Endlessly itchy wet ears - Ear, Nose & Throat

jjshadoe

May 17, 2010

To: Everybody

I started suffering a similar problem about a year and a half ago.

It started with annoying itchy ears. I didn't think much of it. I'd itch my ears with whatever was handy, usually a finger or a q-tip. It'd bring brief and temporary satisfaction, and it slowly got worse.

After about 7 months of that and what was probably the worst, most painful sinus infection of my life, I started to develop tinnitus as well. It was very faint at first, but very distracting and troubling. I have gotten relatively used to the tinnitus, despite it getting worse over the next few months and staying that way.

I went to a clinic and got some antibiotic ear drops, which seemed to help a bit with the itchiness and even seemed to maybe halt the tinnitus a bit, but didn't make a huge difference.

I went to an ENT and they just chalked it up to hearing damage, which I disagreed with.

I've since tried vinegar and alcohol and some diet changing, and the itchiness and smelly wax have vacillated a bit, but have never gone away completely, and the tinnitus hasn't changed a bit.

Just ordered some Zymox and I'm curious to give it a try. The itching is irritating and frustrating, but I can live with it. The tinnitus is fairly depressing and I really hope it's a symptom of something that can be remedied.

Either way, I've gotten some good ideas and a lot of encouragement from this thread. It's surprising that so many in the medical community seem so ignorant or baffled by this obviously not-uncommon phenomenon.

Rytn

May 25, 2010

To: everyone on this thread

I've been reading with interest for the past 6 months as I had the same problem - especially in the past year. Based on advice posted here, I tried the Zymox but the cortizone in it was 1% and in previous drops (for humans) it was .1% and I was really nervous about damaging my ears with ten times the amount so I sort of used it but not enough I suppose to cure anything. I went to the doctor here in Australia where I now live and asked him to do the tests recommended by several posters. They came up negative for fungus and bacteria. However, the doctor did prescribe Kenacomb otic solution in advance of the lab results coming back. As I'd heard about it from a poster here, I went ahead and filled it. And um hey WOW. Cured. After 5 days. And it's been a month. I still sometimes have wax-coloured wetness in my ears after a shower but I CAREFULLY swab out and no issues. NO MORE ITCHING. NO MORE FLAKING. I don't know what's in Kenacomb but I'm sure you can google it or wikipedia it and find out and then get your country-specific version or even have a compounding chemist make it up for you. I just had to share because this site is ultimately what saved me. I wouldn't have gotten the prescription filled otherwise. Meanwhile, I have this bottle of Zymox ready in case one of my dogs ever has ear issues. Good luck!

mum2four

May 25, 2010

I get itchy ear's in and out with my hayfever. You may be having the same sort of thing going on.

arielcharlie

May 29, 2010

I've been up for 3 hours reading all of your responses. I have had the same problem for about 7 months now. About 2 months ago I was told it is eczema in my ears. While this may be true, it is hard to accept that eczema can never be cured, only 'managed'. Still, nothing has even 'managed' my problem for more than about a week after I stop using it. I will have to talk to my mother about your posts. I think I may try oregano P73 or pulsatilla before anything else just because they are natural. If not I will opt for the Zymox which seems to have helped many others. It's funny: I also have a dog, and my left ear is also worse! I wonder if that is just a coincidence? Thanks for all of your posts, I will try to remember to update you all on what happens.

pandaryo

Jun 10, 2010

To: Everyone

Hi all,

I went to see my GP 2 weeks ago for the first time, who specialises in dermatology, I've had this crazy itching in my ears for about 2 years which I couldn't stand anymore, especially with all the cotton buds, crusty bits, clear liquid, soreness, and sometimes even this uncomfortable feeling in my throat! I have ezcema (eczema), which makes sense why this itching never went away. Not surprisingly, the doctor said that this itching is partly due to my ezcema (eczema) on the outer ear canal, and he prescribed me something called OTOMIZE, which is apparently an 'emulsion' (just reading off the label). Very simple, it's just a spray to be used three times a day for two weeks. I can say I first sprayed my ears, made it really itchy, but if you just ignore the itching for about 5-10min, it goes away! I think from the 2nd and 3rd day the itching significantly improved, when I sprayed the ears they no longer itched as badly. I've just finished two weeks of the spray and I can say my ears are fine now. Simply over the moon, I should have done this a long time ago.

SimplyMe2007

Jul 05, 2010

well, i Am back. My ears are itching like crazy. I also have an itchy scalp with small bumps (not dandruffand my upper buttcrack (for a lack of proper name) is itchy, also my ears ring. What the hell?

jojo2761

Jul 14, 2010

To: All fellow sufferers

In August 2004, when I turned 41, I went to Canada's wonderland and swam in the wave pool, going underwater many times, and it was PACKED. I had to swim carefully to avoid people. After I was done swimming, I layed out to catch the rays of the sun, and noticed there were a few diaper clad toddlers in the very shallow end with their mom's--but in the water, sitting down etc,--and I thought that was rather nasty. About a week later, I was relaxing on the couch after work, laying down watching tv, went to get up and felt like I might fall down. I had total dizziness. It lasted for a couple days then went away. A week later, i took my husband to Victoria for his birthday, and it was a cool but sunny day with a lot of wind. I noticed that my head felt really cold. I was really really uncomfortable. So I steered us over to a mall and bought a hat. Little did I know that day that I would be wearing a hat almost constantly for the next TEN months.  My head always felt cold. I could no longer tolerate the air conditioning at work, and asked the service guy to turn the air conditioning down, or move the vent directions so it didnt blow on me, but it didnt work.  I switched to an empty cubicle across from me, and it helped a bit, but I could not tolerate ANY air blowing on my head, even the faintest. Meanwhile, I am wearing a hat from the moment I have dried my hair, until the moment I go to bed at night. I even started wearing one at night sometimes. A couple weeks later my boss came by, saw me all bundled up with hat and scarf and laughed a bit but I almost burst out crying. He moved me out of the area that same day, to a warmer, sunnier side of the building. There, for the next year I functioned better as there was no vent blowing air on me, but I still wore my hat until July 2005. When I would fly, I would have to ask the flight attentant if they could ask the pilot to turn the air conditioning up because it was too cold--mostly only on my head. I felt like a freak wearing a hood on the airplane, in restaurants, etc. I eventually saw my doctor for some other reason, and told her it all started with dizziness, and she stated I had likely had an inner ear infection which can take months to get rid of.  My Mom told me my aunt had had an inner ear infection which took her months to get rid of too. (Probably thanks to the poopy diapers in the wave pool?). I don't know why my cold head finally went away. It went away about 2 months into the Southbeach diet. I had lost 15 pounds (I wasnt very heavy, I went from 155 to 140), but I do know I ate no sugar, white flour etc on the diet. I have Grave's disease and am on synthroid every day. That August, I was told I was anemic and my thyroid levels were way way low (tsh-14). Do not know if that had anything to do with the cold head.

So my head was warmer finally. It was about that time, I started itching my ears at night. In fact, the warmer my head got, the more I itched my ears. Didnt think much of it. The itching was pretty mild, it came and went. I was glad I didnt have to wear a hat all the time anymore.

