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. ).

CandidaSux

Feb 16, 2012

To: jjshadoe

Been dealing with this for years.... As I type this, my ears are itching like crazy!

* 4-5 doctors visits, always end up prescribing me antibiotics. This just seems to make it go away temporarily then it comes back stronger! Originally, in 2001, before ear itch, I was getting acne that would end up turning into a larger rash like scab. This disappeared after a year or two. (seemed to happen primarily in Winter months.)

* Since 2008, I developed an increasingly bothersome ear itch. (wet inside canal and crusting/flaking "onion peel".) I too have had doctors chalk it up to shower water getting in ear.... pffft! Every doctor same treatment... A small bottle of ear drops at $150.00 a pop, only worked temporarily usually prescribed with antibiotics. (MASS $$$ for what probably is an inexpensive manufactured drop.)

* It has now turned into not only itchy ear, but "jock itch" as well. (hmmmm... Yeast Infection?)

* After many hours of searching, I started finding symptoms to be matching to "Candida Albicans" all over the Internet. Once I identified this, I started watching what I eat. I notice that soon after eating a sugary snack or fast food, within an hour the itching is tremendous! ( Candid loves sugar and starchy foods...)

* RELIEF FOR EARS: I have found that a bottle of Pure Coconut oil applied to a Q-Tip provides a good relief for the itchy ear. Not a 100% relief, but it has significantly decreased the amount of scabbing crust and minimized the itching quite a bit.

* I have also started using probiotics as well as home brewed Kombucha. So far at this for 4 weeks, too soon to know if it is working. ( I will try and update )

* I am also taking immune builders like Echinacea, Golden Seal, and men's multi-vitamins.

***********************

Contributing factors that I think caused the Candida:

* Alcohol has laways been a factor but have been drinking daily for about 3 years (1-2, 32 ounce beers each night.On weekends a 12 pack on Saturday and 6 pack of 16 ounces on Sunday.) Lowered immunity and plenty O' Yeast for the Candida. ( I am going to stop the weekday drinking starting Monday, which I need to do anyway.)

* I smoke cigarettes which I don't think is helping either. (I have been using electronic cigarettes from awesomevapor.com which provide nicotine, but eliminate intaking the other bs in cigs. ) After I stop drinking, I will stop regular cigs completely too.

ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO BE BRAVE AND POST WHETHER DRINKING MAY BE A FACTOR, PLEASE DO... The more we comment, the closer we get to figuring out a non-traditional cure that actually works! And NO, I refuse to go on a COMPLETELY CANDIDA DIET. I think it is ridiculous and notice how many Candida Herbal remedy sites "push" this. Why? Because it is almost impossible to follow and if their remedy does not work, they have a way out. I am not saying that diet has nothing to do with it, but has anyone actually tried to go shopping for Candida safe foods? I was at Walmart for over an hour, and dang near everything contains a No-No.

boyoyo

Feb 18, 2012

To: FallenAnjel

The bulb syringe - or an eyedropper hich is gentler - is better than an ordinary syringe because it works by sucking water out not just blasting it in.

Barbieb1222

Feb 19, 2012

To: everybody

both my ears leak and get a crust on them i can litterally pull crust out of my ears i cant help but itch them and i use q tips all the time which im worried about cause i know i shouldnt stick them in my ears but i cannot help it they itch so bad and they are painfull i remember when this started it was about 6 mo after my son was born and my son is 5 yrs old now it started as scabs n my ears or so i thought thats what they were i just remember thinkin that it was startin 2 become normal that i had scabs in my ear and it just progressed from there i have read all of your post and i plan on makin a doctors appointment soon i cannot live with this forever i feel like im gonna lose my hearin one day if something is not done about it i will let u know if my doc helps me at all oh and i also have scabs on my scalp i dont know if that is related 2 my ear problems but just wanted 2 put all my symptoms on the table thanks very much for listening and i appreciate this blog and will return 2 hear all of ur remidies one day we will all have releaf from this problem if we continue 2 share our trials n tribulations

