Surfer's Ears
Overview
Surfer's ear is a condition
where the bone of the ear canal develops multiple bony growths called exostoses.
Over time, this can eventually cause a partial or even complete blockage of the
ear canal.
You may reference the Anatomy of the Ear page for better understanding of the anatomy.
Presenting Symptoms
Surfer's ear usually presents with an infection of the ear canal or blockage of the ear canal and hearing loss.
Causes
Prolonged exposure to cold water and wind are the cause of Surfer's ear. Cold water surfers are 6 times more likely to get Surfer's ear than warm water surfers.
Complications
When the ear canal is
narrowed, water and debris can get trapped behind the narrowing causing
infection. These infections of the ear canal (external otitis) are also called
Swimmer’s ear. The infections are more difficult to treat in people with
surfer’s ears than those with open ear canals. The treatment of the infection
will require several visits to an ear nose and throat physician for cleaning of
the debris and antibiotic treatment. Once over 90% of the ear canal gets
blocked, a significant hearing loss will occur, which can only be relieved by
removing the exostoses.
Treatment
The only way to treat Surfer’s ears definitively would be to remove the bony growths (exostoses). The procedure is most commonly performed through the ear canal and a combination of micro chisels and small drills are used to remove these bony growths. The drill is only used for the growths that are close to the ear drum. This is because use of the chisel close to the ear drum increases the chance of getting a hole in the ear drum from the surgery. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis (patients go home the same day). The recovery period is at least a month. During this time period, water should not enter the ear canal – meaning no swimming or surfing. If ear plugs are not worn after the ear canals have healed (after surgery), the bony growths can return. It will take several years for that to occur, but it will probably occur. The best treatment is prevention.
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Prevention
The best method of treatment
is using ear plugs when surfing. Other methods of prevention include using a
hood or a special headband that covers and seals the ears. The best combination
is using ear plugs and a headband or hood.tosclerosis is a condition
of the bone of the inner ear where the bone
of the inner ear grows and stiffens the stapes bone (the third bone of hearing).
Why Come to UC Irvine?
At UC Irvine, we strive to treat the our patients with the latest and best techniques to insure a faster recovery and return to normal activities. In addition to you care by our subspecialist in the treatment of ear diseases, Dr. Djalilian, we are conducting research into developing new techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of ear disease.
Our Approach
We use a combination of a microchisel and drill to remove the exostoses. The use of the drill is best for exostoses that are wide-based in the anterior (front) part of the ear canal and those that are close to the ear drum. Using the chisel close to the ear drum can cause a rupture of the ear drum. The front wall of the ear canal borders the jaw joint - temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Attempting to fracture a large exostosis in the anterior canal wall may cause the bone that surrounds the TMJ to break with devastating consequences.
To Make an Appointment with our ear specialist, Dr. Djalilian, Please Call 714-456-7017 or click here to request an appointment via the web.