Jan 2007, my ears starting itching ALL the time. Day and night, mostly I noticed it now in the daytime. It became constant. For months. I went my dr, and he gave me  corticosteroid ear drops. I didnt know how long to use it, so I used the whole bottle over a month or two. My ears finally stopped itching. But I noticed about 2 days after I would stop using the drops, my ears would itch like mad, twice as bad as when I had never used the drops!  I became dependant on the drops for relief. I got my dr to renew the bottle a couple times. Over the months, the itchiness would wax and wane. Then I looked up the medication on the internet last October. It said to use no longer than two weeks. Huh, I had been using it on and off for a couple years. It said it was a steroid. So I stopped using it and my ears when mad with itchiness without my fix. I turned to the internet to find out why the heck my ears were itching for so long in the first place! I stumbled upon the candida connection, which others have mentioned in this post. I went on the drastic candida diet without any sugar, white flour, bread, hardly any fruit, no dairy, etc. Nothing sweet. No ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, etc. I followed that diet to a T. I even gave up  my morning coffee. I think I may have followed it too well. I was religious about it. My husband and I went to Chicago for a week, and the hotel had the big breakfast buffet each morning. All I could eat was eggs! The oatmeal was sweetened. Well, I wasnt paying attention to my fiber intake, and lo and behold, 6 weeks after following the candida diet, I ended up having emergency appendectomy sugery at age 46 (just like brett michaels). The only thing I will say about that is, I do think my pristine diet helped me get through the whole sugery so much better than if I had gone into it as a junky food junky caffeine hogger like I had been. Happy to say, the surgery (my first ever) went very well.

...But I still have itching ears!! It is why I am on this post now. I am really glad I found this post, because I know I am not the only one. The doctors think you are nuts, yes my dr told me it was from too much water in the shower. Right. All of a sudden after showering my whole life. Well, I will say that a different dr recently told me to use some baby oil in each ear for a while. I didnt have any so I used lacrilube eye ointment instead. I have been using it for 3 days now. The terrible itching went right away. As soon as I put the ointment it it calms it down. All of the scabbing is gone. No flakes to pick off (so gross I know). The itching has subsided by about 70%. But it is not gone. I am just going to keep using this and see what happens. I hope some of the details in here may help someone else who has this in the future. I remember when I had to wear a hat all the time, I looked it up on the internet and could find no anecdotes of someone with a freezing head. Now there will be one. The best I could find was a selenium deficiency.  Best wishes to all sufferers!

jojo2761

Jul 14, 2010

To: All

By the way, I forgot to mention, after the 6 weeks on that Candida diet, my ears did stop itching by about 90% on their own, no medications. Of course I am not on that strict diet any more and the itching is back. But because of my appendectomy, I would not recommend such a strict diet. Low fiber diet can lead to appendix problems, and I would rather have the itching ears than go through surgery! I think I would recommend a modified candida diet, because if you get enough fiber, it can be very healthy and healing in many other ways.

barnfrau

Jul 17, 2010

To: Everyone

ABSOLUTE CURE! After years of hell, I have an absolute cure. Intense ear itching, wetness, smelly wax, onion skin tearing off. Tried everything on blog including ZYMOX, dog ear mite, cortizones, 4 doctors. Serious ear and facial infections. Temp relief from Vicks Vapo Rub in ears. PERMANENT CURE from TRIAMCINOLONE ACETONIDE OINTMENT USP, 0.5% distributed by Perrigo of Allegan, MI, USA 49010. Hallelujah I'm saved!

Dizzygal

Sep 20, 2010

To: Everyone

Hi there. I started my problem July 2009. For 30 years I worked in customer service, with ear plugs in my ears for the phone work I did. I sleep on my right side. Right ear is against pillow. I used ear plugs for years to sleep at night. Then out of the blue, I felt wet in right ear. Never ever had that. dried it out with a hankie. It kept up. both ears, but right was worse. went to doctor sept. 2009. I asked what was the matter. Told me he did not know, and that it did not matter, get the script filled for some meds that he gave to people with swimmer's ear. I got it filled. drops. gave me such a severe burning feeling down deep in my ear. and severe itch feeling down deep in ear. quit drops. I tried over the counter drops to dry up ears. did not help. took homeopathic oregano pills. did not help. It is now sept 2010. right ear still gets real wet at night. left ear seems to do better, since it gets air at night. I still have itching, will get a sharp stabbing pain/itch. my ears do have dried skin that will peel off. Each am I dab out the water in ear, and pieces of skin/shredded like come out. I am hesitant to go to an ENT doctor, after reading about how people get no help from doctors. and my own doctor was useless. Infection? allergies? who knows. I have read in a few places to try an equal mix of vinegar and rubbing alcohol. but since I tend to [wet up] while I sleep, I am not sure how any drops of any kind will dry it out. sigh. very tiring constantly drying ears out and all the nonsense that goes with it.

wetears

Oct 13, 2010

To: wet ear problem

Hello everyone...here is the answer...hopefully it works for you.
Essentially, I had all the symtpoms listed by most writers amd after years of diagnosis, it was determined by an ENT specialist the wetness and itchiness is due to allergies (the infection, etc comes from constant cleaning, fidgeting)...the answer is an allergy pill in my case Reactine don't use generic...they don;t work). 1/2 pill at bedtime when the wetness is coming on and by the morning the canals are perfectly dry.
This is effective like clockwork to manage this problem.

alyka

Oct 24, 2010

To: all with itchy ears

have the same problem for years. Many doctors. FINALLY, FINALLY I got the answer. It peels like onion skin and itches so bad. there are drops prescribed by this great air force doctor who knew immediately how to treat it. There is prescription drop that is a combination of vinegar and cortisone. the vinegar corrects the pH and the cortisone heals the present eczema. You may have to use this off and on for the rest of your life as it does come back! Ask your doctor for a prescription I tried everything, but this works.

DAC1168

Nov 07, 2010

To: alyka

I have found that the wet and flaky ears are aggravated by soft drinks

ligh

Nov 08, 2010

tea-tree oil cured me of itchy ears, flaky skin and wetness. dab the inside of ear with a cotton bud with a drop of the oil on.

suegirl

Nov 09, 2010

To: all

I've had itchy ears for about 10 years and have found a great ENT to care. He sprayed a power in my ear and gave me a prescription for nystatin & triamcinolone acetonide ointment. 3days later I felt 100 percent cured. This cream is used for fungus and yeast infections. ENT said mind was fungus infection. Please ask your ENT about this cream..

reppelhsoj

Dec 07, 2010

To: All

Hi,  I had continuous itching in both ears for several years. I read the posts here on this site and others but never found a solution.  Las summer I dicided to pay €50 (I live in france) and go and see an ear specialist.  He prescribed "Alcohol 60% Borique a saturation" (in french). I used it with a cotton bud twice a day for a week.  And all itching stopped.  Occasionaly the itching starts to come back so I just reaply treatment.  The itching in my case was no doubt a bacterial infection.  I have found a free paper that discusses this, they call it Otomycosis, and they also used "Alcohol Borique" in their treatment of the problem.  You can read it here:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/1vv0qdw5n60m9197/fulltext.pdf

The "Alcohol 60% Borique a saturation" cost me €2 for 100ml and thats about a 2 year supply.  In france you can it at a pharmacy without prescription.