shaz339

Feb 25, 2012

To: everybody

I have had recurring itchy ears for almost 20 years now. When I first got it (most likely from a swimming pool) I think I had non stop itching for like 3 years because I didn't think it was serious enough to see a Dr about. And even when I did see a dr, they tried syringing first because I have waxy ears, then hydrocortisone steroid drops, neither of which worked. Only later on did a dr suggest using antibiotic ear drops, but I was a poor student then and didn't take her seriously and said I'd just put up with it a little longer. Finally I couldn't take the itching any longer and tried the antibiotic ear drops, and that finally stopped the itching, for a spell. But it always comes back every year or so, and ultimately what makes it stop is antifungal/antibacterial ear drops. But other remedies I have tried which help a bit are ear wax removing drops, alcohol + acetic acid mixtures, and olive oil. I like olive oil because its good for the skin and in theory it dissolves ear wax too, and should help with itching due to dry skin/dermatitis. Unless you are absolutely certain there is infection in your ear I would be extra cautious about using drops which only contain steroid in them, eg hydrocortisone, fluocinolone, betamethasone, because that will make the infection worse, steroids suppress the immune system response, and should be used with an antibacterial/antifungal agent in these situations.

mpphoto

Feb 25, 2012

To: Everyone

I begin wearing hearing aids and my ears began to itch so much that I could not stand it. I went to the drug store to see if there was something for cleaning the ears, but the only thing on the shelf was ear-wax remover so I tried it. Whenever my ears itched, I would use the drops and then I began to get ear infections. It hurt so badly that I could not sleep on the infected side. I first thought it was due a cold and it went away in a couple of days, but when I began to get it regularly so I went to a ENT. The doc told me that the ear wax drops striped my ears of the protective coating which made the tissues vulnerable to infections. The itching was caused by seborrhea which he said is very common. He prescribed DermOtic Oil (drops) and Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream. The cream seems to help the most. I don't quite know what the drops are suppose to do, but I don't use them as prescribed anyway. I just use them when my ears itch :-(

He also prescribed some drops to use if I think I feel an infection coming on which I have only used once or twice in over a year. So the prescriptions and education has helped a lot even though my ears still itch, but less intense and less often.

A few times I've had what seems like a wax buildup and it smells like a wet dog (I just wanted to add another colorful description), but it always goes away in a day or two and has never caused any problems. I still do not know what that is all about. I may go back to the doctor if it happens again.

There are a lot of posts on this subject and I thought I would add my experience.

CandidaSux

Feb 27, 2012

To: Barbieb1222

Yeah, the scalp thing is related. I have the same issue. Coconut oil (pure from Walmart vitamin section) has been a great help. A little coconut oil on a q-tip for the ears. I put it in using Q-tip before bed and when I awake. You will notice the scabbing and crust go away. Itching will diminish a little too.

Mine is so bad that I get itchy ears immediately (1/2 hour to hour) after eating "high carb" or fast foods. Trying to eat better and drink less too has helped. You may also want to eat 1 clove of garlic a day just before bedtime (or with snack/meal in the evening.)

Braaap

Feb 27, 2012

I have the same problem minus the clogging. Its endless and doesnt stop Ive had the problem since the 2nd grade when I tried to give up itching my ears for lend. Needless to sy it disnt work. Im constantly itching I feel gross but I cant stop ten the lovely clear liquid followed by the smell. Sometimes its to the point they bleed from so much itching then i deal with small scabs and ripping them off. What i find helps a bit is moisturizer and especially baby oil. But also when i get my ears candelled it feels better for a bit but its like i need to go every month. Havent tried that but considering it. I produce a lot of wax but not a noticable anout probably because im always itching and digging. Gross but hopefully one of us figures this out!!

Braaap

Feb 27, 2012

Oh and once got a blister on my ear drum my doc was very confused but know it had to so with this problem

itchnomore828

Feb 29, 2012

To: Itch No More

Well I finally have a "Cure" hesitant because I'm waiting to see if itch comes back. I've been itching my ears for years and years now. The cycle went like this: wetness, scab over then intense itch and peeling onion skin. Then wetness again and so on and on..Years ago I was told it was a reaction to yeast, to stay away from vinegar , bread, cakes,anything fermented and to stay away from that for two weeks. That didn't work for me. Then I was told it was eczema. I took the advice of someone on this board and asked my Dr. for Dermotic Ear Drops. First he sent me for a ear wax cleaning kit But I have no wax in my ears. So I had to be firm with the Dr. and demand the Dermotic drops. It's like pulling teeth to get help. Well it's been a week and it healed up the skin on the inside of my ears. Now I have to get used to Not scratching- hopefully and I'll save on Q-tips!. Thank You to the person(s) who recommended this medicine. The medicine is for:eczema. For treatment of Chronic Eczematous External Otitis. Good luck to all who suffer.

