Local ear care
Surfing, swimming and blocked ears: ear care on the North Cornwall coast
By Deanna Spiby20 June 20264 min read
If you surf, swim or bodyboard around Bude and the North Cornwall coast, you’re more prone to blocked and irritated ears. Cold water and wind cause the bone in the ear canal to narrow over time (surfers call it ‘surfer’s ear’), which traps water and wax, and repeated wettings can leave ears feeling full or sore. A bit of simple ear care goes a long way when the sea’s on your doorstep.
Why cold-water ears struggle
Every cold, windy session cools the ear canal. Over years, the body lays down extra bone to protect it, narrowing the canal so water and wax drain less easily. You don’t need decades in the water to notice the everyday version, though — trapped seawater softens wax into a blockage, and damp ears are happier ground for irritation.
Protecting your ears in the sea
- Wear well-fitting earplugs — and a hood in the colder months — to keep cold water and wind out.
- After a session, tilt your head each way and gently dry the outer ear; let them air-dry fully.
- Don’t dig with cotton buds or a towel corner — it irritates the canal and packs wax in.
- If you’re prone to build-up, a few drops of olive oil now and then keeps wax soft and moving.
When your ears block up anyway
Even careful surfers get blocked ears — it comes with year-round cold water. If yours feel full, muffled or won’t clear after a session, gentle microsuction will sort it without flushing more water into an already-irritated canal. I cover Bude, Widemouth, Crackington and the surrounding coast, with home visits if you’d rather not move.
If you have ongoing pain, discharge, or a lot of new bony narrowing, see your GP — surfer’s ear sometimes needs an ENT opinion, and that’s a doctor’s call, not mine.
This guide is general ear-care information, not medical advice. If you have pain, discharge, sudden hearing loss or dizziness, please see your GP.