I not the type to post stuff but I know how horible this problem can be.  So, hope it helps.

Cleveru

Dec 16, 2010

To: all

my itching with the ears started almost 5 years ago ... with every two years some thing new crops up... the waking up in the morning and the left ear feeling full and draining??.... it seems that it is mainly my left ear... we just moved into a new house and now it went krazy!!!! now itching even worse ..fluid that is yellow (slightly) and it turns to this crystle looking orange color and when the fluid drains from my ear the itching is there.. I have been to the doctor and they said eczema?? what ?? not! gave me some prednisone,ear drops and .... its BACK.....
the only relief I get with out meds it using COLLIODIAL SILVER on a cotton ball in my ear ( i sleep with it then it works the best) I also use durring the day a Lavender infused oil... and to help with the inflamation (inflammation) ibuprophen?? still not a cure.. I have made and appointment to see the ear nose and throught specialist.. But that is like 1 -2 months away... I know GOOD LUCK????

SimplyMe2007

Dec 28, 2010

Two months, itch free. Derotic Oil. I dipped q-tips and painted the inside of my ear and it was almost magic. Way better than anything I have mentioned or heard of doing (and believe me, I have done it all...............almost) No scales, no itch, no draining, most of my ringing is gone, able to sleep on ear without it doing the slushy clog thing, and I can hear.

andy111249

Feb 12, 2011

To: all

Bactine Pain Relieving Cleansing Spray relieves the itch and kills the bacteria put on a q-tip or try hydrogen peroxide on a q-tip. Also Zyrtec helps if it's related to an allergy.

okker

Apr 10, 2011

I suffered with intense itch with drainage for about 2 years before I realized it was my thiazide diuretic- a sulphur allergy. As soon as I changed to non thiazide drugs for my high blood pressure the itch stopped- though it took about 12 weeks for my ears to completely heal. I also had eczema on my eyebrows and an overall arthritic body ache. I thought that was just old age, but about 12 weeks after I stopped taking the thiazide I realized I was no longer in pain. This allergy is quite common- however NOT included in the prescribing information that came with my drugs and not known by my doctor. I had to connect the dots myself.

louiepsp

Apr 13, 2011

To: All

Hello thread. I have been having the same problem with my ears that you are all describing. Went to the doctor and was prescribed anti-fungal pills and a spray which worked within 2 days, was amazingly fast... but after the course and a week later it was back, went back to the docs and was re prescribed the spray, it worked and it went... so the cycle began...
It goes for a week or so and comes back, think i need to see an ENT Dr...

I have no idea if this could be the cause but I was a drummer in a band and ALWAYS around very loud music, since I stopped being in that enviroment I have a feeling that all my ear wax thats been built up over the years is now seeping out , anyone here (hear lol) had their ears syringed to try and sort this????

pocketmama

May 12, 2011

To: All

My husband has the same problem, wet, itchy ears. He wakes himself up at night scratching them. Has had this for years so we are going to give the Zymox Otic Pet Ear Treatment with Hydrocortisone a try. Just ordered it off of Ebay cheaper than Amazon. Hopefully this will work. I'll let you know.

debi147

May 15, 2011

To: you

I have had the same problem for years. I do work in a call center but I believe it started before then. I have been to my family doctor over and over and over and even to an ENT. They tell me its eczema. I don't think the ENT listened to me at all. I told him my ears are always wet and itchy. He turns around and says it's because my ears are dry and prescibes some crap that looks nothing more then vasaline. I have had different ear drops over and over, have tried witch hazel and nothing has helped. I am here today because I did not sleep last night, it's driving me over the edge. I have itched till my ears have bled and that can't be good. I was off work for two week last October with an ear infection so bad that you could see the infection coming out of my ear. It was so bad that the emerg dept at the hospital had to put a wick in the infection so it would soak up the drops. (family doc was on holidays so went to emerg)

I have copied the names of some of the things you guys have tried and I am about ready to try anything. I think my husband and son and best friend are sick of hearing how my ears drive me nuts.

7monthEarInfection

May 17, 2011

To: Anyone who can help me.

I'm so frustrated. I've been to the ENT like six times with six different prescriptions and NONE of them worked. I've had an ear infection for over six months in my right ear - the infection finally cleared up NO thanks to the antibiotics, but to the old home remedy my mom suggested - flushing my ear out with straight hydroxen peroxide followed by very warm water surged in my ear - all of the chunks finally unclogged I could hear again. But then, the itchy burning scaly smelly stuff came back with a vengeance. Only now, I have black mold coming out of my ear too! WTF I went back to the ENT and they prescribed foot fungus drops for my ear. Okayyyyy. I used the drops, it clears it up for like a day or two max then it comes back. Now my right ear seeps, and has black mold. I'm sick and tired of paying through the nose for medicines that don't work - why is this even happening? My ear is so itchy I feel like having it amputated. Does anyone know if that Zymox will clear up the moldy stuff too?

Willy2011

May 19, 2011

To: SimplyMe2007

Take an IgG blood allergen test. Maybe there's some foods you're eating causing the itching and excema which makes you itch causing a cycle of bacterial or fungal infection.

EmRose88

May 27, 2011

Does anyone know what exactly this condition is? My ear are always itchy just right inside and some what wet. I also suffer from chronic ear infection which I think are from me putting my fingers in my ear to itch (which I know I should not do this). They are especially itchy at night!!

pocketmama

May 27, 2011

To: All

I told everyone I had ordered the Zymox Otic Pet Ear Treatment with Hydrocortisone, to give it a try. Yea! It worked. My husband used it and no more itchy ears. Ordered it from Amazon. Finally, he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night scratching his ear. Thank you to whoever posted this about the Zymox Otic Pet Ear Treatment with Hydrocortisone.

debbie1st

May 30, 2011

Ask your gp to do a swab for staph aureus... i have had wet itchy ears for the past 13 years, i recently went to my GP where he swabbed for bacteria and that that is what the results were....antibiotics

canary55

Jun 13, 2011

To: Itchy Ear People

The only remedy is Derm Otic Oil. Look it up and get your doctor to prescribe it for you. My ENT recommended it to me and it's the only thing that works. And I mean, it REALLY works!!vvv In USA, not available in UK.

canary55

Jun 13, 2011

The only remedy is Derm Otic Oil. Look it up and get your ENT to prescribe it for you. In USA, not available in UK.

canary55

Jun 13, 2011

To: People with eczema

If you have eczema of the ear... this is the ONLY remedy... DermOtic Oil. I tried so many things over the years with no relief. Finally I met an ENT who recommended these drops and what sweet relief. Just a couple of drops whenever my ears got bad and problem solved. What use to be a chronic problem became no problem and I found I really only needed to use the drops a few days every few months. I highly recommend them. They are expensive if you don't have insurance but totally worth it. I got mine in California but can't get them anymore since I live in the UK..

