VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Hello everyone! I have significant bone growth in my ear canal. This growth is a result of my years spent sailing and surfing on cold water. The bone growth now means that ear infections are common if I don't manage the issue carefully. I have custom molded ear plugs and use sterile drops before heading out on the water. I don't like using ear plugs because I no longer have the wind in my ears, a sensory experience that I have had my whole life.

Exostosis is preventable. It is affecting how I am able to interact with the water. I wish that I had been told to wear ear plugs when I was younger so that I didn't have to deal with this issue now. I can't go in any body of water (pools, lakes, ocean, rivers) without ear plugs no matter what the temperature without risking infection. The procedure for dealing with exostosis is terrible and not something you want to have to go through. I am managing my issue through careful use of my ear plugs.

So a note to all the young or new water lovers out there, when playing in cold water always wear ear plugs!

Aka surfers ear

Lots of the local crew have had the surgery. It's ugly, involving ear removal and Dremel drill (or a dr in santa cruz that does it with micro chisels through ear canal)

Ear plugs....always.

Pardon?

Got it, one ear, so far under control, Klover used to flare it up, just stop falling in works

I love having music on the water but figure iPod ear bud setup isn't good.. Obviously concerned about surfers ear but wish they could make a custom set with music!

How do you tell if you are developing this?

sounds painful, having water in my ear for a week was bad enough, http://magicseaweed.com/news/surfers-ea ... ruth/6276/

Any good ear plugs with holes people can recommend?

for you windoc

I had the surgery about 10 years ago. The kind where they slice the ear off and drill it out. The worst part was the 8 weeks out of the water after plus it grows back twice as fast. Best bet is to wear ear plugs to prevent it or slow the growth if it's there already. Lately I've been using the cheap silicone ones available at drug stores and grocery stores as I tend to lose them a lot.

Thanks winddude. That's more my style.

Try using a hair dryer to evaporate residual water between exostosis and eardrum. Works for me with a unilateral exostosis.

Not falling in won't help -- as I understand it also advances from cold wet wind.

How you tell you have it: ask you dr to look in your ears. There are no symptoms until you're on the verge of needing surgery....that's when you start getting water trapped in ears, regular ear infections, hearing loss (say what?).

Ear plugs, tried em all:

-- cheap silicone ones gnarf recommends: I can never get a good seal with them.

-- tree type (look like an xmas tree): uncomfortable with a hood on, as hood pushes them in

- doc's pro plugs: the most popular ones out there, pretty cheap, but I don't get a good seal.

-- SurfEars: recent product, halfway between tree and pro plugs, work great, but pricey. There are now cheap knock off versions on amazon/ebay

-- custom: done with a cast at hearing centre. Having goo injected into your ear is the weirdest feeling ever. 100% perfect seal, but you can barely hear anything.

The new water proof ear buds for music seem like they should work fine. If they are waterproof to protect the electronics, seems they should keep the water out too?

On another note, PSA #2: sunglasses! Cataracts in late middle age will suck.

juandesooka wrote:Not falling in won't help -- as I understand it also advances from cold wet wind.

On another note, PSA #2: sunglasses! Cataracts in late middle age will suck.

definitely works!.... I wear hood or helmet covering ears...

And PSA #2: yeah, noted but tried all and none work. Seaspecs, general glasses, expensive, cheap, clear visor, tinted, full, half, even contacts unless you are mowing the lawn

LOL ears & eyes, problem solved!