Ear exostosis is one of the relatively rare problems that occurs in the form of non-cancerous bony growth in the external ear canal. This disease is usually seen in people who are often exposed to cold water. That is why it is also called surfer's ear. External ear exostosis is not dangerous in itself, but if it is not treated, it may cause ear canal obstruction and hearing loss. Let's learn more about the treatment of this bony growth in the external ear canal. become.

What is ear exostosis?

The abnormal growth of bone in the external ear canal is called ear exostosis... This disease, which is also known as surfer's ear, is benign unlike ear cancer and is more common in people who are frequently exposed to cold weather for a long time... People who enjoy water sports are more prone to this disease... and it narrows the ear space... As a result, a person may experience earwax accumulation, ear canal blockage and in some cases, hearing loss. Exostosis may occur in both ears.

Symptoms of external ear exostosis

Ear exostosis, unlike acoustic neuroma, does not affect the inner ear nerve and does not cause hearing loss in the early stages... The symptoms of this disease are very mild at first and the person suffering from it may not have any symptoms... But as the disease progresses and depending on the growth of the bony appendage, the symptoms become more obvious.

This bony appendage has a slow growth and when a person is repeatedly exposed to very cold weather, its growth becomes more intense.... As the bone masses get bigger, there is a possibility of blocking the auditory canal.... In such a situation, it becomes difficult to drain wax from the ear...

Other symptoms of ear exostosis include the following:

• accumulation of ear mass
• Mild ear pain
• Sensitivity to ear touch
• Feeling of ear fullness similar to ear stroke symptoms
• conductive hearing loss (which means that the bony appendage blocks the ear canal and prevents the correct transmission of sound waves.)
• Tinnitus similar to glomus tumor (in rare cases)

Causes of ear exostosis

Long-term stimulation of the external ear canal, such as repeated exposure to cold water or cold wind, is the main cause of this disease.. Experts believe that cold water and cold wind can stimulate bone formation in the external ear canal.. According to this explanation, we can understand why ear exostosis is more common in divers, swimmers and surfers..

• Genetics and family history
• Repeated injuries to the ear canal

Some studies have shown that people who work in cold environments or do not protect their ears from cold weather are more susceptible to this disease and usually experience symptoms of exostosis at least once in their lifetime.

Is exostosis dangerous?

This condition is not dangerous in itself and is considered a benign bone growth.. But if it is not diagnosed in time, the excessive growth of the bone mass may cause obstruction of the inner ear canal and malignant exostoses and bring various complications... For this reason, it is very important that from the time of symptoms and initial diagnosis, the patient is under the supervision of an otolaryngologist so that in case of growth of bony appendages, surgery is performed.

It should be noted that diabetic patients with this condition should be more careful.. because in such conditions, the risk of hearing loss due to ear exostosis increases.... If you are curious to know more about the effect of diabetes on hearing loss, you can read the related article at GCORP LLC.... You can also learn more about cerebrospinal fluid leakage on this website.

Correlation of ear exostosis with infection

Ear exostosis and frequent external ear infections are directly related to each other... This condition occurs as the abnormal growth of bony appendages in the external ear canal and causes narrowing or blockage of the canal, which leads to the accumulation of water and wax in the ear canal.... The closed and moist environment of the ear canal causes bacteria and external infections and ear growth..

Recurrent infections in this area usually cause symptoms such as pain, itching and purulent discharge.... Long-term hearing loss like Meniere's disease.. because the ear becomes more sensitive to infections.

How is ear exostosis diagnosed?

Diagnosis of this condition is usually done by an ear, nose and throat specialist using an optical instrument called an otoscope to view the inside of the ear... In the initial examination, the doctor may consider symptoms such as hearing loss to be caused by an auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder or, if the patient is elderly, relate the problem to old age... Therefore, examining the inner ear canal with an otoscope becomes important.

This appendage, which grows as gray or white bony protrusions in the ear wall, can be seen with the optical instrument of the otoscope.. When a person has more complex symptoms, a CT scan is performed to closely examine the structure of the bony appendage.... The difference between a neuroendocrine tumor and these bony appendages is very important on ear imaging, as it may be very important on ear CT imaging.... canal, but they are completely different in nature and treatment. They have.

Also, in some cases, the doctor uses an audiometric test... because the range of human hearing is generally between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz, and a person with this condition, especially in the advanced stages, may have trouble hearing some frequencies.

Treatment of ear exostosis

The treatment of this condition depends on the severity of the symptoms and the degree of obstruction of the ear canal.. In mild cases that do not cause annoying symptoms, the doctor may not intervene and only monitor the patient periodically..

Ear exostosis surgery

Just as surgery helps to treat ear cysts, it is also considered the best way to treat ear exostosis.. Ear exostosis operation, which is known as canaloplasty, involves the removal of the bone mass... They give recovery time after the surgery..

Drug treatment

This medicine is not the first line of treatment for this benign bone growth....However, when it leads to recurrent ear infections and inflammation, the doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics to reduce symptoms and prevent secondary infections such as bacterial transfer through the eustachian tube to the middle ear.

What should we do to prevent exostosis in the ear?

Following a few simple tips will help prevent this complication.. So if you are frequently exposed to cold water and cold weather, pay attention to the following tips:

• When swimming, surfing, or doing activities in cold weather, use earplugs to prevent cold air from entering the ear canal.
• If you like water activities, don't stay in cold water for a long time and take regular breaks.
• After bathing or swimming, dry your ears with a clean towel or with a hair dryer at low heat....If you feel that water has entered your ear, slightly tilt your head to one side to drain the water.
• Prevent frequent ear infections that cause exostosis by observing ear hygiene... If you notice symptoms such as pain, discharge from the ear, and hearing loss, be sure to make an appointment with an otolaryngologist.
• Avoid putting sharp objects in the ear.. because this will damage the ear tissue and cause infection or inflammation in it.

Guide to see a doctor

Ear exostosis is one of the uncommon but important problems in the external ear region... This disease, which is a benign bony growth in the external ear canal, occurs due to exposure to cold water and cold air... That's why it is also called surfer's ear... Timely diagnosis and treatment of ear exostosis is very important... Because the excessive growth of the bone mass gradually causes blockage of the external ear canal, frequent infections, and in some cases hearing loss...

In this article from GCORP LLC magazine, we introduced you to the causes, symptoms and treatment methods of exostosis bone appendage... If you have more questions about this, you can go through the GCORP LLC site and consult online with the best specialist doctors, including an ear, nose and throat specialist... GCORP LLC has provided you with the possibility to make an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist through the online appointment system.

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Sources: stanfordhealthcare | tuiearclinic | ncbi