Exostoses

Hey everyone!

...I was hoping to get some advice from anyone who might have dealt with this before. 😕
...I recently saw an ENT specialist, and it turns out I have narrowed ear canals on both sides due to exostosis—essentially bony growths inside the ear—and they’re recommending surgery. 😲

...I've never been one to worry too much about my health; I usually just push through until things become unavoidable. 😉

...The doctor explained that this is a common side effect for divers like myself, caused by constant exposure to cold water and the ocean. He suggested that I'll need two separate endoscopic procedures under general anesthesia to shave down the excess bone. 😢😕
...Aside from divers and swimmers, these benign growths are also pretty common in older adults. 😢

...My ear issues haven't reached a crisis point yet, so I'm not exactly panicking, but I do have a follow-up on December 7th to discuss the details, and I'm already scheduled for the procedure on one ear...

...I've been dealing with some inflammation and a persistent unpleasant odor lately. The issue is that the narrowing creates a cramped space between the eardrum and the canal, which increases the risk of hearing loss, infections, or fungal growth. As the passage continues to close up and ossify, it becomes quite delicate to clear the bone without risking damage to the eardrum. 🙄😕
...So, if anyone here has gone through similar surgical procedures, I would truly appreciate it if you could share your experiences. 😕🙏

...I find it hard to believe that absolutely no one else has encountered this particular issue before😕

...does anyone happen to know if there’s another forum out there where I might actually find an answer to it? 😕

Greetings, everyone 🙂

...it seems the issue has resurfaced 🙄 since I lacked the nerve to address it surgically last year 🤷

...does anyone happen to have any insight 😕👍

...Best, UP 🙏

You still haven't sorted that out!?!? Man, you could've been posting here right now about how everything went down and how you feel like a brand new person again!

Carol Price79 said:You still haven't sorted that out! Seriously, you could have been posting here by now about how everything went and how you're feeling like a brand new person!

...I was under the impression I might actually hear something insightful from you.😢😠😉

It’s my turn to go under the knife for exostosis. It’s in both ears, and honestly, it looks like a genetic thing. My mother had surgery for it, and her mother did too—back then, people didn't take it seriously, and she ended up losing her hearing by 40. My mom and I dealt with the exact same symptoms: constant ringing, interference on the TV, and that heavy, clogged feeling in the ear. I had an exam back in September, and the doctor tried to schedule me immediately, but I pushed it off until December.
My mother had a brutal time with her procedure. On top of the exostosis, they had to install implants because her ossicles had essentially fused together. She ended up with only about 30% hearing in one ear—basically nothing. The vertigo and vomiting were so intense that during her 14-day hospital stay, she dropped 11 pounds due to the sheer physical toll. 😲😲😲The Center for Equilibrium is extremely close by!
She can hear reasonably well now (about 80% in the operated ear), but she refuses to go through it again for the other side. Not a chance.
I have my follow-up with the ENT on December 1st. I'll likely set a date for the surgery then and will check back in.

...Hi there, hope your recovery is quick and easy...

...I actually have a CT scan scheduled this Friday—specifically a temporal bone scan😕 because I'm set for ear surgery on February 28th. I think it'll be the left side, since I get that low-frequency whistling sound due to some exostosis, just like you mentioned. It can also feel pretty uncomfortable when water gets trapped in there after a swim or even just a shower.
I’ve noticed some hearing loss lately, which I suspect is tied to the exostosis I've decided to have surgically corrected. If the surgeon can somehow squeeze me in for the second ear right after the first—though the schedule at the clinic is absolutely packed—that would be ideal. I really want to avoid those uneven pressure sensations in my ears during dives🙂 so that I'm hopefully fully recovered by mid-May, which is usually when I start diving more intensely...

...Anyway, let me know how things go, and I'll be sure to pass along my updates as well.👍🙏👋

Hi there.

I actually went through the exact same thing. Along with the exostosis, they diagnosed me with otosclerosis in my left ear. I had the surgery for the exostosis on November 11th in my left ear under local anesthesia; it took just under two hours. Honestly, doing it under local is pretty intense because you hear everything even though you don't feel anything. They told me it’s better this way because the Center for Equilibrium is right there, allowing the doctor to talk to you and make sure you aren't getting dizzy. I almost passed out myself, though—hearing the doctor explain everything he was doing to the nurses creates such a weird sense of unease. I stayed in the hospital for five days, and now I'm recovering at home. I have to take it easy and avoid any sudden head movements because of the Center for Equilibrium, but the pain isn't bad at all. I'm heading back this Monday to have the packing removed from my ear. I'm really hoping my hearing improves enough that I won't need surgery to replace the bone for the otosclerosis.
Wishing you the best of luck and a speedy recovery. Don't worry too much; it's not as scary as it sounds and it doesn't hurt, you'll just feel some occasional clicking or popping in your ear.