itchnomore828

Feb 29, 2012

To: Elfma

Hi you might have eczema like I do. Try Dermotic ear drops . you need a doctor to prescibe them. Good luck.

itchnomore828

Feb 29, 2012

To: dramaqueen63

maybe its eczema. Try Dermotic ear drops from your dr. they are cheap too.Hope it helps.

irish545

Mar 01, 2012

I've been following theses posts for nearly a year and have had some small improvement using Zymox to help control the incessant itchy wetness that occurs while sleeping or holding a phone to my ear.

Something I hadn't tried is witch hazel. I almost forgot I had a bottle and in desperation soaked a couple of cotton balls and stuck them in both ears. It stopped the itching immediately and with continued use has healed the skin in my ears. It hasn't stopped the periodic draining, but has lessened it by about 80%.

The type of witch hazel I'm using contains 14% alcohol, not enough to cause burning or irritation, but keeps the skin dry allowing it to heal.

What makes witch hazel so effective in treating eczema is the high concentration of tannins in the plant found naturally in the leaf and bark and extracted version of the witch hazel plant. These tannins promote healthy and new skin to form while treating irritating skin conditions. The tannins in witch hazel help skin proteins bond and create healthier and firmer skin, and a protection against the flakiness that eczema can cause.

Best of luck to all of you who suffer with this condition.

kyrakitty

Mar 22, 2012

To: Zymox how long and how often

I just received my box of Zymox with hydrocortisone today. How many drops per ear have others used? Do you lay on your side put in the drops and let it drain into your ear for 1 2 or 5 min? How many days in a row do you use it until you discontinue? I am not asking how I should do this I am asking what has worked for others as a guideline. Thank you sooo much. My ears keep me up at night and early morning. They first drain and the liquid being expelled causes an intense itch. Mostly happens during sleep but also happens throughout the day. The liquid is a very small amount, no odor, clear liquid unless there is a little ear wax then there is a yellow tinge.

MrFoodIntolerance101

Apr 04, 2012

It's quite alarming seeing the mount of people that seem to ignore the (only) good advice fro those who are mentioning food intolerances. Yes, there are plenty of 'remedies', some work and some don't, but they are just band aids, masking the problem and not addressing the actual cause.

I have suffered from smelly ears as long as I can remember, combined with sebborheic dermatitis. When I was a child, the itchiness was so bad at times, and was often paired with extreme wa build up - sometimes black sticky and very foul smelling. Sorry to paint such a gross picture! After years or corticosteroid use, prescribed by short sited doctors, who also told me there is nothing I can do but calm down the symptoms, I decided to take things I to my own hands. After a lot of research and many visits to many different types of health professionals, I worked out I had yeast and dairy intolerances. The best advice i can give, is that never just seek the advice of one health professional. They don't always know the answer even if they think they do! Shop around, and work out what works for you, as everyone if different! Anyway, long story short, a 6 month elimination diet proved what I suspected about my food intolerances, and for at period I had no symptoms at all, and had moneyed for corticosteroids.

Now ask me about keeping with the diet, as that is a whole different story! Happy to share my experiences in more detail, including how to best find out what intolerances you have.

MrFoodIntolerance101

Apr 04, 2012

Sorry for all the typos! Damn iPad! :)

Suma15

Apr 12, 2012

To: 7monthEarInfection

I have the same problem of black moldy stuff coming out of my ear and there is terrible itching. I use q-tips so often that i end up having ear infections. Did you find any solution to your problem? Thanks for your time..

skymah

Apr 13, 2012

To: barnfrau

I have had these same symptoms for years. I will ask my ENT about this solution next week. Was it expensive?

