Exostosis or Surfer's Ear

[MaxTexan]

I have not seen this topic discussed on the forum for awhile and decided the time is right now.

Surfer's ear is exostosis of the ear channel. Exostosis is an abnormal bone growth. Surfer's ear is more common in people who have been exposed to cold water.

Back in 2008, right before I moved from Arkansas to west Texas, I had the opportunity to go east to paddle the Nanty and the Ocoee. I noticed after that trip that it took weeks for the pressure in my ears to equalize. During the first year in west Texas my allergies became really bad and I need to see an ear nose and throat specialist. At my first exam, she noticed that I had mild forms of exostosis in both ears but the left was worst. She thought this equalization problem was from the exostosis.

Skip ahead to this holiday season (2012). I had a cold with sinus congestion. It is not been uncommon for me to feel like I have water in my left ear when I get a cold. However weeks after the congestion was gone, I still had that feeling in my left ear. It also made hearing in that ear difficult.

Back to the ear doctor. She was amazed how bad the exostosis in that ear had become. A bony projection was actually trapping wax, etc. between it and my ear drum causing the symptoms.

Two weeks ago I had surgery to remove the projections in my left ear. The surgery was 4 hour long as an outpatient. Exostosis was removed through the ear channel rather than from behind the ear. A week later I had the packing removed from the ear; and I could hear like I have not in a long time. My only restriction at this time is to avoid water in my ear for one more week.

As a youngster I swam in the ocean a lot, body surfed and surfed. Since 1999, I have paddled and I do not avoid cold water paddling days. So a life time of exposure probably contributed to my problem. I am going to try some ear plugs in the future to keep cold water out of that ear, although my doctor does not expect it to re-occur in part because of my age (54). Some time in not very distant future I plan to be back on the water.

[panicman]

I'm wondering or have been wondering if thats what I have going on in my right ear. Since last summer everytime I spend any extended time under water the next day it is clogged really bad for days. SOmetimes I get wax build up that won't seem to unclog. Also, my hearing out that ear seems diminished. Was in a pool 2 weeks ago on vacation and clogged so bad I could not really hear out of it for a week. Better now but still not close to 100%.

Guess I need to go in and be checked out.

[okieboater]

yup, it is for real and I bet more boaters have it just do not know it.

I recommend Doc's Proplugs every time you go into cold water. Will help prevent surfers ear and if you have it may keep it from worsening.

I have done research on this and so far the only cure I know requires a good Doctor.

[Fish]

My left ear is 90+% closed up. I nearly went in for surgery 6 years ago (when I got that diagnosis), but have avoided it so far by always wearing silicone putty ear plugs - the kind you can buy anywhere. Wear two when i'm playboating, one when I'm creeking (so I can hear out of my right ear). Right ear is 20% blocked as well. Doesn't affect hearing, but makes ear infections happen easier and if you get ear wax buildup behind the blockage, it ain't fun to get it out. Anyway, hoping to avoid surgery, and seems to be holding steady so far for past 6 years. Best bet is don't let it get started - plugging your ears when you're gonna submerge your head a bunch (either via playboating or just plain ol' bad paddling like me).

In the meantime, it makes for interesting times whenever a family doc looks in that ear and asks "holy cow, do you surf in the Pacific a lot?" They don't see a lot of that stuff in the Midwest!

- Fish

"You boys should leave stupid up to us professionals."

[Fish]

BTW, panicman, the other thing I do is jam a q-tip in my ear to remove wax every morning after hot shower. This seems to work well - haven't had wax issues in a long time in that ear. Of course, if you have normal ears, you should never sitck anything smaller than a potato gun barrel in your ear. But since my funky ear is 90% closed up, it forms a more-or-less natural barrier to q-tip jamming damage. One of the benefits of good ol' exostosis!

Also, man, we should get together again for a crack-o-stupid adventure. Been too long since I got worked in a big hole.

- Fish

....

[MaxTexan]

Fish, in my case the blockage was trapping ear wax and Texan dust against my ear drum. My hearing was very much affected. DVD that I watched with the sounds at 25 in December I now watch at 14-15. PLus it was like having water in my ear.

I have been using the silicon ear plug to keep water out of my ear as it heals. I will give them a try paddling.

We both are a long ways from that day when... was his name Jason... anyway the young man that got his kayak pinned under the first low water bridge on Sugar creek.

Not sure which of us has a younger child now.. my little girl will be 5 in May.

[EricLind]

Thankfully I have no signs of exostosis...yet. For ear wax build up as well as prevention of ear infections (especially in warmer weather/water months) I use a solution of 50% white vinegar, 50% isopropyl alcohol. I keep it a small plastic dropper bottle (usually free from pharmacist) and put a couple of drops in each ear after paddling / swimming and occasionally after showering. The vinegar kills virtually any bacteria and helps dissolve the wax and the alcohol disperses water. Cheap and effective!

[okieboater]

Eric's post on vinegar and alcohol is right on point.

Many moons ago, I got some "clean" river water trapped in my right ear from a trip to the Nanty from Tulsa.

Got back home and ear started hurting so I went to my GP Doc. He did a series of Rx. Did not kill the bad stuff.
GP sent me to a specialist. This guy's waiting room was covered with photos of vintage Porche sports cars. When the bill came, I understood how he could afford such a collection. Looked in my ear, said words to the effect rarely see one this bad.

I was setting in a chair similiar to what you see in a dentist office but with special head "wings". Doc sez words to the effect I am going to lock your head down, no matter what do not move. He showed me a deal that looked similiar to a dentist drill but the end looked like a oil well drilling head. The deal in my ear was the infection had progressed to the point the Rx was blocked from the ear drum which was covered with what ever. Doc sez I am going to clean off all that gunk and if you move I could cut through your ear drum. Do you want to proceed. Ear hurt big time I kinda blinked and said yes sir go ahead. Well he ground away for a while. Put some stuff on my ear and gave me some drops to put in ear. Said go see your GP in a week and if it is healing then you will not need me anymore. Which I did and it was healing. The Big Dog Doc then said from now on clean your ears out every time you get in the water with a solution like Eric uses. Which I have done. The vinegar helps kill germs and the alcohol helps get rid of the water trapped in the ear.

I seriously recommend using the home made solution or a commercial one after every in water trip no matter how clean the water is.

dave

[panicman]

Yup Fish,

We need another adventure sometime soon.

Guess I need to go in to the doc and see whats up because it is not getting any better now.

[Fish]

@MaxT, yep, it's been a long time since Sugar Cr. My little girl is 1.5 yrs now, so I think I win the youngest kid award between you and me. :) I don't boat quite like I used to, but I still manage to fire something good up now and then. The young 'un looks to me like a born paddler, and as soon as the weather warms up, we're gonna head to the lake with the canoe. :)

Cheers,
Fish

[MaxTexan]

You win... my little girl will be 5 at the end of May; But I probably beat you on age at daughter's birth. My daugther loves cold water... but she has better will than skill in most things. The time toi get her swimming and paddling is getting close.

I do not get to paddle like before either. Unfortunately I could a two year hiatus after ligament damage in my right wrist. Then last year in CO and NM sucked!