Here's a link to them: http://www.hillderm.com/products/prescription/dermotic-oil-ear-drops.shtml

kygirl25

Jun 15, 2011

To: Everyone

I have had itchy, flaky, crusty, draining ears for about a year now. It started after going swimming a few times last summer. One day I felt water trapped in my left ear. I tried everything to get it to drain. Finally, I held my nose & blew until water literally ran out of my ear *&* down the side of my face. I had never experienced anything like this before, but the more I blew, the more water came out. When I would sleep on my left side, I would wake up with a wet spot on my pilllow from my left ear. I couldnt talk on the phone without having to dry it off numerous times. I made sure not to get my ears wet anymore while swimming or bathing, but my ear kept draining. After about a week, I started to think this couldnt be pool or bath water still draining from my ear & saw a general doctor, who prescribed ear drops and antibiotics which didnt help.
The draining, after little more than a week, was then accompanied by an itch, so intense that I would scratch my ear with a qtip for minutes at a time. The itching then started to develop on the outer part of my ear as well. I would sometimes scratch until the skin broke & I would bleed. I noticed after my ear scabbed over if I scratched the scab, the clear fluid would leek from it. Then it would become crusty and itch even more. Eventually I started having the same problem in the right ear as well. Minus the liquid trapped inside the ear. It just began to itch, and the more I scratched, the more it became like my left ear.
Now, my ears itch so badly on a daily basis, that I am CONSTANTLY scratching & picking at them. Skin peels from them as if I shed my ear skin daily or something. I was prescribed Hydocortizone, but it only help for a few minutes. Then the itching comes back and when I scratch the cortizone only moisturizes the skin enough for it to peel off again. The more they peel, the more they seep & drain which leads to endless scratching and picking. If I go without using cortizone, my ears become so dry, they are hard, cracked & sore. It has came to the point that I am hiding my ears with my hair because they look nasty. The dry skin has almost reach my lobe by this point, and looks as if I havent cleaned my ears in years. However, if I put the hydrocortizone on them, they look like nothing is the matter with them except the sores I have scratched into them. Without it, they look disgusting. The clear fluid dries yellowish and makes it look like wax pouring from my ears.
I can't handle this anymore. It is driving me crazy. Has anyone found PERMANENT releif? I am constantly scratching my ears and it is really embarassing. My doctor cant seem to figure out whats wrong with them, and the hydrocortizone just isnt cutting it. I NEED HELP!!!! (I explained this in as much detail as possible in hopes someone can help me determine if my condition is the same as theirs.) Reading everyones posts, my condition seems the same or atleast VERY similar to alot of other posts. Hopefully someone will read this and can help me figure out whats going on. I just want this to stop. I hate that MY EARS LOOK LIKE MANGE ON A DOG, and the discomfort of the itching & scratching is unbearable.

steph31177

Jun 15, 2011

To: simplyme2007

I have the SAME exact problem! I hate it. I would love to know what causes the itchy ear. I itch so much that the liquid crap gives me an ear infection. Help!!!! Have u figured anything out yet for some relief?

Earflap

Jun 16, 2011

To: Everyone

Try DermOtic Oil

bleemdc

Jun 22, 2011

To: Earflap

Tried the Derm otic with limited results. Have you tried anything else?

bleemdc

Jun 22, 2011

I've tried the dog meds, tea tree, derm otic and most recently another antibiotic. It's worse now and now instead of being annoying it just feels infected all the time. I did the swab and they said it came back as staph but it's a staph that's "common" to skin.

**tired**

Anyone trying anything else?

Smiffysmurf

Jun 29, 2011

To: Everyone willing to listen

I am a 10 year old girl and I have crusty stuff inside my right ear. My ear is not wet, just crusty and it burns! Help me! PS I am a major worrier

content92620

Jul 04, 2011

I have also been fighting this battle with my itchy ears for many many many years. Every time I got a cold my ears would hurt, itch and begin the mad crazy draining. My doctor told me to use vaseline - worked for a little while then made it worse, cortisone sometimes stopped it and also gave me drops. Two more visits and then they okay the ENT (ear, nose & throat specialist) - every one of them always tell me its a fungus - they suction the ear out and then add some mixture of boric acid and something...usually takes about three visits (my third will be this Wednesday) and the fungus is gone - the dry, flaky and itchy inner ear goes away. BUT it always comes back...so I started to study about this and found out that it has a lot to do with the inner ear skin called Keratin...once that layer is damaged by a qtip, bobbypens etc...the infection begins and then the fungus from the trapped fluid from scratching at night. If your like me you fear that the itchy flakes will clog your ears and the cycle begins...I now have the roaring sounds but the itching has stopped 95%.

What I have found out is that without KERATIN intact on the canal, for instance, ceruminous and sebaceous substances do not form properly into earwax and the canal's pH drops. This often leaves the canal dry with a host of extant skin problems (psoriasis, eczema, external otitis, contact dermatitis, allergy, and abnormal cell growth, such as basal and squamous cell carcinomas). The formation of keratin requires about 10-14 days for a layer of removed keratin to replace itself, provided the underlying skin tissue does not become infected, dry or loses its essential pH in the meantime.

At the moment I am using white distilled vinegar (dabbing it on the inner lining), using cotton balls when I shower and ordered Calm Ear - which supports the re-growth of the lining to my ear. I am convinced that every time I damaged the lining of my ears with objects - it caused fluid to build up at night in them - locking it in there for days on end which then causes a fugus - then the mad crazy itching. I will update with my results on the vinegar and Calm Ear...mean while google the role of Keratin in the external ear canal - you will have an A-HA moment.

sweetie6116

Jul 09, 2011

To: bleemdc

Hi, Try plain old Saline Nasal Spray. You can buy it over the counter. Tilt your head over and drop 8-10 drops. Let it sit for a few minutes then drain out. WORKS WONDERS! I tried the Dermotic oil with little success. This works for me.

good luck!

justme647

Jul 12, 2011

To: kygirl25

I had similiar symptoms - ears getting itchy, flaky, and wet. Nothing the doc prescribed worked, but I found a cheap solution that worked. I took some of the right-guard power gel deodorant and placed a dab into both ears and slept on it at night. Then re-applied after I showered in the morning. Cleared up after a few days.
Of course, I'm reading the forum because now, several months later, I'm still dealing with onion skin behind my ears, and an occasional ear itch that causes me to re-apply the deodorant.
I've tried various oils on the onion skin, and they work if used regularly, but I really want a more permanent solution...

nursing20

Jul 18, 2011

To: Every one

I have been bothered by my ear being itchy off and on for about 2 years. I tried prescriptions off and on to get rid of the itch, i was told I had Serbic dermatitis which started when I was 12. It's like severe dandruff that there is no cure for. So I was given shampoos and creams to control how severe it was. Over time the flaky scales reached behind my ear and over time in my ear. Thus itchy ears:( So I would use Q-tips and my finger to scratch my outer ear or inner ear. This caused my ears to re act by swelling so i have to take medicine again. I was allergic to the medicine so I stopped using it and the wetness occurred. So I read a lot of peoples posts and was willing to try tee tree oil. I thought what a great idea because it does a great job drying out poison oak. So I put a little bit on a q- tip and gently put it in my ear and after doing that twice a day for two days my wetness was gone! Once i put the oil in my ear canal It started to dry up the wetness and the source right away, so my ears were less wet as soon as 2 hrs after applying the oil. Then of course the flakiness and itchiness was still present. So I tried experimenting with hydro-cortisone vale-rate ointment meant for my head or behind my ears for the flakiness . So after constant application via a Q-tip it has cleared up almost 90 % I'm still applying it to keep down the itching. So basically cortisone helps cure the itching temporally. So if you can go see your doctor and ask for cortisone cream you should try to ;) good luck to all and have hope:)

mpsall

Jul 27, 2011

To: everyone

i've had the same symtoms (symptoms) as most of you. started with wet, itchy ears several years ago. a lot of draining mainly at night if i'm able to sleep well. i've seen 3 different doctors, had a hearing test (came out fine) and have seen 2 ENT's. all of the doctors had me on drops which did not help. they all said to keep my ears dry while showering but that's not the cause at all. the latest ENT suggested i have surgery, cutting my ear open and breaking down the ear canal to "look" for a cyst/tumor. there's no way i'm having surgery to look for something that might not even be there. i'm stiff suffering daily with the itchy, wet ear. when my ear gets too clogged, i irrigate it with an irrigation syringe (for ears) with very warm/hot water (not too hot though) i got at the pharmacy. i feel some relief after i get some "crap" out of my ear with the irrigation but it always comes back.
i'm going to start trying some of the different suggestions i've read here. i'm willing to try anything at this point. thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

