Protecting your ears from Surfer's Ear.

Surfer's Ear

Surfer's ear (also known as swimmer's ear) is a condition where the bone of the ear canal develops multiple bony growths called exostoses. Over time, this can eventually cause a partial or complete ear canal blockage.

The condition is primarily caused by prolonged exposure to cold water or wind. Cold water surfers are six times more likely to get surfer's ear than warm water surfers.

An ear infection is one of the primary symptoms of a surfer's ear.

It is essential to seek treatment early. When the ear canal narrows, water and debris can become trapped and cause an infection. These infections are difficult to treat and require several visits to an ear, nose and throat physician to clean the ear canal.

Protecting hearing is critical for kitesurfers or any water user susceptible to cold winds and water. Riders have researched hearing protection for some time, finding varied options available. Traditionally, earplugs block sound and compromise balance, which could be more helpful when performing water sports.

I have just had my ears checked, and I have three small growths in each ear; this is after 30 years of watersports, but I have been wearing plugs for the last ten years, which has stopped the growths from getting more significant.

Here at Boardworx, we stock the best earplugs we have found over the years: Eq seals and Surf Ears, which keep water out and let sound in.

Surf Ears 3 is made in Sweden. They were designed to let the sound in and keep water out.
They feature a fixation wing, an acoustic mesh with a non-stick hydrophobic coating, and a sealing gel that protects the ear canal.
In addition, the kit comes in a perfect storage case.

EQ Seals offers an innovative design made of medical silicone. The one-size model will fit 95 per cent of users. The product includes a compact barrel of an alloy that can be easily stored on a keyring and used for positioning the ear protection.