bghmeme

Apr 22, 2012

To: hannavas

OMG! I too have several bumps in my ear, I managed to finally scrape one off, but it comes back, so Ive been thinking they are warts. Warts are also caused by a virus. Im thinking about trying some wart remover or some of that freeze spray on them; It's nice to know that there are other people with the same problem, yet you would think that the Doctors would know more about this. Last time I went to the Dr. she said I had an outer ear infection. (That was because I scratch my ears and get them infected) Thought about going to skin Dr to see if they think I need a biopsy of this crusty part that I cant peel off, and go from there. I was reading over peoples comments and one suggestion was food. Well, I drink coffee with alot of cream and also cream in my cokes, think I will lay off all that and see if it helps. Thanks you all for the suggestions, I will start trying and eliminating and will let you know if anything works for me.

mad_hatter_md01

Apr 23, 2012

I started develoPing this problem a little more than a year ago and couldnt figure out what was wrong. I would constantly ise swab after swab to itch/clean them till i got that oh so good feeling of satisfying an itch. I also would get fluid build up in my ear drum because of the swelling from itching. Its only just started to itch unbearably and even keep me up at nights. I dont have Insurance to go see an ear doc so my best bets are to try and google solutitions to this. Im gonna try getting some steroid cream and see how it works.

PJTeam101010

May 04, 2012

To: barnfrau

I have the EXACT same problem you had. My mom gave me that salve for my scalp. Thank goodness I kept it after that problem went away. I used it in my ears, and Oh my goodness did it stop the itching!! I have only used it for 1 day, but that non itching ear feeling is like finding a pot of gold! You are my savior. I have had this problem for about 5 years. The doctor just cleaned my ears out, and said "it was just plugged up with wax". That may have been part of it, but he never gave me medication for the other symptoms I have. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!! :D

AlistairTodd

May 07, 2012

To: Wet ear syndrome

I had wet ear syndrome which resulted in itching, soreness and even bleeding skin on the inside of my ears. I also had recurrent ear infections (every couple of months). My doctor prescribed steroid cream which worked but he would not let me use it long term so i became really frustrated and annoyed. I now use a natural product by mama nature (salavation) and apply this at night to the inside of my ears once i have dried off any sweat/water. A little bit is enough and it has heeled my painful ears. When i stop using it the wet ear syndrome returns so i guess i will have to keep using it on a daily basis. I have also noticed that i have not had an ear infection since using salavation for the past five months.

grasshopperkel

Jun 30, 2012

I have the exact same problem. I used to wear silicon earplugs because my boyfriend snores like a chainsaw. I stopped wearing them, hoping my ears would heal. Since then I've had two ear external infections which I treated with prescribed drops. After the drops were gone, the itching came back. I itch my ears constantly. It keeps me awake at night. I've tried cortisone but it doesn't help much. I tried putting a small amount of dandruff shampoo in my ears, as suggested by my doctor, but that doesn't help either. She also said to try athelete's foot cream in case it's fungal. That's my next plan. However, I've read online that olive oil and tea tree oil can help. I hope at least one of these remedies will help me and also all of you.

sageisis

Jun 30, 2012

To: Everybody

I tolerated ithcy wet scaly ears for several years and tried almost all of the medications folks have listed here (except pet products) with no relief and no change in my condition.
I have the answer now! Protandim super effective antioxidant. Visit my website and place an order you will be very happy you did.
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Wayne516

Jul 06, 2012

To: Itchy, crusty, sore ear

Same problem here. Has anyone tried aloe vera or hydrogen peroxide?

allllnc

Jul 14, 2012

To: ingers

I am a vegan who never eats ice cream and such... I do juice fasts and have eliminated just about every food at times... so I do not think my ear itch has anything to do with food. It is an infection or fungus of some sort that is just hard to get rid of.

allllnc

Jul 14, 2012

To: Wayne516

I have never tried aloe vera. But I have tried Hydrogen Peroxide. I have to say it really does not help with the itch or draining. I am going to try the tea tree oil and see if it helps.

LuciJ

Jul 27, 2012

To: Ralph2011

Hi Ralph please write me. Here in the states doctors do not believe you can have an over growth of candida throughout your body and don't think it can happen in your ears - at least not the ones I have seen. I have asked them to prescribe a pill for yeast infection but they act like they don't know what I'm talking about. PLEASE please tell me the name of this pill. I have long suspected it to be a yeast infection. I have had so many years of this wet itchiness besides other aliments. I'm so frustrated. I have really given up on docs. They have yet to really cure anything just prolong the misery with drugs that hide the symptoms.....Please help. Thanks.

