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Surfers ear - Options

R

RJG

Nep status
Nov 5, 2002
907
0
0
Hiding behind da Orange curtain
I had my ears looked at 2 years ago and found that both were 75% closed. The doctor (part of medical plan) recommended I have them "drilled out" immediately but I declined mostly our of fear. Fear because he was easily 70+ years and had tremors in his hands and that drilling will ruin me for quite some time. I heal very slow...

My question is: does anyone know of any alternate methods of treatment other than drilling? I remember reading an article a year or two ago about a procedure which uses vibrations to break up the bone. Has anyone heard of this and or the doctor?
 
R

rice

Duke status
Jul 2, 2002
24,304
1,801
113
CA
there's a guy in santa cruz who 'chisle's' them out rather than drilling them out. the healing time out of the water is less. two of my friends used this doctor, and were really happy. i'll try to get his name and get back to you.

edit: here you go.

Dr. Hetzler (a.k.a. Dr. Chizzler) at the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic

[ July 14, 2003, 02:57 PM: Message edited by: rice ]
 
SurfDoc

SurfDoc

Michael Peterson status
Dec 19, 2002
2,164
145
63
ex-pat Huntington Beach
Visit site
Everyone wants the easy way out. Best bet, wear earplugs as a young surfer and stick with them!

As for already got closures and problems?
The go for the flap, drill, and chisel. The other methods just don't seem to be as good.
 
S

samsamsam

Jul 18, 2003
1
0
0
sc mountains
I had one ear drilled last year. Afterwards I heard of the chisel method. I asked my doc (Dr. Roberson of the California Ear Institue at Stanford) about chiseling. Here are his remarks.
Chiseling is not worth the risk. The only advantage is shorter healing time (didn't discuss cost) The risk is that you have a much greater chance of damaging the facial nerve. When chiseling they are essentially chiseling blind. They never know exactly where your facial nerve is. When they drill, they cut your ear in the back and fold it foward out of the way. At that time they identify exactly where your facial nerve is, so as to avoid it during the drilling process. Do you really want to trade 3-4 weeks of recovery time for the potential of a lifetime of nerve damage to your face? One other aspect he mentioned is that the drilling shapes your ear canal perfectly and removes ALL debris. The chisel method basically breaks up the excess bone, they then pull out what they can. Debris is left in that eventually get healed over. Your ear canal is then less than perfect.
I usually just read posts and rarely reply, but preventing possible nerve damage gets me off my but to reply vs. trying to tell someone how to do a bottome turn. Good luck.
 
R

rice

Duke status
Jul 2, 2002
24,304
1,801
113
CA
Good input, sam. I don't know much about either process; just had two friends get chisled and who were happy with the results.

When they drill, they really fold your ear forward?
 
A

abalone

Michael Peterson status
Jan 16, 2002
3,234
289
83
Dr. Hetzler at the SCMC is my ENT, the one who recently checked my perforated ear drum. He also said my ears have virtually no closure from surfing. I liked him. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />
 
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