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Surfers Ear (exostoses)

Surfers ear is a condition where the ear canal is narrowed by bone which grows slowly in the ear canal over a long period of time. The bone grows in lumps, which form bulges, behind which water may be trapped. The new bone growth is stimulated by exposure to cold water and cold air. Surfers ear is therefore  common in New Zealand, the West Coast of the U.S. and the Coast of Australia.

Given enough time and enough cold exposure, the bony lumps (known as exostoses) may eventually completely close the ear canal off.

Symptoms:

Water gets stuck in the ear-those affected may need to shake their heads or hop vigorously to clear the ear canals

Ear canal infections- these may become increasingly common as the exostoses grow. Ususally they follow water exposure through swimming. The narrowness of the ear canals may make these infections slow to settle. The infections are treated with antibiotic ear drops and sometimes oral antibiotics.

Reduced hearing- this is a late and uncommon problem-- however the hearing may be temporarily affected when the ears are infected

Management:

Some exostoses do not require any treatment, but once these have been diagnosed it may be wise to protect the ears from cold water exposure using ear plugs and/or a neoprene headband or hood. This may slow down the growth of the exostoses.

Water blockage may often be successfully managed using "Vosol" ear drops after swimming other water exposure. These displace moisture and help dry and acidify the ear canal, reducing the risk of ear canal infection.

If the exostoses are causing persisting problems with ear water blockage or ear infections they are best removed.

Surgical Treatment:

This is performed under a general anaesthetic (you are asleep). An incision is made (usually) behind the ear, the exostoses are removed and the ear canal is widened. Dressings are left in position in the ear for 5-7 weeks until it has fully healed. The ear must be kept dry during this time. In my experience, this operation only needs to be done once in a lifetime.