LuciJ

Jul 27, 2012

To: baboo7

Hi. You know what? Why not try those pills again. They worked for a whole year. Whats a little intial discomfort? I would do it. Could you tell me the name of those pills please. Thanks.

LuciJ

Jul 27, 2012

To: itchnomore828

"its like pulling teeth to get help" Don't I know it!! I have tried demanding and my doctor brought me her med book and said "look my book doesn't even list this medicine. It must be very old. I can't write a script for that. but don't worry I know a medicine that works almost every time" and proceded to write the med she intially wanted to write before I asked for a specific. Of course btw, it did not work. When I went back she did a blood test and everything came up normal and then dismissed the problem - even though the problem was still there and the "foolproof" medicine she prescribed did not work!!! Well, everything was "solved" in her mind. How is that possible??? Just because she refused to admit there was a prob??? What the hell is wrong with today's doctors??? Why are we even going to them and paying them so much???? I feel like every doctor is programed like this. What happen to the many good doctors?? Use to be you had good docs with a smattering of a few bad ones - now they all seem the same!!!

Itchnomore, I'm sorry - I guess I'm just so frustrated I had to vent.

EarDude007

Aug 09, 2012

To: LuciJ

Hi all, I'm glad to have just discovered this site. It's a relief to know so many share the same problem I've had for four months--not nearly as long or bad as many of you, but many of the same symtoms (symptoms).
   My family doctor referred me to an ENT doctor and I'm working with him now.  As I try to work through this here are a few things I've learned that I'm trying to keep in mind. I will number my thoughts for easier reference.

0.  I wish we had some indexed system for this whole site because there is so much useful observation in these 300-plus contributions.  Yikes--it is 2 am: I've spent two hours just reading them.

1.  I'm thinking most of us have Otitus Externa, which is so-called "Swimmer's Ear, but that we need to keep in mind that it has a variety of forms, and can initially come from abrasion of the outer ear canal allowing some species of bacteria or of fungus to enter the skin, as well as from some initial water in the ear, which allows bacteria to multiply.

2,  It can be very persistent in some cases, and antibiotics like Ciprodex (really expensive!), after knockin out the initial bad bacteriam, can also knock out all the good bacteria and upset the acid balance and ear wax (both God's gift to ears) in the canal, allowing a secondary infection of various types of fungus to set it, which then requires a totally different medicine.  So I'm thinking this is very shifty. An antibiotic like ciprodex that works for one person (with a bacterial form) may not work for another person (with the fungal form)--or even for the same person at different times.

2.1  By the way (one of you asked) I had a friend who was a professor who *did* have a yeast infection thorugh his entire body.  (Is yeast a type of fungus? I think it may be.)   He had to go on a strict diet to keep it under control.  If he ate a potato, the yeast would quickly turn it into alcohol, and his breath would smell like he'd drunk 10 martini's. People thought he was an alcoholic.    (He died, but of other causes.)

2,2  When I wake up in the morning   My itchiness is not as intense as some of you,  (to the point of    Nature's gift of ear wax I sympathize with the frustration with doctors but in our frustration have to be careful not to generalize about all doctors or neglect the scientific aspects.
3..  Vinegar can help reacidify, but can also add moisture, which allows bacteria to multiply. Figuring out when to use vinegar to re-acidify the ear may take  patience.  Perhaps not while doing antibiotic drops for a bacterial form.

4.   The outer ear canal (from your ear to the eardrum), once you get in a ways, has paper-thin skin over sheer bone. No where else in the body is this the case!  Even a Q-tip, if used to scratch that horrible itch, can abrade this skin right down to the bone. Keep this in mind, scratcher!
4.1    I'll take an aspirin or simple antihistamine to try to relieve the itch and that does seem to help.  Maybe it';s just a placebo but I tell myself to just hold off for 30 minutes til it kicks in, and by then the itching does seem to subside.

