Why ears itch and what to do about it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Ordinary baby oil can help.

Sometimes digging in your ears is a sheer pleasure. But if the hand reaches out to the hearing organs several times a day, something is clearly wrong with them.

Here are the most common reasons for Why Do My Ears Itch?, on which the ears itch both outside and inside. Spoiler alert: among those named there are deadly ones.

1. You clean your ears too thoroughly

A healthy ear canal produces a certain amount of oil and sulfur every day. This is normal: fat is water-repellent, and sulfur retains foreign objects (for example, small midges) and is able to resist fungal and bacterial infections.

If you are used to thoroughly cleaning your hearing organs, there is a risk of overdoing it - removing too much grease and wax. The skin of the ear canal is dry, irritated and itchy.

By the way, the ears also itch if they naturally produce insufficient amounts of oil and sulfur. An indirect symptom of this is peeling on the auricle.

What to do about it

Do not get carried away with cleaning. Healthy ears get rid of excess wax on their own. If you still consider hygiene procedures necessary, do them no more than once or twice a month and use a cotton pad for this, not a cotton swab.

2. You have a sulfur plug

Sometimes the wax accumulated in the ears cannot come out. The reason for this is some kind of obstruction in the auditory canal. Perhaps water has entered the ear or there is inflammation that has narrowed the passage. Or maybe you (see the previous point) worked too actively with a cotton swab and, as a result, knocked the sulfur into a dense lump.

Accumulated sulfur causes skin irritation. It is often accompanied by itching, congestion and a desperate desire to dig deeper into the ear. We remind you again: not worth it!

What to do about it

The best option is to look at the ENT. The doctor will find out the causes of the plug and remove it. Most often it takes just a few minutes.

If you can't get to a specialist quickly, use pharmacy drops from corks or ordinary baby oil. They contain substances that soften the sulfur and facilitate its removal.

By the way, if the traffic jam bothers for more than a day or two, you must get rid of it. Wax traps dirt and bacteria in the ear that can cause inflammation - otitis externa.

3. You suffer from ear infections

Itching is one of the first The Sticky Truth About Itchy Ears: You May Be Causing the Problem, the earliest signs of incipient inflammation caused by viruses, germs or fungi.

What to do about it

Usually, otitis media is accompanied by other symptoms. When, following the itching, you feel pain in the ear, and even more so the temperature rises, be sure to consult a therapist or otolaryngologist. If an ear infection is left untreated, it can cause hearing loss or life-threatening meningitis.

4. You have food allergies

Sometimes your ears itch due to food allergies. Most often, this reaction is caused by:

• almonds, hazelnuts and other nuts;
• sunflower seeds;
• milk;
• wheat products;
• soy products;
• fish and shellfish;
• apples, cherries, kiwi, melon and bananas.

What to do about it

This type of allergy, as a rule, is accompanied not only by itching in the ears - at the same time the face itches (chin, cheeks). If you have similar symptoms, consult a physician for advice. Your doctor will likely prescribe an antihistamine.

Try to figure out which food your body is responding to and eliminate it from your diet.

5. You have a skin condition

The ear canal has the same epidermis as the rest of the body. The skin in the ears can also suffer from various diseases - dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis.

What to do about it

Dermatitis is rarely limited to the ear canal. Most often, you will see flaky spots on and around the outer ear. You observe something similar - running to the therapist or ENT.

For a while, two or three drops of olive oil or regular baby oil will help relieve discomfort.

6. You are using a hearing aid

It may be too wide for your ear canal and is crushing. Or creates a sulfur plug behind itself, retains water. Or maybe you have an allergic reaction to the material from which the device is made.

What to do about it

Be sure to check with your doctor. A specialist will help you adjust the size and fit of the device in your ear, or choose a more suitable option.