Have you ever heard of Surfer's Ear?
Most of us are familiar with swimmer's ear -- but swimmer's ear isn't the only medical problem water can cause for your ears. According to the California Ear Institute, surfer's ear, aka exostosis, is the abnormal growth of bone within the ear canal. Exostosis is caused by frequent exposure to cold water and wind; this exposure causes the bone surrounding the ear canal to thicken. This can lead to water often being trapped in the ear canals after swimming, more frequent ear infections, and eventually occlusion -- complete blockage of the ear canal -- and hearing loss.
Exostosis can actually result from almost any activity that takes place in cold, wet, and windy conditions: skiing, kayaking, fishing, sailing, and diving, for example. But surfers, who endure a lot of exposure to cold water, are much more likely than the rest of the population to get exostosis (and to get it at an earlier age), thus the name "surfer's ear."
Surfer's ear is a truly chilling problem. Given enough time, bony spurs deep in the ear can grow wildly, even penetrating the brain cavity! The bone growth is irreversible on its own, and the only lasting treatment for surfer's ear is surgery. The colder the water, the faster exostosis develops. Surfer's ear has become more of a problem in recent years as better wetsuits and dry suit technology have opened up colder waters for surfing and other water sports. Cold water surfers now experience exostosis at a rate that is 600% higher than warm water surfers!
Fortunately, surfer's ear is preventable. The primary way to avoid this serious medical condition is to simply avoid water activity during extremely cold and windy conditions. Using good ear protection is also critical; surfer's ear plugs can help to prevent cold water exposure, and they're especially important for high-exposure activities like surfing or wind surfing. Wearing a swim cap or hood in addition to the surfing ear plugs can help, too.
We offer a dedicated selection of ear plugs for surfing. These ear plugs offer two excellent features: first, they prevent water from getting in your ear and causing damage, and second, they allow you to hear what's going on around you while you're wearing them. All of our swimming ear plugs will provide water protection, but only the plugs listed on our surfing ear plugs page are sure to enable situational awareness. It is important to be able to hear what's going on around you when you're surfing or engaging in other high-activity water sports, and that's what surfing ear plugs let you do -- while still keeping your ears dry and safe.
Our top ear protection recommendations for preventing surfer's ear:
(1) Sorky Surfing Ear Plugs for Surfing and Cold Weather Activities |
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These specialized ear plugs are designed specifically for surfers and the prevention of surfer's ear. Sorky plugs fit deep in the ear canal, and they prevent both cold water and wind from getting into the ear. A unique membrane in the center of these ear plugs allows sound to pass through -- so you can hear voices and other noises around you -- while sealing out water and wind. Sorky is so good, we also recommend it for cold weather skiing, mountain biking, hiking and mountain climbing, kayaking, wind surfing, and sailing; if it's cold and wet, Sorky is the right choice for your ears. Sorky isn't cheap -- but if you're serious about cold water surfing, you need serious protection from surfer's ear. |
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(2) Alpine SwimSafe Premium Swimming Ear Plugs | ||
Alpine SwimSafe ear plugs provide water protection without blocking your hearing, and are a good choice for general water activities. The SwimSafe features a built-in acoustic filter that lets sound in while keeping water out, which provides the water protection and situational awareness surfers need. SwimSafe ear plugs have flanged tips that meld to the shape of the ear canal for a comfortable fit and good seal, so they won't fall out while you swim. Still, SwimSafe ear plugs are best for casual use; we do not recommend these plugs for diving, scuba, or other underwater swimming. If you're a warm water surfer, a surface swimmer, or someone who only engages in very cold, wet activities every once in a while, SwimSafe will do the trick -- and SwimSafe is a very affordable solution. | ||
(3) Westone Model 70 Custom-Fit Surfing Ear Plugs | ||
These custom molded ear plugs are the very best surfing ear plugs available anywhere, period. They are also the most expensive solution. But if you're constantly out there in cold water, sitting on your board getting blasted by wind and spray while you wait for the perfect wave, you can hardly afford to be without this kind of high-grade custom ear protection. The Model 70 is designed specifically for surfing and swimming, and like other surfing ear plugs, the Model 70 provides both water protection and situational awareness. A sealed membrane covers a center channel to keep cold air and water out of the ear, while allowing you to hear what's going on around you clearly. And because these are custom ear plugs, the fit is unparalleled: maximum comfort, maximum seal against water, maximum effectiveness. The Model 70 is by far our top recommendation for serious surfers. |
Which product is best for you depends on what kind of water sports you engage in, how often, what the climate is like in your area, and how tight your budget is. But please, if you do surf (or ski, snowboard, sail, or wind surf...) take the time to educate yourself about surfer's ear, and take action to keep this chilling medical condition from happening to you. Surfer's ear is preventable, so like we always say here at Ear Plug Superstore... Got Ears? Get Protected!
Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman