Cold Water Immersion May Raise Risk of Surfer's Ear, BBC Warns

Cold water can do more than numb your face. Repeated exposure can trigger surfer’s ear, a slowly progressive bony growth in the ear canal that can trap water and wax, spark infections and, in severe cases, close the canal completely.

That risk is not limited to surfers. Medical guidance says swimmers, divers, kayakers and anyone regularly in cold water can develop external auditory exostosis, the condition better known as surfer’s ear. A 2023 review pulled together 19 studies covering 2,997 surfers, and 2,032 of them had exostosis, a stark sign of how common the problem can be in heavily exposed groups. Research also points to a simple pattern: the more total cold-water time you stack up, the worse the bony growth tends to get.

The warning signs are familiar but easy to brush off after a long sea swim or plunge. Recurrent ear infections, water trapped in the ear and hearing loss all show up in UK guidance for surfer’s ear. When the growths become very large, the ear canal can narrow until it closes over completely. That is the point where a hobby built around the water turns into a repeated round of blocked ears, treatment and time out of the pool, break or beach.

Aileen Lambert, an ENT consultant at Royal Cornwall Hospital, said she had seen an increase in surfer’s ear cases. Her concern was not just the number of people getting in the water, but how long they are staying there. Better wetsuits can make cold sessions feel manageable for longer, and that extra comfort may also stretch exposure time far beyond what older kit allowed.

The practical fix is boring, which is usually a sign it works. Wear earplugs and a swimming hat if you are spending serious time in cold water, and treat persistent blockage, fluid or muffled hearing as a reason to get checked rather than something to shake out after the session. The BBC-linked warning matters because winter surf culture and cold-plunge routines are both growing, and the ear damage can build quietly long before it becomes obvious.