Help for Itching Ears

There are very few things more irritating than having itching ears. While everyone experiences this annoyance on occasion, treatments vary as widely as causes of the condition. Culprits can range from allergies, to debris to much more serious medical conditions that require the attention of a physician. In any case, caution should be exercised when dealing with itches in the ears.

Check for Ear Wax

• Wrong Diagnosis defines ear wax as, "a sticky substance secreted by the cerumen glands in the skin of the ear canals." Ear wax at a normal level protects the inner ear by creating a barrier against foreign matter. When ear wax gets to excessive levels it can not only cause itchiness, but hearing loss. Interestingly, too little ear wax can also cause itchiness of the ears, as the protective barrier it forms is under developed. As a remedy, easy to use ear wax removal kits are available at any drug store.

Investigate Allergies

• Allergist Dr. Donald J. Dvorin, M.D., wrote in an article for The Weather Channel that excessive amounts of histamine, dust mites or mold are common irritants for ears. Ask yourself if you have other symptoms that could be allergies, such as runny nose and itchy eyes. If you do, try over-the-counter drugs that block histamine to remedy the problem. Doctors will often recommend ear drops of vinegar and water.

Check for Foreign Matter

• If attempting to remove a foreign object, make sure that you are in a well lit area and never dig too deeply into the ear. Using tweezers is advisable over a cotton swab.

  The medical website Everyday Health says that most foreign objects in the ear leave no problems after they are removed. However, caution should always be exercised when trying to remove objects from the ear. It is common for damage to be done using at home removal procedures.

  While eardrums will usually heal in about eight weeks, surgery may be necessary if the damage is severe enough. To be safe, removal of any object from the ear is usually best left to medical professionals.

Scan for Skin Conditions

• Mother Nature, a website dedicated to natural treatments and medical advice, sites skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis, as the cause of some ear itching. Search for any of these appearing anywhere on your body, as that may be an indication that your ear itching is related. In this case, a doctor can advise patients of the best treatments.