Conditions
Surfer's Ear
Surfers fancy themselves as pretty cool individuals, frequently to be seen with tousled blonde hair and wetsuits strategically unzipped to the waist. Fortunately, nature has a sense of humour, so many of them will have Surfer’s Ear. It is caused when the ear becomes partially blocked with bony tissue, and it’s most commonly caused by exposure to cold water. The lining of the ear can be irritated by the cold water, causing over production of the bony substance under the lining of the ear canal. Loss of hearing is the key symptom, as is pain caused by the build up of earwax. This affects the drainage of the ear, allowing infections to develop. Ear plugs are the best way to prevent it forming, but if it’s already too late then a procedure called an exostectomy is performed to remove the boney debris, whilst antibiotics are utilised to clear any remaining infection.
Comments
You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments are reviewed before they are published.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out the Channel 4 Health site or NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
Important Notice
The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.
If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here
my auntie has one ear that is extreamly swollen compared to the other one she dosent really like doctors and refuses to go … but she has had a lump removed from that ear once before but this isnt a lump its just the whole ear is swollen help ? x
Report this as offensive
i am unsure if i have a slight deafness… i dont want to go to the doctors cause i feel like it is something silly i shouldn't worry about. but im always finding myself saying what and getting really annoyed because people hate repeating themselves and i feel wick asking. so how do i know? and what should i do?
Report this as offensive