Surfing in cold water without protection will almost certainly render you deaf. When your ear canal is subjected to cold water, the bone in your ear canal grows and shuts. Without surgery, the growth is permanent and will not improve. Surfer’s Ear is the name given to this type of bone development.

Exostoses are uneven bony growths within your ear canal caused by cold water. As the ear canal shuts, you’ll start to notice the following signs and symptoms:

• You have liquid in your ears.
• Debris has become lodged in your ears.
• Ear infections occur more frequently.
• More dangerous ear infections

Causes

Coldwater and time induce surfers’ ears. The longer time you spend in cold water, the more bones you will grow. The faster the bones develop, the colder the liquid in your ear. River surfers who go out in below-freezing conditions are especially vulnerable. When your river has ice, you’re surfing the coldest water conceivable, colder than that of most oceans, which implies you’ll damage your hearing more quickly.

Treatment

Surgery is used to clean the ear canal. The bone formations are usually removed using a tiny chisel or drill. Either the chisel or drill penetrates the ear canal or the ear is sliced open from the back. If you surf too soon after the operation, you risk infections and other complications. Depending on the procedure and the surfer, recovery may span from a few weeks to several months.