The helicis major is a narrow vertical strip of muscle lying on the front edge of the helix, the curled outer rim of the ear. It is one of six small intrinsic muscles that run entirely within the auricle, connecting one part of the ear cartilage to another rather than to the skull. In humans it has little or no useful action, but it is a regular, named part of the ear's anatomy.
| Origin | Spine of the helix (the small forward projection of the helix cartilage) |
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| Insertion | Anterior border of the helix, where the helix begins to curve backward |
| Nerve Supply | Temporal branch of the facial nerve (CN VII) |
| Blood Supply | Anterior auricular branches of the superficial temporal artery |
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In animals with mobile ears the intrinsic auricular muscles help shape the ear to direct sound; in humans the helicis major is rudimentary and contributes at most a slight tensing of the helix.
The helicis major is mainly relevant to surgeons who reshape or reconstruct the ear, because it lies directly on the anterior helix cartilage that is cut and sutured in otoplasty and helical rim reconstruction. Its nerve supply from the temporal branch of the facial nerve means it is paralysed along with the rest of that branch in facial nerve palsy, although this has no noticeable effect. Blunt trauma to the front of the ear can lift the skin and perichondrium off the cartilage in this region, producing an auricular haematoma.
Not separately palpable; it lies as a thin layer under the skin on the anterior rim of the helix.
A blood collection between the ear cartilage and its perichondrium after blunt trauma, common in wrestling and combat sports. Without prompt drainage it can lead to cartilage death and a deformed cauliflower ear.
Paralysis of the facial nerve, as in Bell palsy, affects all muscles it supplies, including the intrinsic auricular muscles, though loss of these is functionally silent.
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