Not smart.Originally Posted by conljw
From Wikipedia:
"Surfer's Ear is the common name for exostosis (abnormal bone growth) within the ear canal. Over time irritation from cold wind and water cause the bone surrounding the ear canal to develop lumps of new bony growth which constrict the ear canal. The condition is so named due to its prevalence among cold water surfers."
Requires surgery to remove the growths and hear normally again. Wearing a hood helps to prevent it.
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We would like to go hoodless this weekend. I have a tendancy of getting water in my ears though. Will going hoodless with ear plugs suffice?
Ear plugs are actually better than a hood. But I like being able to hear my friends talking to me so I prefer the hood. With the plugs you talk loud like an 80 year old who can't hear cause the battery in his hearing aid died. Actually about 10 months of the year our water is cold enough to cause exostosis under frequent exposure, so ear plugs are a good idea any time you're not wearing the hood. However, the frigid water temps in the winter will accelerate the condition. I see alot of people pulling the hood off because it bothers them or they think they're cooler without it, but it's not worth the problems later in life. Some of the guys I surf with who are in the water every chance they can get wear the plugs with the hood. You see a lot more cases of it on the west coast because they can surf just about every day. Our conditions restrict us to surf less regularly and so only people who are more genetically prone to developing exostosis feel the effects. But surfing in the winter increases the chances. The surgery used to require cutting behind the ear to esentially pull the ear away and get to the ear canal to remove the growths. Now some doctors are going in through the ear, less invasive. Doesn't sound like fun to me. In the least, if the water is cold enough to give you that brain freeze, ice cream headache, you should be wearing a hood or plugs. If you are prone to ear infections, then you may want to consider plugs most of the year, but for the average person you probably ok without.
Have you guys tried Doc's Proplugs:
http://www.proplugs.com/
These have a liny little whole in them, which allow you to hear better.
I actually ordered some, but have yet to try them out.
WHAT??!?!?!....im in jersey too and ive been with a hood all winter
you are crazyyy
Look good. Think I might try them. Good for the motorcycle too.
thats just ridiculous. i hope everyone in the lineup laughs at you
Last edited by windswellsucks; Apr 9, 2008 at 08:13 AM.
Wait your going for a swim?Speaking hypothetically, of course, if one were to decide to say...go for a swim in the ocean off the coast of Maryland this weekend, and said swimmer was equipped with a 4/3 wetsuit, booties and gloves, do you think this individual could manage to be comfortable without a hood, if it does in fact get to the predicted 60F?
Again, just speaking hypothetically so as not to jinx anything.
You're not a very sharp tack, are you?
I've actually used those ear plugs for a long time when i had a hearing problem when i was a kid, they work perfectly i highly recommend them
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