Who has the worst surfer's ear?

[Tom Linn]

I've had three ear surgeries to correct total closure in both of my ears? I average about one surgery every five years. Can anyone top that?

If anyone needs a good doctor for surfer's ear, I know the best. If you need any other surfer's ear info, let me know and I might be able to help you.

[Guest]

what?

[SFKneelo]

Hey Tom,
I went to the ENT today. Good news, the swelling went down enough so
he could tell me that the closure is 'gigantic.'
I can't top 3x in 5 yrs... but, I'm itchin' to get the drillin'...
BTW... the family is heading S both at the end of June and the beginning of
Aug. Looking forward to hopefully many surfs!
Cheers,
Bob

[surfhorn]

My wife has a 98% closure. She has body surfed and stand-up surfed all her life - an old Dog Town local. The women in her family started body surfing in the early 1900's and started board surfing in 1928.

I had to 'pass' a body surfing test before we got married. Odd family....

[quadfin]

the "ear" does not only happen in cold water. as a long time warm clime surfer I have blockage in one ear. local docs in Texas did not know what it was, took a doc who had worked in Santa Cruz to diagnose.

[surfhorn]

Dr. Robert Scott of Santa Cruz, was the leader in diagnosing 'Surfer's Ear'.
He produces "Doc's Proplugs", which I've used since 1979 and has really helped me. You can find out more info through his web site ( don't have the URL at hand) or through his daughter's company, Hotline Wetsuits.

I've even used them when I have had to play a really heavily amplified music gig.

[Tom Linn]

All my surgeries required six weeks out of the water. My first two were done by cutting off my ear and drilling out the canal (ouch!!!). The third one was done by a doctor in Newport Beach who used a tiny chisel and performed the operation without cutting off my ear. Still required a six week recovery but much less painful. I've heard rumors of a doc that is using lasers to cut them out.

I'm with you however, don't do the surgery unless you absolutely have to. In my case I had 50% hearing loss in each ear before I went for the surgery.

cya in the H2O................Tom

[DrStrange]

Just met a guy who's doc wants to drill his head. He has problems with his holes. Anyhoo, the doc told him that after age 35 or so, your bones grow slower or get less reactive or something so less likely to develop problem and if you do it will be slower developing.

Yet another reason that old guys are cool.

Me, age 53 and hee-hee-hee!

[surfhorn]

In the late 1970's a KB friend was surfing off of Blacks Point in Santa Cruz and had his 12" flex fin severe those very nerves. After 13 hours of micro surgery, they still weren't able to give him back full use of those muscles.

[K-man]

20+years back i was having major ear problems-infectionsand other nasty problems which kept me out of the water for week.Found a good doc.First,don't get the operation,they'll grow back,and they do sa you so well know.Doc's plugs-rubber surf cap-yearly ear cleanout-the vacuum job really does the trick.If you ski- snowboard esr protction is mandatory.Fishing same deal,keep the wind,cold air out of that area.Haven't had problem [only minor stuff ] since then.Left ear 80 closure.Right ear 90+.Read somewhere that in time it may be possible for the growths to be reassorbed into the body.Anyone heard that little scrap of info.?

[Rob]

90-95% closure of both ears. Hearing is still excellent. No need for surgery - yet. I'm 59 years young and have been surfing mostly cold water since the mid 50's.

[T Hall]

Hey Tom,
I'm right there with you. both of my ears have been operated on for a total of three operations. The closure on my left ear was so extensive that, like you, the doctor severed the ear nearly off and taped it to my head while he went in through the back of the ear. My recovery was only four weeks. The reason for the speedy recovery is the technique that was used. My surgeon uses a tool that resembles a small melon baller. He removes what skin he can from the ear cannal then he scrapes the bone untill enough is removed for the reconstruction. This allows the skin in the ear cannal to heal much faster than with a laser or a drill. Because the bone in the ear cannal is some of the hardest bone in the body it is very hard to graft skin onto. This type of procedure is less abusive to the bone in the ear cannal and so speeds recovery by making it easier for the skin to grow back. This doctor is at the top of his field and has traveled all over to perform ear surgeries. Dr Awerbuck in Monterey is the MAN.

[surfhorn]

Wear yer' ear plugs.......I should take my own advice.

I've been out of the water for over 3 weeks, ever since I body surfed The Wedge and up at Emma Wood. A little wouth swell and water temp well over 70 is quite the enchanter. I had forgotten my ear plugs and went out anyway.........and now I pay.

I have religeously worn ear plugs since 1980 of so when I moved to Santa Monica. The warm water made wetsuit-less body surfing so attractive but really gave me trouble with my ears since I do a lot of underwater take-offs and surfing a la dolphins. Doc Scott is an old freind and used me as a test dummy for his ear plugs - which work really well for me.

I've worn them ever since..........until last month. My right ear is just beginning to open up. Its kept me out of the water and made playing music very difficult. Plus my wife is ready to kill me if I say "...what?" one more time.

Watch your ears and stay healthy! It makes for surf and marital bliss.