5. For me, there seem to be different types of fluid at different times. Sometimes it is thin and clear, like sweat. Sometimes it is yellow and thicker.  The fluid production seems to increase as a response to various foods.  I want to start keeping a record book on this to see if there is a predicable pattern. .  I really appreciate the thoughts about sugar and wheat having an pretty fast effect on candida (a yeast/fungal infection that is also a common "down there" women's problem..  I had felt this was the case but  couldn't quite believe a response to sugar could be within an hour--til reading some of your comments.  Now I want to test it out.

6.   For me, in the middle of night or when waking up, my ear canal feels full of fluid, and if I press on my skull from various directions right around the outside of the ear (where you'd grab the ear if you wanted to rip it off), I can hear this squishy juicy noise.  I can use a kleenex, twisted a bit, to get some of it out, but not much--it still squishes and sounds like a swamp in there.  Yuck.  As someone said, what IS that stuff?  My doctor says that when infected, skin will "weep"--maybe kind of like poison ivy rash will ooze out a kind of serum or pus from the cells of the skin tissue.

7.  I've tried to dry it with Q-tips but that doesn't work much.  And the doctor told me too (as someone said) that Q-tip can easily just jam in in further along with a dead skin debris, even jamming it up against the ear drum. This debris then becomes is  a great culture for bacterial growth.  So I avoid this approach.

7.1  This is why an ENT doctor will try to keep that that debris clear while one is taking an antibiotic like Ciprodex (if you are rich or have insurance: that stuff costs 170 bucks for a tiny bottle)  But the doctor has the ear drum in view at all times doing this.

7.2 Q-tips also, when I closely looked at them tonight, do not look all that absorbent.  That cotton ball is packed pretty tight.  It won't soak up much, it seems to me.

7.3  It (a Q-tip) is a way of "scratching that damn itch" if you rotate it against that delicate skin--but you can cause an abrasion of the skin (like skinning you knee) doing this without even realizing it, and then the bacteria gets into the tissue even more. So I'm thinking this is just not a good idea at all.

7.4    I used to love just turning a Q-tip around in my ear (or a bobby pin) going deeper and deeper (but trying not to touch the ear drum) to scratch, But now, at most, I will just take the Q tip and press  it against the sides of the ear canal to blot up what I can--no twisting to scratch, lest I abrade the skin there.

7.4  Early on, without telling my ENT doctor, I got a ear-bulb washer thing at Walgreens and some distilled white vinegar, made a 50/50 vinegar-water solution, and squirted in hard in my ear to try to clear debris.  *My family doctor did this, using a syringe twice, squirting hard so it actually hit my ear drum, , and showed me the debris that came out.  So I did it a few weeks later cuz the ear was so damn itchy.  I could stop--must've done at least 12 hard squirts, filling that bulb up again and again.  It felt good but the next day the ear canal was *completely* swollen closed.  I admitted to the ENT doctor what I'd done (asking him not to hit me!)  He carefully inserted a "wick" so we could keep applying the Ciprodex.

  Okay, it's nearly 3 am now, this is enough for now.  Hang in there everyone. I hope this "Post a Comment" thing will work--I've spent an hour writing this.  .

jojo8889

Aug 24, 2012

To: JoJo

Hi, I wrote on this site almost 2.5 years ago. I was the one with an unexplained cold head for 10 months, where I had to wear a hat every day (and eventually sleep in one too). I have the exact same problems with my ears as all of you, which started for me about 8 years ago when I was 41. I will give you a little background as that might help to see if there are any similarities in co-existing conditions among us. I have Graves disease, got it when I was 31, had radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid, and take 1 synthroid pill every night to replace the thyroid hormone. I have uterine fibroids, so large it looks like I am 6-7 months pregnant. When I was younger, strangers would ask me when I was due. I had Grave's eye disease when I was 36, where your eyes pop out and get so dry you have to have surgery to put them back in--I had radiation therapy and steroids instead. I have been anemic for 13 years, so I need to take Iron on a regular basis (which I dont always do because it irritates my stomach) to make my iron levels better. I had an esophogeal ulcer after being on the Southbeach diet for a couple months, and had to take Zantac twice a day for almost a year. I never drank much in my youth but would binge drink a dozen times a year maybe, I started doing this a couple months before I turned 15.  In college, I probably binge drank a couple times a month. I smoked pot 7 or 8 times when I was 12. When I turned 35, I learned how to "drink", and started drinking wine by myself frequently. I have been a moderate drinker ever since then, for the past 14 years, minus 2 years of abstinence (when my esophgus acted up). I drank about 10-20 drinks a week all those years. For the past 4 years, I started binge drinking when I started going to the casino I would get drunk every time (I lost 2 friends tragically which triggered this abuse). I would drink 8-10 drinks and have a horrible hangover the next day. (I work at home so the hangover didnt matter). In the past 4 years, I probably binged drank 3 times a month, up to 6 times a month. But I would usually have no or little alcohol in between. I exercise regularly, have been since I was 36 (probably the reason I am still kicking!). For years, I walked 4 hours a week. Now probably 1 to 2.  My father had preleukemia at age 48 and died 10 years after. My mother had endometrial cancer at age 67 but am so happy to say is still doing well and turning 83 next month! My bother got bladder cancer at 51. He was a functioning alcoholic for 25 years and had been cold turkey the past 10 years and has also survived his cancer. He takes some pill that makes him violently ill if he drinks alcohol. It is the only reason he has stayed sober. Our heritage is Irish mainly with some Finnish/Swedish.