Darkone1

Jul 29, 2011

To: anyone and everyone

I had no problem with my ears until I had bronchitis about 2 years ago. I had terrible ear ache at the time and ever since I get itchy wet ears . Its always worse on a morning and my right ear is wetter and itchier than the left but the left is more tender.

went to docs who gave me drops - didnt work. She did however note that the left one was more inflamed than the right and I had told her most of the wet and itchyness were in the right one. she said they are in no way blocked and are very clean - theres no build up or anything. Since the left is more tender and inflamed but I get much more wetness (and itchiness - but I think that might be a result of the wetness)  I wonder if the wetness is a reaction to flush out whatever it is that causes this problem? perhaps somewhat successful since the drier one is the more inflamed. to me I would think this is indicative of an irritant being flushed out such as pollen or mould spores, since this is the most likely explanation if the ear that is flushing itself more is less inflamed.

She advised me not to use use cotton buds (q-tips?) as they can inflame the ear canal but I have no choice, my right ear  gets so sticky it makes horrible wet sounds and I just have to clean it. the left one is very tender however and makes me wince and cough when I attempt to clean it.

FYI I use a headset at work - right ear. I sleep on my right side, I have allergies but manage these with antihisthamines. I have always had rhinitis and sinus problems but never ear problems until 2 years ago. I also have a dog but have done for many years. I dont have any problem with the skin in my ears (flaking,  crustiness etc)
Its a horrible thing to say but Im relieved its not just me who has this issue and has not been resolved by antibiotic drops. I will definitely try the remedies on here and see if I get any joy!

ingers

Aug 02, 2011

To: everyone

Hi everyone,

I think you'll find a lot of you are having food intolerances. I was going to get my tonsils cut out until I cut out dairy instead and they shrank.
Other culprits are soy, gluten, and sugar. THESE ARE NOT NATURAL TO OUR BODIES. We cannot process them well. Some of us worse than others.
I had soy today and my ears have gone crazy. Itchy, swollen, urgh.

Try looking away from medicines. I know why you all do, but western medicine works on symptoms, not problems. No doctor told me I was dairy intolerant - I figured it out myself. The ENT said she could see nothing wrong with my ears.

Do your research, and do yourself a favour by eliminating certain foods for a month at least, and if symptoms come back when you start consuming it again, DO WITHOUT. Your body is screaming out for help, so don't force it to consume foods that are popular but not designed for us.
Go more pure, more raw. Eat fruit and veg. Throw out the icecream.
Dairy, soy, and sugar all have strong links to cancer - once again, do some research. You can LIVE without.

x

finelady29

Aug 05, 2011

To: everyone

I too have a problem with wet, itchy ears. It all began in 2002 when I got an ear infection for the first time in one ear then several months later I caught a cold and got them in both ears and off and on for 9 years now I have had itchy wet ears. In 2010 I was hospitalized for a double ear infection (BOTH CANALS SWOLLEN SHUT) of the outer ears and given intravenous antibiotics and a two week round for afterwards. "PSUDONOMAS" was the bacteria found to be responsible and ENT prescribed DermOtic which has yieded some releif. I have not tried the tee tree oil but I will because it works wonders for so much!
Be encouraged and yes, have hope. I pray everyone is made whole;)

sweetdaisy11

Aug 11, 2011

To: Itchy ears

for all your information. Itchy ears are from yeast in them, bottom line. If you have itchy ears you have very bad Candida. If you stop eating any type of sugar you will notice the itch will go away in a day or two. Thats because its yeast. The more sugar you eat the worse it will get. You need to do a candida cleanse. Stop sugar. You will also notice you most have sinus troubles also, its all hand in hand. try eating raw food or smoothies with NO fruit and you will be 100 better. Formula SF722 is a great supplement for Candida.

Ralph2011

Aug 17, 2011

To: itchy ears , feet & hands

If you also have athletes foot and eczema on hands it`s YEAST INFECTION which can be cured with tablets from your doctor. Alcohol (especially beer) and sugary foods will make it worse .For a temporary relief smear some pro-biotic yogurt in your ears ( or use cotton buds) and cleanse off with Vaseline once it stopped the itch. Can also use hydrogen peroxide solution 6% or 9 % - about 2 drops per ear (available from chemist) - no more than 3 drops as this will sting too greatly and is not necessary.
FOR THE PERMANENT SOLUTION : The tablets can be prescribed by your doctor accompanied by some good ear drops. I got mine in Russia (not available here) which contained 50 mg of Chloramphenicol , 10 mg Clotrimazole and 20 mg lidocaine hydrochloride. In addition I used TRIDERM cream (also availabe here). The tablets , drops and cream cured me ON THE SAME DAY . And I had it for one year. Doctor said I can have the occasional glass of red wine but definitely no beer . Really happy now and will research more into yeasty foods.

hannavas

Aug 21, 2011

To: S

I have the exact same problem. My ear is CONSTANTLY itching. I have gotten bad ear infections that the doctors call "swimmers" ear, in fact I got one on my wedding day. They are supposedly more painful than an ear drum infection which I can attest to, so painful! Its as you described too, my whole canal gets swollen shut, my jaw and the area around my ear kills. Antibiotics are the only thing that work. But what cause these infections in the first place is that my ears itch so dang bad I go to town on them, then they start to "water" (what IS that?) And then get super crust and the whole things starts ALL over again! Q-tipping is my only relief but it's just temporary. Then it starts to itch again. If I can not touch or Qtip for a couple days. I'm usually okay for awhile, but its having the strength to NOT itch when they do itch that *****! The infections came because I had no ear wax in there, I'm assuming from Qtipping and itching, that when bacteria got in there (probably from itching) there was no wax to protect my ear, hence infection sets in. I hate having this problem! Thanks for the insight! Oh and I have used cortizone cream too, olive oil, home remedies, you name it. They only provide temporary relief! Oh and one other thing, I have two weird bumps in BOTH ears, and they are what itch the most. When I asked the doctor what they were, she simply said moles. I KNOW they're not moles. I can tell by how smooth and hard they are. Do you have those?

jimbo199

Aug 24, 2011

To: anyone listening

Hi guys, my ears started itching basically because i started picking them after a HUGE lump of wax came out. I kept going and going thinking to get rid of the wax, unfortunately the ear is very sensitive and gets damaged easily, and got damage on the surface of the skin from my digging.
When the healing process starts the itching starts, it's actually a type of histamine your body uses
The more you scratch, the more it itches.
This a good article on it
http://www.ivillage.com/how-can-i-soothe-itchy-ears/4-n-142384
talks about using hydro-cortisone for short periods while the ears heal.