Thanks for the heads-up, bluestag13. Glad to hear you're on the mend and feeling better. 🙂I'll let you guys know how my experience goes. Hopefully, I have the same luck as you.😉 Best.

My surgery is scheduled for March 28th. We'll see how it goes...☕

The little things always seem to find a way to complicate an otherwise simple day. As stated:
My surgery is scheduled for March 28th. We shall see how it unfolds.☕

And my birthday falls on February 28th. 🙂I expect there will be plenty more impressions coming your way before you even reach the finish line.

My thanks to bluestag13 for sharing such a candid personal account. 👍It seems easier for you women; I can't help but associate this with that old joke about Fata waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. 😉😂

We’ll probably all have plenty of time to discuss that joke once we’ve finally all kicked the bucket. 🙂👋

So, how are things going with bluestag13? Are we finally hearing each other a bit more clearly now?

Hi there,

I just got back from my checkup and everything looks good so far. I've got another appointment on the 17th, so I'll update you all once I know more. Honestly, I feel like my hearing is actually better now, and that muffled sensation in my ear isn't happening nearly as often. The only catch is they found some otosclerosis, so I'm not sure if I'll need another surgery down the road, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Don't let it get to you; you're going to be just fine. No matter how messy the surgery seems, the recovery is surprisingly fast and you end up feeling great. It’s not even painful enough to make you feel like you actually had surgery.
I'm rooting for you—hope everything goes smoothly and you end up hearing things you weren't even supposed to hear, haha 😉

Talk soon, best regards! 👍

...the 28th is coming up, but I’ve come down with a nasty flu. I need to check in with my doctor first, so I'll likely have to skip this appointment 🙄🙂🤷

Eric Stewart53 said:...the 28th is coming up, but I've come down with some kind of flu. I need to check in with my doctor; I'll probably have to skip this appointment too.🙄🙂🤷

I was just checking in to see how the preparations were coming along...

Eric Stewart53 said:The 28th is coming up fast, but I’ve come down with a nasty flu. I need to check in with my doctor first, so there's a good chance I'll have to skip this appointment. 🙄🙂🤷

So, are we still on for the 28th?

Just so everyone is aware, I had surgery on my right mastoid on April 1st. It was done under general anesthesia, so I didn't feel or hear a thing. There was zero pain afterward and no dizziness issues either. I’m getting the stitches removed tomorrow, and I plan to schedule the left ear immediately since my surgeon is retiring this October.

Hannah Reed3 said:Just so everyone is aware, I had surgery for an exostosis in my right ear on April 1st. It was done under general anesthesia, so I didn't feel or hear a thing. There hasn't been any pain or dizziness since. I'm getting my stitches removed tomorrow, and I think I'll schedule the left ear immediately, especially since my doctor is retiring this coming November.

...not quite, actually. I was pretty sick up until about a week before, so the doctor suggested it might be better to wait, though it wasn't easy to hear that.😁

...my left ear is still ringing (though there's no station to tune into... haha).

...I suppose I should book a new appointment around mid-December once diving and squid season are over😉 provided Dr. Račić doesn't slip into retirement first.😕

...I've heard that at the local clinic, where he used to be the only one performing the procedure, other surgeons are taking over now—performing them under local anesthesia—and yet that patient is complaining again about tinnitus (that constant low-frequency buzzing), wondering if perhaps the issue lies with the nerve.😕😕😕

...turinica, how are you feeling?

I’m doing great. I had my surgery with Dr. Glunčić over at Mayo Clinic, and now I have to go back for the other side—ugh. I managed to snag an August 18th appointment since Glunčić is retiring in early October. Honestly, my right side is perfect now; no buzzing or clicking whatsoever. I had everything done under general anesthesia, and they even made an incision by my ear.

Hannah Reed3 said:I’m doing quite well, actually. Dr. Glunčić is performing my surgery at Firulama, though I have to undergo a second procedure now—the left side this time. Since Glunčić is retiring at the beginning of October, I managed to snag an appointment for August 18th. Honestly, I haven't had any issues with the right side since the operation; there's no ringing or buzzing whatsoever. For the record, everything was done under full anesthesia, and they even made incisions behind my ears.

...incisions behind the ears 🙄 goodness, just looking back at that CT scan and seeing where the surgeon needs to work makes me think I’d much rather take the cutting than deal with that. 😕

Eric Stewart53 said:...trimmed ears 🙄 man, looking back at that CT scan and seeing where they have to file it down makes me want to skip the trimming entirely. 😕

Yesterday I got the left ear done, and I'm already back home. The hospital was a total madhouse because of the heatwave, so Prof. Glunčić sent me home to recover. Everything went smoothly again—ears trimmed, no dizziness, no nausea.