Spend some time near a surf break, and you’ll notice plenty of people dancing around, trying to find just the right combination of movements to dislodge water trapped in their ears.
‘Surfer’s ear’ is most common where cold water and wind chill abound. Bone grows inside the ear canal, resulting in blocked ears, infections and intense pain. It’s a preventable problem that affects around 60 percent of surfers, and many others who venture into cold water.
While in his early twenties, Chris Ryan was living his dream on the East Coast -- working in a factory at night and surfing all day. He noticed water blocking his ears and experienced pain during long sessions in Gisborne’s pristine waves. A visit to the doctor revealed 80-90 percent of both ear canals were blocked with ossification -- an irreversible bone growth also known as exostosis.
He joined the public health care waiting list, but headed overseas soon after. The problem got steadily worse, until two decades and dozens of ear infections later, Ryan could ignore the pain no more, and booked in an operation to drill the bone away. The first operation was a success.
Denne historien er fra April - May 2018-utgaven av Adventure Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra April - May 2018-utgaven av Adventure Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Papua New Guinea
Four reasons to add Papua New Guinea to your bucket list
The benefits of being a Multi-Trick Pony
"A broad skill base and how you can draw from one platform to the next – women often pigeon hole themselves"
The RELUCTANT adventurer
An eighteen-year-old princess, who paints his (yes, his) nails and dyes his hair bleach blonde, embarking on an adventure trip with his family, sounds like a plot for a bad 80s movie.
The Meaning of Tramping
What does tramping mean to you?
Keala Kennelly owns Red Bull Magnitude
The North Shore season of 1957 is recognized in the surfing world as the start of an era. When Greg Noll, a young Mickey Munoz and company went out and rode Waimea for the first time, it was a glimpse of what could be in the world of big-wave surfing.
North West Circuit Stewart Island
I found myself in limbo during the winter of 2020, in between jobs in a strained covid economy. And so, I did what any outdoors person would do with a large amount of free time on their hands. It was time to pack up my belongings and hit the road. It was time to leave behind home comforts and go adventure-seeking.
Emilie's adventure to Angelus Hut
“I want to be the leader!” Miss Six announced, pushing past me in her determination to be in front. Momentarily off-balance with my heavy pack, I narrowly avoided twisting an ankle on the sharp rocks and silently swore while cracking a bright smile.
Nancy Jiang Breaking stereotypes
I recently watched a youtube movie entitled, “Her Way” (check it out on the Adventure Website) which introduced a woman who had an overwhelming passion for running. The preface at the bottom of the clip, read as follows:
Adversity at Altitude
The wind and snow is whipping at my face. I’ve readjusted the stiff frozen fleece buff around my neck and mouth, desperately trying to protect myself from the -20 degree bitter wind. Adrenaline is still pumping through my body but I know I’ll start to get cold soon.
Last Great Mountaineering Challenge
Ground-breaking mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has attained an incredible new world record by submitting K2 as part of a collaborative team in the depths of winter. Until now, it was a record that was believed to be impossible to accomplish and was famously known as the ‘last great mountaineering challenge’.
