Are you experiencing a tingling or a tickling sensation inside your ear?
The feeling might make you want to scratch your ear with a cotton swab or some other object. But even after you scratch, the irritation persists. It may become so annoying that you can’t sleep.
Ear Itching Might Be a Symptom of Something Medically Wrong
You might think that scratching your ear with a pen head, bobby pin or cotton swab is safe, but the ear canal is a delicate area and can easily suffer an abrasion.
A small tear in the ear’s protective barrier lets bacteria invade and can cause a skin infection that requires medical treatment. If your ear continues to itch, you should heed your body’s warning that something is wrong and seek a cause for your discomfort.
Causes of Persistent Ear Itching
The University of Texas Department of Otorhinolaryngology states that the main causes of itchy ears are bacterial infections, fungus, allergies or a nervous habit. In some rare cases, itchy ears might also be caused by psoriasis or dermatitis.
Frequent swimming washes away the natural oils inside the ear canal and dries out the skin, making the ear itchy and susceptible to ear infections. A moist ear is also an ideal place for bacteria and fungus to thrive. If you live in a humid area, you may be more susceptible to frequent itchy ears, according to the NHS Choices.
Treatment of an Itchy Ear
Treatment of an itchy ear requires figuring out the cause of the discomfort. Medical professionals often prescribe a mild steroid ear drop to relieve the itchiness and then focus on the cause. A bacterial infection may require antibiotics, and a fungal infection may need to be treated with an antifungal drop.
If your itchy ears are caused by an allergy, you have to pinpoint the cause of the allergy to successfully control the discomfort.
Seeking Medical Help
In order to successfully treat an itchy ear, you need to get to the root cause of the itch and then pursue a treatment course with a medical professional. Let us help you get rid of the cause of your itchy ears.
At Houston Sinus & Allergy, we assess patients for the severity of their condition, and determine a treatment. Book an assessment with our experienced ENT, Dr. Nguyen, and start feeling better.