I'm not saying it's like that for everyone, but it is definitely whats going on for me.

Good luck and don't dig too much, you could end up with a serious problem! :)

vestingmika

Aug 24, 2011

what was the prescription name of the drops?

Iain333

Sep 05, 2011

To: Itchy ears discussion

Very similar symptoms & experience to all above.  Itchy ears, scaly skin, occasional clear fluid, tinnitus.  Ear doctor says nothing wrong.  GP says avoid soap & q-tips.  Conclusion: western medicine is guesswork & drug-biased.  You can't expect your doctor to know everything, and the best physician, who knows the most about your body, is YOU!
The comments above are great & I will follow up on some of the suggestions.  Here's what I've found.  For relief, but not necessarily a cure, try the homeopathic cream Psoriaflora- any health food store should have it.
Everyone above has different degrees of symptoms and cures- could be yeast, allergies, diet, fungus, or a symptom of something larger.  I'm slowly eliminating the suspects without my doctors help.
Food allergies, intolerances or sensitivities could easily be your problem, and I have found a GREAT workbook that helps you understand your body and all it's needs, with a great and easy diet suggestion to help you eliminate foods that might be triggering allergies.  It's called The Healthy Gut Workbook by Victor S. Sierpina.  Don't be put off by the title, it's an accessible book with no-nonsense information.

RMeach

Sep 14, 2011

To: RMeach

My husband has this problem and it is driving me batty! Antibiotics don't help at all! They just mess up your beneficial gut bacteria and cause you even more problems! I want to start us all on the GAPS diet, from a book, Gut And Psychology Syndrome. That will heal your gut which heals allergies, which is what the Dr Thinks is causing this.

I have taken fresh gel, from an Aloe leaf, and soaked a q-tip in it and had him keep it in his ear. Next I made coconut garlic oil and added in raw honey and raw Apple cider vinegar to make ear drops. All these truly natural ingredients are healing with antibacterial, antifungal, etc. This helped clear the infection out. His ear still itches, but its feeling better. I am certain that this is just a symptom of the deeper underlying cause of having a messed up gut.
I hope this helps you out! GAPS also has a site online to get more info from.

RMeach

Sep 14, 2011

To: SimplyMe2007

My husband has this problem and it is driving me batty! Antibiotics don't help at all! They just mess up your beneficial gut bacteria and cause you even more problems! I want to start us all on the GAPS diet, from a book, Gut And Psychology Syndrome. That will heal your gut which heals allergies, which is what the Dr Thinks is causing this.

I have taken fresh gel, from an Aloe leaf, and soaked a q-tip in it and had him keep it in his ear. Next I made coconut garlic oil and added in raw honey and raw Apple cider vinegar to make ear drops. All these truly natural ingredients are healing with antibacterial, antifungal, etc. This helped clear the infection out. His ear still itches, but its feeling better. I am certain that this is just a symptom of the deeper underlying cause of having a messed up gut.
I hope this helps you out! GAPS also has a site online to get more info from.

hoochiecoochie

Sep 16, 2011

To: Everyone

I developed the itchynessand hearing loss in my right ear about two weeks ago. I was a customer service manager for 25 years and used a headset sometimes but usually had a phone glued to my head alwyas being on calls. I went to an ENT two days ago . He cleaned out the ear with a water blaster (no added chemicals or drugs) He said I have eczema causing the flakiness and everytime you scratch I was pushing the flakiness further into my ear. Now I can hear again. He prescribed the ear drops DermOtic Oil (costs about $42.00/bottle - 20ml) and so far it is working. There is NO generic verson of this product available. He also told me to use a mixture 1:1 of warm water and vinegar once a day with a little bulb washer like you get in the Murine ear wax removal kit. This rinses out hose flakes that get pushed further into the ear causing the blockage. Using the washing and a small collection "pot" I can see the flakes being washed out. I'll seehow long this lasts, but right now it is working.

kirlz

Sep 23, 2011

To: everyone

same problem. terribly itchy ears, they then get wet and full of very nasty looking stuff... I sometimes scratch so much there is a bit of blood. I finally went to the ENT.. itchy ear syndrome is an easier term for it... the condition starts with a p.. pariosis.. something sounding similar to that.. he gave me something called diprogenta to use.. its an ointment.. everytime my ears get itchy.. i just take some of that.. on an earbud and rub it in my ears.. sorted!! keeps coming back but when you put that in, it is so soothing!! and it lasts a few weeks, try not get water in your ears, helps alot

pocketmama

Sep 25, 2011

To: 7monthEarInfection

My husband had the same thing for years and we tried the Zymox and one application it was gone.....and hasn't come back.

countrylady2621

Sep 29, 2011

To: SimplyMe2007

I am here a year later wondering how you ever came out. I have the same symptoms, and the butt crack thing is really making me baffled.

SimplyMe2007

Oct 02, 2011

To: countrylady

my ears have cleared with using dermotic oil. it is the only thing that actually got rid of it all. The ringing is minor compared to what it was before. i do think the butt crack thing is somehow the same thing. dermotic oil there did the trick too.

aussiehealthnut

Oct 10, 2011

After reading through your responses and having suffered from the same symptoms for years, respecting the fact it could be caused by several things and everyone is different, I do believe in most cases the problem is caused by diet, food intolerances, allergies and the big evil one...SUGAR! That's why the anti-candida diet has worked for a lot of people as it cuts out pretty much all forms of sugar. The candida is an overgrowth of yeast/fungus in our body and can pretty much be obliterated by eliminating most sugars. Remembering hidden sugars, not just what we may add. I think most people crave sugar in one form or another. You may not eat chocolate or cakes but do you have a few alcoholic drinks most days? Hi-carb diets are loaded with sugar that's why low carb/higher protein eating plans are so effective...much less sugar. White bread, fries, white rice (yes, in that healthy sushi!) white pasta - all spike our sugar levels having a very high glycaemic index (how quickly sugar is released into our blood.) Also having food intolerances and allergies will cause the 'eczema' like conditions in the ears. The 'wetness' can again be the sugar at work. It is amazing that I noticed every time I drink alcohol and eat chocolate on the weekend, the next morning my ears were worse than ever!
The question is.. how much are we prepared to give up for optimal health? Life is pretty damn dull without treats (read sugar!) Exercise helps a LOT as it burns all the sugar (and fat) away. So if you're going to indulge maybe an intense workout before or after would help a lot. Also, I noticed saving treats/junk/alcohol for the weekend and eating very healthily during the week works well. It's the 80/20 rule and it does work. It does require discipline but how important is your health? Thanks for sharing and good luck!

aabbccc

Oct 14, 2011

To: all

I found a book that explains causes for itchy ears for general public and why it should be taken seriously - and a lot of ear pictures too.
Expert guide to otolaryngology By Karen H. Calhoun, American College of Physicians--American Society of Internal Medicine - Chapter 5: Itchy ears.
I have itchy ears too. Good luck to all.

