The most groundbreaking ideas evolve when you least expect them. 

It´s an uncomfortable truth, but I am currently suffering from a so called surfer´s ear.
That circumstance unfortunately impedes me to touch sea water, thus to follow my passion. 

Having plenty of extra time, I started doing a little bit of research about this specific disease. Along the way I accidentally developed a revolutionary conspiracy theory. 

What if Vincent Van Gogh was a surfer? 

A surfer´s ear 

That´s how a phenomenon amoung surfers (or people who do any kind of sports in cold water) is called. 

Our ear canal is made from the joins of a few bones of the skull. For some (still not scientifically discovered) reason exposure to cold water makes these bones grow. 

It´s called 'exostosis' or abnormal bone growth.   

Some of us have even spent so much time in the sea pursuing their passion that these bones have started to cause serious problems. It is a belief that the greater the exposure to (cold) sea water the greater the growth, but this theory has still not been proven.  

Ususally, one ear tends to be somewhat worse than the other due to the prevailing wind direction of the area surfed or the side that most often strikes the wave first. 

I am a goofy surfer, which means that my right foot is standing in front while surfing. 

Therefore, my right ear is the one that touches wind and water first. Even though it´s my left ear that´s causing the main problem right now. Strange power of nature. 

That´s Goofy surfing regular style:

Prevention

You would actually have to go a long way to come across a medical condition that is less understood and more neglected within a sporting community as a surfer´s ear. 

Yes, wearing plugs is uncomfortable and somehow reduces your orienteering sensibility (which is quite important for surfing). However, wearing plugs stops cold water constantly flushing the ear canal.

Thank God techology is advancing quickly, because the pain in my ear really sucks!

SurfEars™ are plugs that seem to to leave ear infections and medical conditions like the surfer´s ear behind. They protect ears from water, cold air, dirt and bacteria while maximizing hearing and balance. 

Vincent should have known these! 

Maybe the big Vincent Van Gogh suffered from a surfer´s ear before cutting it off. It is said that it was his left one which means that he would have been a regular surfer and not a goofy like me. I wonder if he preferred surfing lefts or rights. According to his legendary paintings he was fallen in love with nature in general. That means that even if he wasn´t a surfer, we would have had a lot in common anyways.

Every time you find some humor in a difficult situation, you win :)

Still smiling Marly - 

Picture source:
Title image: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/
Goofy surfing: https://i.ytimg.com/
Ear plugs: http://jghinternet.co.za/