Cauliflower Ear Danger
By Cynthia Portman
Sports Injuries Division, Institute of Medical Dramas, Leeds, UK.
Although exercise is generally good for your health, injuries are common in the rough and tumble world of professional sport. One of the most frequently seen ailments among people playing contact sports is a condition called cauliflower ear, or perichondral hematoma.
This is usually caused by repeated hitting on the ear and leads to an undrained accumulation of blood that can kill off the surrounding cartilage, making the ear become permanently swollen and deformed.
Our shocking discovery, however, now links this condition to kitchens and, in particular, to chefs. In a trial of 129 male chefs around the UK, those who spent more time preparing vegetarian dishes were six-times more likely to develop the condition, and has led to new calls for a national awareness campaign.
Although late-stage ‘coli-ear’ is often irreversible, if caught early, the condition is totally treatable using antibiotics.
Other kitchen related conditions found in our study included broccoli elbow, potato toe and the increasingly common asparagus syndrome.
This is usually caused by repeated hitting on the ear and leads to an undrained accumulation of blood that can kill off the surrounding cartilage, making the ear become permanently swollen and deformed.
Our shocking discovery, however, now links this condition to kitchens and, in particular, to chefs. In a trial of 129 male chefs around the UK, those who spent more time preparing vegetarian dishes were six-times more likely to develop the condition, and has led to new calls for a national awareness campaign.
Although late-stage ‘coli-ear’ is often irreversible, if caught early, the condition is totally treatable using antibiotics.
Other kitchen related conditions found in our study included broccoli elbow, potato toe and the increasingly common asparagus syndrome.
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