Rayrenee

Oct 27, 2011

To: SimplyMe2007

It is scoriosis I have it as well. Mine started in other areas which made it easy for me to tell what it was when it moved to my ears. You can get an elecon cream from your doctor. It works great putting it on a q-tip and rubbing it in your ear. Hope this helps.

leenie168

Oct 30, 2011

To: ALL Itchy Ears

INSTANT RELIEF for me:

Neomycin & Polymyxin B Sulfates & Hydrocortisone - Otic Suspension <--_this is the whole name & it is a prescription drug.

I put in a couple of drops in the itchy ear, then a Q-tip to apply to all areas,
boom - no more itching - works immediately.

I get itchy ears whenever i get water in my ears washing my hair

Before i found this - i was going crazy,
I sure hope this helps some folks!

crusty732

Nov 16, 2011

I've had itchy, smelly, wet ears, and from reading think it might be a fungal infection. Worst on the ear I hold a phone to. Am using dabs of probiotic natural yoghurt inside the ear, and then cleaning each morning with cooled boiled water. They are no longer itching or wet after day 1. Hoping the crustiness will clear up soon.

tiara123456789

Nov 18, 2011

To: mum2four

did yuu go see a doctor

brie1267

Nov 19, 2011

hey. i am 16 and i noticed the same problems that most of you guys have. it started maybe about 2 weeks ago. i've never had this problem before in my life. my ears itch so bad i cant stop scratching them. they drain a clear fluid and my right one has really dark orange ear wax. it all started in my left ear. itchy, wet, draining, and i noticed a bump somewhere in my ear as well that if i scratch with a q-tip it starts bleeding. well with in the past week my right ear is starting to do the same. itchy, wet, draining (not as much as the left) and the bump, but it also has the orange ear wax; the left one doesnt. i have not been to a doctor yet. my mother said she wants to take me to an ENT doctor. but reading all of the comments. im not sure if it is really worth the money on the trip there just to get the same answer. its extremly aggrivating and idk what to do about it. i just want it to go away. ironically my ears only itch in the afternoon and at night, they do not itch all the time. im not sure if that has anything to do with anything, but just stating that matter. im afraid that my nine month old son might have it to because he keeps pulling on his ears, but that could be linked to his 4 teeth on the top coming in. but just since im not sure what is wrong with me and if it is either herretitary or transferable. i thought i should say that. can anyone help all of us suffering??? :(

CTP0825

Nov 23, 2011

To: CTP0825

I've had the same itching problem you guys are mentioning for years now and nothing I've done so far has been a permanent cure. About 5 years ago this started and I use to use a wooden earwax remover to dig out the earwax because I thought my earwax was causing the itch. Over time, I could not live without that damn wooden pick! The itching just got worse and worse and pretty soon it was so maddeningly itchy that I had trouble sleeping. I went back and forth to an ENT several times and got prescribed Dermotic Oil at one point but this only helped for about a week and the itching came back. The oil pretty much lost its effect and I went back to the wooden pick.

The itching resumed for another year until I got a nightmare set of new symptoms in both ears. You're talking sharp knife like pains, horrible headache, extreme itching, fluid release, blood release, hearing loss, and a nasty smell in the earwax and debris. Not to mention that also I had this clear sticky fluid coming out of my ears and when this liquid hardens at the entrance of my ears, a very painful to remove hard crust would form there. I tried hydrogen peroxide which temporarily took away the itching to only make it come back about 20 times worse and cause blood to ooze out. I even had white debris coming out mixed with the liquid at that point. So I went to another ENT who seemed to know better what was going on and she told me it was a fungal infection. She used a vacuum device thingy that squirts alcohol into the ear at the same time vacuuming it out. This felt SOOOOOOOOOO good. I finally thought that my troubles were over and my ear disease was cured at last. I even tried the vinegar and alcohol 50/50 plus Lotrisone Lotion as she prescribed. But very disappointingly, the itch came back and got worse and worse but I don't dig anymore. I use my pinky finger to itch a little bit but I promised myself never to use a wooden pick again. Eventually the itch became so bad again that I had to do something. I sterilized a toothpick with a lighter and used it to softly touch the itchy areas in the ears. It helps but nothing ever yet cured my ear itch and this is where I am right now...

Perhaps I'll try the Triamcinolone acetonide or the Kenacomb Otic which may be the answer...

jhillhou

Nov 25, 2011

I have the same problem, but found that putting a tiny bit of Head and Shoulders in my ears every day (I just do that in the shower and then let the water rinse it out), makes a huge dfference.

manno707

Dec 03, 2011

I had itchy ears and water in my ears at night for 3 years. i went to several GPs and ENTs to no avail. They prescribed scores of prescriptions that did nothing.

Finally, I went to an ENT that was also an allergist. I got tested for a score of various foods, molds, pollens, etc. She found that i had become allergic to certain common fungi (molds).

I have been receiving shots and was put on a low yeast diet..........and oh sweet relief. I am not 100% yet, but I do believe I am on the way.

ohfailthful

Dec 05, 2011

To: ALL

It is a FUNGAL INFECTION from MOLD. It may not be visible where you LIVE OR WORK, but it is there causing the ear infection and other infections and problems that we are having! The person who talked about GUT AND PSYCHOLOGY is right, the diet will help a great deal. Making colloidal silver will also help a lot and get rid of the fungus in the colon, CANDIDA, and putting it in the ears, sinuses, and gargling with it!!! Fermented foods, kefir, etc., will help restore the good bacteria needed to fight off the infections. You can also use 100% pure echinacea to boost immunity, olive leaf to kill off fungus, and oregano oil to kill off fungus.

Greengage

Dec 07, 2011

I remember exactly when my ears started playing up. I was eleven years old and it was 1970. I was in my bedroom, and I stuck the end of my glasses in my right ear, and a sticky, very smelly discharge was on the end of the glasses arm! Yuck! I have had "sticky ears ever since. The symptoms fluctuate, depending on what I'm up to. Holidays, when I go in the sea, and have warm sun, means they are slightly better, I think the salt water helps. Also, and this has been very true in recent years, its important to use the simplest shampoo you can find, ie I use one with no sulphates, and is organic, that helps with the itching. I also use Otosporin ear drops from time to time and that helps dry up the ear.If you are getting crusting, then use something with a mild steroid to moisturise the inner ear this helps break down the crust so you can remove it. one of the doctors many years ago, said that putting things like metal hair grips in your ears can cause an allergic reaction, along with any thing else made of metal. I have been through antibiotics, creams all sorts over the past 40 years, I was told I had chronic excema, and the best was to take the ear drops for managing the condition. Apparently I was also prone to it because I have very small ear canal! Three members of my close family have the same problem. I have found changing shampoo and conditioner to be the most helpful change.

champsey

Jan 02, 2012

To: Everyone

I have a wet right ear in the dayand then in the morning my ear is all crusty inside, What is it?

