Got a physical. Doc looks in my ear and said I have a tumors in my head. Went to a specialist who looked and asked me if I surfed. He then took a needle and touched me where NO ONE has ever done before. He poked the anvil or stirrup. Then he said, you got surfer ear. I was relieved. The next morning my ear started hurting and kept getting worse. Finally when I was about to go to ER when there was a loud pop and goo ran out. I'm better now. Doc wants me get it rotor rootered, but I ain't going back there. Unless it festers up again.

Sounds substantially NOT fun! What causes it? the cold? or just a good ole faceplant to the flats on a blown drop from a big set?

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SK8 AND DESTROY

I have problems with my ears. Over wax production. My sister same problem and my dad when he was alive as well. Too much wax. Have to get them purged annually and I'm due. messes up with balance and makes you feel weird.

Surfing in cold water can get what is known as surfer ear. I googled it some so now an expert. LOL Good luck with it.

I'm at, Dr. claims, about 80% blockage in both ears due to surfers/swimmers ear. Years surf'n Santa Cruz/windy Baja, and couple'a decades around the Great Lakes, even With Hood. It's bony growth with-in the ear canal the bod grows to protect against dreaded,,"Cold" hitt'n our innerear. It's a brutal fix~ if ya choose it, they hafta go in and frik'n 'scrape' your inner excess bone growth afriknway~~ yeeeowch,, damn- I ain't do'in tHat. So it's just this all da time: WHAT?? WhAt? what? Get : "Doc's Pro-plugs" to keep your young ones from earning this creep'n crud. He was the original surf'n dude Dr. in the nation I think back then, that 1st helped any of us with the condition using surgery, and com'n up with the 'pro-plugs eh

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ola ~

Edited: 01/17/2022 at 07:24 AM by equipeola

What equip says. Docs pro plugs. I've had two California friends get the operation And a doctor said I was developing it. Then I moved here and my ears have been substantially better.

I was reading down and about to reply with what little I knew about this, but you nailed it. About 30 years ago we were running an ESA contest at what is now Slater Way when a Brazilian Grad student asked me if he could interview and test our surfers about bone growth in their ears. I fortunately have avoided this problem. I have a minor ear wax issue like CFL Dave.



Edited: 01/17/2022 at 11:41 AM by rc

Cold water is what the doc said. He wanted to rotor rooter it out. I said no thanks, just write my wife a note telling her I have blockage and I'm not ignoring her when she talks. (which I really am.)

Nothing fun about surfers ear. I had my left ear cleaned out, twice. You will confess your crimes, it hurts.
But so do the continuous ear infections and water trapped that won't come back out.
I've had a lifetime of ear issues though.
Wear a hood, earplugs, with a hole in them! If they can't vent, it blows your eardrum out on impact.
The wax thang is a pain too
I lucked into a really good ear doc who surfs, through repairing a wetsuit for him.
Dr. Michael Widick, Atlantic ENT, Cocoa Beach.
Good luck!

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spindrift

I am currently going through this. Every year it gets worse. I was wondering about the surgery myself. @Spindrift, you said you had your ear 'cleaned' out twice, are you saying you had the surgery twice to remove the bony growth?

It has gotten to the point that even sweating will cause, not sure it is exactly infected, it will itch and will not stop.

My Dr. gave me two options, see a surgeon or use this stuff he prescribed called Fluocinolone Acetonide Oil for temporary fix, $70. It's temporary for sure comes back every few weeks or so.

What?

Yup good Doc. He has taken great care of me too.

120 lb test mono. & some Superglue. You already know what you have to do........

Yeah, bluestreak, twice....it grows back. Once in the 80's from all the time in Santa Barbara and North. Before good wetsuits and hoods, why I'm into real warm ones now.
Then constant diving and sailing in all conditions in Florida when I came home.
Never noticed the wax thang til about 15 years ago, had it cleaned 3 times since.
Last time it plugged completely, hurt a lot.
Dr. Widick is a local born surfer with great credentials, including working with aviators, highly recommend him.

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spindrift

Earplugs worked for me. I had surfer's ear and the bony growth from decades of surfing and diving. I started wearing earplugs and all of that has gone away. My bony growth receded and even my ear canal got bigger. It's the wind and cold that causes the problem. wind chills your ear even in warm water. I use these earplugs https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CKC264K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. They stay in your ear even when surfing and you can still hear, although it is a little muffled. I wear them every time I surf.

Edited: 01/30/2022 at 06:13 AM by surfersensei

Earplugs worked for me. I had surfer's ear and the bony growth from decades of surfing and diving. I started wearing earplugs and all of that has gone away. My bony growth receded and even my ear canal got bigger. It's the wind and cold that causes the problem. wind chills your ear even in warm water. I use these earplugs https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CKC264K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. They stay in your ear even when surfing and you can still hear, although it is a little muffled. I wear them every time I surf.