ school complain that headgear never stays tight enough and usually makes cauliflower ear worse. I'm not really sure about its ability to prevent cauliflower ear though. I've only had it lightly once and it went away pretty easily with some time off.

If you've never done any submission grappling before you'll likely spent quite a bit of time fighting your way out of guillotine chokes, which can really aggravate the tissue in your ears. So depending on how they treat new guys at your club/school don't be too surprised if you start to get it early on.)

[Mike Cartier]

I use a half moon wrestling head gear, its minimal and helps to protect the ear when you have gotten knocked in it a bunch opf times. Just allow it to heal, thats what i use the head gear for it allows me to keep rolling. I rarely use it though, its still uncomfortable.
I already have a severly cauliflowered ear, so much so that it is flat and never gets hurt now, its only my "normal" ear that gets a bump here and there.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, grab some headgear and use it when you ears feel sore.

[Rey Garcia]

Mine arent too bad I just consider it a fashion statement.