Hey guys and girls

I know there's already a few threads on seabreeze about the issue of 'surfers ear' but i wanted to get a feel for the opinions of crew that have had this surgery?

I've got large exostosis in my left ear which has been diagnosed after loss of hearing in the same ear. Apparently i've got an infection which is causing the canal to swell closing off the small gap between my ear canal and the exostosis. The doc reckons i'll need to get this drilled in the very near future.

Would love to hear peoples opinions on the surgery based on experience?

I've got the same problem. You can hear reasonably well until you get an infection and the remaining bit of open canal gets closed off. I got a referral to the specialist in Wollongong who has done thousands of the ops. Wollongong is the surfer's ear capital, it's not quite cold enough to stop surfers going out in winter. (Though I blame mine on skiing, canoeing, bicycle commuting in Canberra and a stint in Antarctica.) Had a yarn to the specialist. He said I'd only lost a bit in the 2khz band due to the narrowed ear canal. He also showed me the computer images of 20 or so previous patients - before and after. (So much for patient confidentiality, not that you knew who it was) What was surprising was that every ear was occluded by ~90%. That either tells me that that is when it starts giving real trouble and folks turn up at the docs or that there is a negative feedback going on. The specialist didn't have a clue when I bounced the negative feedback idea off him, but I suspect there is a thermostat deep in the ear somewhere that sends a signal for bone to grow in the ear canal if it's too cold. Shut the door it's drafty sort of signal. Once it gets to 90% closed the thermostat is happy, doesn't signal more bone growth and it stops there.

The reason you are prone to infection is water gets in and takes longer to dry out. Use blue tack. Keep a beanie on. I'm working on the negative feedback theory. If I keep my ears warm the bony extosis will atrophy. The specialist gave me the sign up for the op bit of paper. What if I do nothing? He said I'd probably get another infection. If it was real bad they'd have to do hospital administered antibiotics, and then operate. That was 3 years ago, haven't had the op, haven't had another infection, i can still hear sort of. Go through a lot of blue tac though. But then again I don't go for a swim just for the hell of it any more. I limit my swims to the accidental ones taken when windsurfing.

First, why post in heavy weather ?

I have had op on right ear, left will need op also in time.

Link to old thread, have a read.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Blocked-ears/?page=1

Issa, yes i also suffer with tinnitus, i can hear it buzzing now.

Issa said..

Do you guys suffer from tinnitus?

Yes, ringing away right now.
Although I suspect it's from long nights dancing in front of 3 story speaker stacks in my misspent youth.

I had the op done to my right ear about 15+ years ago... no real issue and no recurring problem.

Ian K said..

I've got the same problem. You can hear reasonably well until you get an infection and the remaining bit of open canal gets closed off. I got a referral to the specialist in Wollongong who has done thousands of the ops. Wollongong is the surfer's ear capital,

Out of interest, if you are speaking to your specialist again, ask which is the predominant ear to get affected on the east coast. It seams here on the west coast most of the folk that I know with surfers ear have a left ear problem, possibly sitting on their board facing the west with the prevailing wind on the left ear.

WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK THE SPECIALIST YOU WERE REFERRED TO FOR THEIR OPINION RATHER THAN THE OPINION OF INTERNET STRANGERS?

My left ear was ground out 2 years ago. No probs since then.
Mine was done o/s and the right ear is due but not serious enough yet.
Helmets don't prevent it, but blu-tak does. Both keep you warmer in winter though.


What was your question??

GPA said...

Rex said..

Ian K said..



I've got the same problem. You can hear reasonably well until you get an infection and the remaining bit of open canal gets closed off. I got a referral to the specialist in Wollongong who has done thousands of the ops. Wollongong is the surfer's ear capital,

Out of interest, if you are speaking to your specialist again, ask which is the predominant ear to get affected on the east coast. It seams here on the west coast most of the folk that I know with surfers ear have a left ear problem, possibly sitting on their board facing the west with the prevailing wind on the left ear.

HA - I had my right ear done 15yrs ago... and I am a WA surfer... I always figured it was from driving home with the Drivers side window down!!

And I too have just noticed Tinnitus at night time... I blame having good seats at the recent Areosmith concert in Melbourne!

I'm also WA and my right ear is pretty close to being drilled. also thought of the car window thing. Thought left would make sense with the sea breeze.

DIY??

www.instructables.com/id/Stich-Yourself-Shut-Sugery-at-home/

Equipment required: Black and decker drill,.....Ear.....Aspro clear....job done!

Doc plugs are quite good, custom fitted in shop. However quite expensive and very delicate, too delicate.
Speedo do a set of excellent plugs for about 10 bucks hide my set on harness, cause I need them for any water activity nowadays long term user.
The main prob with plugs I find is you looking like a moron because you are screaming at your mates cause you are in your own noiseless world, these speedo plugs still enable me to hear and don't seem to affect balance.

Doc Fisher is damn good!

I havent had ear ops like yours- but he has worked on me twice for other stuff.

1st time [11 years ago] was fixing my nose - "twin turbinectomy" - easiest described as chiseling excess bone and stuff from inside your schnozz.
Operation went perfect with no complications.

And a week ago he cut my throat for me.
Op. was a "UPPP + macrocheilia" - tonsils, adenoids, soft palate, uvula and tongue messed about with [anti sleep apnoea stuff]
Apparently I am supposed to be stoned on painkillers for at least a fortnight, but happily walked out of Joondalup hospital and have only used a couple of panadol since.

Mind you, the chilli kebab I bought from the shop between Joondalup hospital and the cinema [where the sandwichmaker was waiting for me] made my eyes water a bit
Purely self inflicted pain as far as I am concerned- feel free to point fingers and laugh

From what I gather Doc Fisher does a hell of a lot of ear surgery on swimmers and ear grommets for kids.

If Doc Fisher is working on you- you will be fine.

stephen