Meam9222

Jan 06, 2012

To: content92620

Very helpful answer to an embarrassing, minor, but persistent problem. I've had this condition for over 20 yrs. caused from using ear plugs b/c of husband's loud snoring, then over-use of cotton swabs. I've used a strong steroid Rx for temporary relief. Your remedy sounds sensible. I was getting occasional infections requiring trip to dr. for antibiotic drops as well. Thank you for posting.

dramaqueen63

Jan 10, 2012

To: All itchy ear sufferers

Maybe 5 years ago I began having a sensation in my left ear as if a bug was crawling in my ear. A trip to the ENT revealed nothing more than slight wax buildup. Coincidentally, I was tested for allergies and told I had none. My symptoms increased. Occasionally, I also experience the watery ear and I've always been told that my ears have alot of fluid. Now my itchy ear bug sensation became at times painful with a pressure, tingling sensation as well. I went to a second ENT. Another skin ***** test revealed allergies to mold, dustmites, trees, and grass. That does fit because I have built a home on 5 acres of land with grass/trees and I now have hardwood floors and rugs which increases dustmite allergies. I was told to start allergy shots which I did for 2 years. Eventually I paid for (because insurance will not) allergy drops in lieu of shots so I've now been treated with immunotherapy for 3 years which is supposed to cure you of allergies. I've also taken Xyzal, prescription Zyrtec every night for 3 years! My allergies are no better! My ears continue to itch particularly my left ear though the right ear itches somewhat as well. My ears itch worse at night. I saw my ENT yesterday and told him I'm done with the drops/shots. Why spend $1200 a year for drops that aren't working? He shrugged as if it's no big deal to him. He still maintains that my ear itching is from mold allergies. I do buy that but I also wonder if there's more. I also wonder about food allergies as were mentioned in other posts. After seeing 2 ENT's I don't know where to turn. Can anyone help!

tiajack

Jan 14, 2012

To: content92620

this is the first thing that makes sense. i am going to try this. where do you get calm ear? is it a lotion/ointment? please keep us updated.

MackP

Jan 14, 2012

To: All

Hey All: I found this site after googling the same things I'm sure everyone has. That was a while back. I'm back and actually posting this time, because I have something to share that might help a few. I apologize if this has already been mentioned. I started taking a 24 hour allergy medication, like Claritin off brand, and after I had taken it every day for about 5 days, my ears weren't itching, or even 1/4 as scaly and didn't hold water anymore than what my normal friends tell me.

vonniegirly

Jan 19, 2012

I had the exact same problem and my doctor told me to go to the local drug store and by some drops for athelets feet. I put a drop on a q tip and wipe my ears and it is cured untill the next time but it does work

SaintsFan78

Jan 23, 2012

To: everybody

I never had problems with my ears until i started cleaning them with qtips. it felt so great that I would do it every night. Eventually, I had Q-tipped all of the ear wax out of my ears. The problem with that is, then you have nothing to protect the thin, sensitive skin of the ear canal from drying out and no natural movement of the then dry, flaky skin out of the ear canal because you have taken all the wax out. So the dry flaked off skin sits in your ear canal and itches and it gets wet from showering or drainage from the little abrasions you've made by rubbing so hard to quell the itch and it rots which can lead to bacterial and fungal infections. so you Qtip some more to satisfy the itch, which starts the endless cycle over again. Sometimes you rub yourself a sore which then opens the skin to infection and you end up with a massive case of cellulitis in your ear, like me. I've been dealing with this for two years now. It *****. And its virtually impossible to ever go back to normal because you can't leave your ears alone long enough to let them heal and rebuild a healthy layer of ear wax again. This is because the itch is so maddening and you need to have the ears professionally cleaned to get rid of all the dead skin so you don't get infection (but this removes ear wax). I have tried the steroid/dermotic oil drops and they do provide some good relief, but I am scared to use them for more than a week - so I always end up miserable again. I have heard of getting a wax transplant that is quite effective, but the idea of having some other person's ear wax transplanted into my ear (even after being sterilized) is just too gross for me to handle at this point. So I don't have any magic cures, just wanted to let everyone know they are not alone in their misery.

lynnoso

Jan 24, 2012

To: SaintsFan78

This is my whole problem too, right now I'm using cortisporin tc- and going again to see doc. so he can put another ear wick in both ears.

baboo7

Jan 30, 2012

To: All

For about 12 yrs now I've had problems with both my ears sweating/itching at night while sleeping on either side. It happens soon after I rest my head on either side on the pillow. I've tried making myself sleep on my back but can't seem to do that. So this month I started trying to sleep using a u-pillow. It gives a small amount of relief. The doctors always blow off my question about it being allergy related so I stopped asking even though something tells me it may be.
When I live in Tx I woke up one night with my head feeling VERY stuffy and my ears feeling full. I sat up in bed then both ears popped and suddenly it was like they were filled with liquid which made me very dizzy. [that happened on the day of closing on a home sale] So that wasn't a good day. My ears have done that before but never with both ears at the same time. So I went to an ENT, he looked in my ears and said one was infected, the other 'had' been but was better. He wrote out 2 perscriptions but right now I can't remember their names. One was drops for the ear. Had to put 15 in at 7pm and keep in with cotton all night. The other perscription was for a months suppy of pills. I was a bit shocked when I had to pay 500.oo for the pills but I was desparate for some relief. The pills caused me to run to the bathroom for nearly the whole month causing me to loose about 25 lbs. The meds did provide relief for my ears but I knew it would all come back and it did about a yr later. Since then I seem to have more and more ear problems itching, sweating, drainage, swelling. This past month of Jan. I've had both ears give me more than the amount of problems, twice! Usually before they drain heavily they will build up pressure for a couple days, then they'll pop, then drain for about 3 days. This last time I used q-tips to help remove some of the mess. I know I shouldn't have but I was not in a good mood. :) But the q-tips cost me because both ears nearly swelled shut to the point I couldn't hear a fan running next to me. So now I'm trying sudafed [someone suggested it] and it seems so help some. Will give it more time before saying I'm sold on it.

In the meantime I would appreciate any advice.

I do feel better just knowing I'm not alone in this, not that I would wish this problem on anyone but it feels good having a place to ask questions.

My apologies if I was to graffic but sometimes you just have to throw it out there..........

Elfma

Feb 01, 2012

I have been suffering with the Same Exact symptoms for over 20 years! Extreme itching, wet and sometimes burning-after itching. No dr knows what it is. But, it must be something if we all have exact symptoms! I wish someone could figure it out!

FallenAnjel

Feb 08, 2012

To: Everyone

HaVe ANY of u been to an ENT ? Did u get your ears cleaned out by an ENT or audiologist? If your ears are clogging when U lie down u have compacted wax up against the ear drum and lying on it warms it up and it clogs your ear. There's a few options u can try at home. Pour a capful of peroxide (or use gel peroxide) and let sit for a while using a cotton ball to hold it in. (lying down may throw your balance off and make u dizzy and u may pass out--I almost did once) Then using a bulb syringe or regular larger syringe, squeeze warm water in as hard as u can stand , but not too hard. Do this until the wax comes out. I will be really gross, orange/dk brown and chunky. EEWW!! Another opton is to get some ear drops at the drug store and put some in. And again, do the rinse thing with the syringe. I'm doing that now my left ear is clogging up. I'm due for a good cleaning at the ENT. (ps- I have never had an ear infection and I'm 41). (pss--using q-tips in your ears acts as a ram rod and only pushes all the wax down the ear canal until it just dams up and clogs your ear. ).