Wet ears

[About Ears]

Most of the time my ears are draining like I just got out of the shower.  If they're not wet they're flaky with chunks of waxy stuff. Sometimes they swell shut.  I've used all the ear cleaning products, flushed them with alcohol, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide.  I've used antibiotics, ear drops, you name it.  It has persisted for months!  No earaches, dizziness or loss of hearing except when they're swollen.  It's both ears, sometimes one is worse than the other.  What in the world is it?  I think the swelling is a result of my effort to dry them and pick the wax chunks out, perhaps I get too ambitious, I know I have scratched them at times and then had to deal with a scab healing.  The fluid is clear and runny.  Please help before I tear my ears off!  Even in the night they drain. Always!!! I doubt this is an alergy (allergy)...otherwise I'm in good health and don't take any medications.

[Kris, RN, HHP]

It's possible that you don't have enough fatty acids in your diet.  Where to get them?  Nuts and seeds, certain fish, and some vegetables.  I take Flax Seed Oil (you can use Fish Oil, too, but make sure it's a good quality because of heavy metals in fish).  You can take 1000-2000mg or more (up to 10) a day.
See if that doesn't help.  Also, cut out processed foods and hydrogentated/transfat oils.  (Read labels)  Good luck!

[g6ypk]

Hi, Wet Ears... We have the same name... Also the same symptoms; except that in my case, only one ear is affected.  I'm going to try the advice given, though I do eat a grate deal of fish, and I might try sunflower seeds.
Antony

[sexyhustle]

go to the doctor, this is not normal...u proablly have sometthing wrong with your ears, i dont know what sorry

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This could be seborrhoeic dermatitis. It is a skin disorder affecting the scalp, face,  causing scaly, flaky, itchy, red skin. It particularly affects the sebum-gland rich areas of skin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seborrhoeic_dermatitis

Soaps and detergents such as sodium laureate sulfate may precipitate a flare-up, as they strip moisture from the top layers of the skin, and the drying property of these can cause flare-ups and may worsen the condition. Accordingly a suitable alternative should be used instead.

Among dermatologist recommended treatments are shampoos containing coal tar, ciclopiroxolamine, ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, or zinc pyrithione. For severe disease, keratolytics such as salicylic acid or coal tar preparations may be used to remove dense scale. Topical terbinafine solution (1%) has also been shown to be effective in the treatment of scalp seborrhoea,as may lotions containing alpha hydroxy acids or corticosteroids (such as fluocinolone acetonide). Pimecrolimus topical lotion is also sometimes prescribed.

It would be advisable to consult a skin specialist for his symptoms and a proper clinical examination if the symptoms persist.

Let us know if you need any other information and post us on how you are doing.

Regards.

[imbetter]

I have discovered (after a ton of research) a home solution for my itchy ears which is astounding me. It has now been a month since I started this and I seem to be on the road to relief.  If this helps even just one person here that is suffering like I was then I am glad to have helped.  
Get a small dispenser bottle that has a wide mouth, with a lid, and with which you will be able to dip a q-tip into.  Mix the following: 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of Isopropyl alcohol or Rubbing Alcohol and a 1/4 tsp of Xylitol. You can get this at a Health Food store.  "Google" it....
Xylitol has been used for years in toothpaste for it's bacteria fighting properties and can be used as a saline cleanse to reduce bacteria..(see Xylitol on Wikipedia)
Shake this solution up and dip your q-tip into it and swap the inside of the infected ear...sorry, it will be cold!.. if the ear is too sensitive or in pain use a small dropper and place a few drops down the canal.  Let it sit for a minute or two and then tilt the head back over to drain.  I had to do this in both ears, as they were both having the same problem.  I did this in the am and pm, but after about 2 days I found I only had to do it at bedtime.  I suffered for 15 years and tried everything.  When I find the solution to my tinnitus I will post again.  Regards to you all.  

[SkinHurts]

Did anyone try the solution suggested by imbetter?  I have the exact same symptoms and it's driving me nuts.  Looks like it's caused by an infection because when my ears get ultra-wet at night it also wets the rest of my face and I have the same thing on my chin now (can't shave!).  I tried using corticosteroid on face to reduce inflammation but now the pain is insane.   It's tough to get a dermatologist here so I'm ready to try anything.

[dpthots]

Here is a harmless test, that could also help ease symptoms. Try using grapefruit seed extract, get it at health store, 10 drops per glass of water, at least 3-4 times per day, if you get a positive reaction from this, search fungal infections/allergies.

[dpthots]

Try the GSE see if you notice anything different with your tinnitus. That might surprise you too. (Do you feel kind like you always need to pop your ears?) I dunno, but I have that too,  (tinnitus) might be permanent, from damage from my many ear infections.

Fungal infections are not just one way or one place, they can be "Systemic", that is, throughout your body. Docs have a hard time finding problem, because it is something that is in all of us, like our good bacteria. It does become a problem when "overgrowth" occurs. According to what I've read, that happens when all the good bacteria (along with bad) is killed off in our digestive tracts, usually by overuse of antibiotics. (The good bacteria normally check fungus growth) Research and assess it for yourself and your body. Everyone is different, and I don't want to mislead anyone, or throw them off the right track. I have suffered too much myself- not fun.

If you are curious, search "Candida Quiz", and take it. My score was about 3 times the threshold, for men. I'm still not sure about it all, but don't care how weird it sounds, as long as I get better.

I didn't mean to go on so long, but I wanted to share my experience. If nothing seems to be working for you, check out my findings. Stay skeptical, objective, and open minded. The fix may not be a pill, but there probably is one.


Yup, what you made was kind of a "kills all". Try adding a little sweet (olive) oil to it, is a little more soothing, and it helps it heal, I think. And folks, be careful in there w/q-tip, read the "related discussion"

Keep ears clean and dry, don't sleep on your side, if you can. Also it helps to trim ear hair all round (in & outside ear canal). Get one of those nose hair trimmers. Battery powered. I think it helps let air in, and easier to keep clean.

Seems to me, I cleaned my ears each night w/hydrogen peroxide, too. Seemed keeping it clean, dry, and disinfected and it went away for me.

Well, see if I can get back to sleep now, good luck all.