A Santa Cruz doctor has developed a new technique to give surfers relief from surfer's ear, which can lead to painful infections and possibly hearing loss, NBC11's Marianne Favro reported.

After surfing for 34 years, Randy Marty has developed surfer's ear.

As a result, he's lost significant hearing in his right ear, and his left ear was even worse.

"The last four and a half months, I went completely deaf. (I) could hear nothing at all," Marty said.

Marty went to the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic, where Dr. Douglas Hetzler performed a new procedure he helped develop to remove bone growths that had built up in Marty's ear canals.

"(Surfer's ear) occurs as a result of cold water exposure in the ear canal over thousands of hours, which causes new bone to form causing ear infections and reversible hearing loss," said Dr. Douglas Hetzler of the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic

Instead of using the traditional drill, Hetzler used small chisels.

"The technique we're using now allows patients to heal in three weeks, have less risk to the skin and no risk of noise damage to the ear," Hetzler said.

Now, Mavericks Surf Contest contenders and other big name surfers are visiting with Hetzler, hoping to get the same relief Marty experienced, Favro reported.

Just minutes after his outpatient surgery, Marty said, "I heard better than I had in years."

Two weeks after surgery, Hetzler cleared Marty to get back in the water. He has to wear special ear plugs.

The surgery requires general anesthesia. Most insurance companies will cover a portion of the surgery costs.