While it’s commonly confused with swimmer’s ear, surfer’s ear is caused by the same conditions, but the effects are quite different. In this article, we will explore the causes and indicators of surfer’s ear and what you can do if you have been diagnosed.
What are the Causes of Surfer’s Ear?
Like swimmer’s ear, surfer’s ear is caused by prolonged and repeated exposure to cold, wet conditions. Add wind, and you have the perfect recipe for developing surfer’s ear. Also known as exostosis, bone growths develop inside the ear as a result of constant cold conditions. Once the exostosis starts, it continues to grow with each exposure until it is removed through surgery.
What Are The Symptoms?
The symptoms can be subtle and hard to notice until an issue that requires medical intervention occurs. The most common tell-tale signs that indicate the onset of surfer’s ear are:
Difficulty expelling water from the ears
As the exostosis grows, it can block water and wax from draining properly, making everything sound like it’s underwater.
Constant or reoccurring ear infections
The inability to drain the inner ear can lead to infections or worse. Once an infection sets in, only surgery to remove the growth will alleviate surfer’s ear.
Pain and swelling around the ear
As infection sets in, it’s common for the area to throb and be painful to the touch. In severe cases, the area around the infected ear can become swollen and red.
Diminished hearing
While diminished hearing by itself is not considered an indicator, however, if it occurs in combination with one or more of the above symptoms, or it happens only in one ear.
What Treatments Are Available?
In truth, the only treatment for surfer’s ear is surgery. This is definitely a case where one ounce of prevention is worth 10 pounds of cure. Seasoned surfers and avid water sport adventurers recommend the following tips to help prevent this painful condition:
• Limit your time in the water, and watch local weather conditions, avoiding the coolest times of the day.
• Wear ear plugs to prevent water from entering the ears.
• Invest in a wetsuit hood that protects the ears and head from cold and wet conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Surfer's ear is caused by prolonged and repeated exposure to cold, wet, and windy conditions. This leads to the development of bone growths called exostosis inside the ear canal as a response to constant cold exposure. The growths continue to increase with each exposure until surgically removed.
Symptoms of surfer's ear include difficulty expelling water from the ear, frequent or recurring ear infections, pain and swelling around the ear, and sometimes diminished hearing. These symptoms often appear gradually and may worsen over time, especially if infections develop.
No, surfer's ear and swimmer's ear are different conditions even though they share some causes like exposure to water. Swimmer's ear is an infection of the ear canal, while surfer's ear involves the growth of bone inside the ear canal caused by cold exposure. Their treatments and implications differ significantly.
The only effective treatment for surfer's ear is surgical removal of the bone growths in the ear canal. Medication or other non-surgical treatments cannot reverse the exostosis. Early prevention and minimizing cold exposure are critical because surgery is required once growths become problematic.
Surfer's ear can be prevented by limiting time spent in cold water, avoiding the coldest times of the day, wearing ear plugs to keep water out, and using wetsuit hoods that protect the ears and head from cold, wet, and windy conditions. These measures help reduce the risk of bone growth development in the ear canal.
While diminished hearing alone is not a definitive sign of surfer's ear, it can occur when combined with other symptoms like water retention or infections. If the bone growth blocks the ear canal significantly, it can reduce hearing ability, especially if only one ear is affected.
