Prevent surfer ear when surfing in Bali by protecting the hearing canal from cold temperature caused by the wind and water.
Surfer ear is the condition that happens when a bone is growing in your hearing canal called exostosis.
This may be caused by frequent exposure to cold wind or water while surfing.
Surfer ear is actually a defensive method done by the body to protect the hearing canal from the cold outside.
If the attempt to prevent surfer ear when surfing in Bali is not done, the exostosis might block the dirt inside the canal that may lead to an ear infection or hearing loss due to complete blockage by the bone.
If you’re in Bali and surf often, it might be good to see a doctor and check your overall health once in a while to make sure you don’t get sick.
You can get a doctor visit for checkup through Medi-Call application or Call Center.
Prevent Surfer Ear When Surfing in Bali
When experiencing surfer ear, possible symptoms to occur are frequent clogged water, hearing difficulty, liquid coming from earhole and infection.
Prevent surfer ear when surfing in bali especially when you begin to feel the symptoms by doing these tricks:
- Clean Your Ear
Surfing exposes your ear to the water and wind which may contain things that make your ear dirty.
Cleaning your ear especially after surfing will help you detect the presence of exostosis and reduce risk of infection.
- Water Extraction
Water clogged inside the ear is quite common especially for surfers considering their activities.
The clogged water may last for hours or even days unless an extraction attempt is done.
When water is clogged in the ear, do an extraction by using an eardrop or blow dryer to prevent the cold temperature from triggering exostosis.
- Use an Earplug
Earplug use is common for water related activities due to its protective capability.
Using an earplug is effective to prevent surfer ear when surfing in Bali.
It doesn’t block your hearing but can prevent water from clogging inside the ear.
- Wear a Wetsuit Hood
Another method to prevent surfer ear when surfing in Bali is to wear a wetsuit hood.
Wearing this hood can protect the ear from the cold water and wind while you’re surfing.
It might be good to use both a wetsuit hood and earplug to prevent water from entering the ear and keeping the hearing canal warm at the same time.
Treatment of Surfer Ear
If trying to Prevent surfer ear when surfing in Bali can’t be done because it’s already happening, a proper treatment is necessary to avoid risks such as hearing loss and infection.
Call the doctor to check on your ear and decide the operation procedure of removing the exostosis.
There are two ways to do this, using a drill if the bone grows near the eardrum and using a chisel if it’s closer to the exit.
This is done to avoid getting another hole from the use of a chisel near the eardrum.
After surgery, water must not enter the ear to help the recovery process.
Therefore, it is better to avoid water-related activities such as surfing, swimming and diving.
Even after the condition has fully healed, preventive measures of surfer ear should still be practiced as exostosis might happen again in the future.
You may also feel nauseous ,vertigo, mild pain while chewing and fever as a side effect after the surgery.
If you’re not sure what to do during this recovery time, it might be a good idea to call for help from a home care nurse.
You can get the home care service at your place through a Medi-Call application or Call Center.