So after that long background, here is something none of you have mentioned might be a possibility for the constant itchy wet ears that can last decades: how about Vitamin D deficiency? Have any of you been tested? The reason I ask is, I was recently tested and I came back with very low Vitamin D. My mother and brother were also tested and have Vitamin D deficiency--this after living their entire lives in California where there is an abundance of sun. So I think I may have a genetic problem with Vitamin D, which can explain why cancer runs in my family. The inability to process Vitamin D can also lead to Grave's disease. So, I just wonder if it may be related to our problem here with the ears, because since I started taking Vitamin D, my ears are not quite as bad.

I also have the horrible scalp sores some of you mentioned--scabs, acne, whatever they are. I got this just 8 months ago, and it is very hard to get rid of. I started being a "scalp picker" overnight, which is someone who picks their scalp relentlessly, almost every minute of every day. It started 2 months after my 13 year old step daughter moved in full time and 6 months after my drinking almost doubled. But I slowed way down on the drinking last February,  but that had no effect on the scalp picking or ear itching. There are sores all over my head and when I pick them, they stuff that comes off looks exactly like the onion peel stuff that I picked off my ears for the past 5 years--the same as how many of you have described. It is almost as if whatever was in my outer ears all these years causing itching and scabs, moved to all over my head after 5 years. I dont know if it is exczema (eczema), psoriasis or what. If you look up scalp picking on the web, you will see it is an OCD disorder.

So, here is another possibility--how about celiac disease? I am very excited that I am getting tested for this in 3 weeks. I have eaten tons of bread over the past almost 3 months to prepare. As you may have noticed, I have had a host of ailments my whole life (also not mentioned: infertility, penicillin allergy, recurrent bladder infections, prolonged asthma, lyme disease, and recurrent bronchitus (bronchitis)). Anyway, my dr decided to have me tested for celiac and I am eagerly await the result. Celiac is most common in Irish and Swedish, which I am most am. In fact, if you go to Finland, they serve gluten free hambugers in McDonalds.

I will respond back after I find out if I have celiac, and after I have been on Vitamin D for a longer period of time.  I hope everyone here feels better soon!

SwansWd

Sep 09, 2012

I'm having this issue, too and I think it's food allergy related. Not sure which food for me - possibly sugar or gluten or both - as I usually avoid foods containing those but notice when I "cheat" my left ear gets wet overnight. this is often not on western doctors' radar as they would rather prescribe quick fix meds. My neighbor's one year old has eczema and they just discovered it's because he's allergic to a whole list of things. So I think there really is a connection to the itching...

tustindennis

Sep 12, 2012

I had suffered wet ear (left ear only) and chronic cough for approximately four years. Recently I discovered that I was suffering from low-grade infection in my left lower molar all this time and that was what was causing localized rise in temperature, thus wet ear. Within 12 hours of having the molar pulled and the infected tissue cleaned out, my chronic cough and itchy wet ear problem was gone.

Ckrupinsky

Dec 02, 2012

To: SimplyMe2007

First thing you have to do is stop touching your ears. Do not itch. Try applying an antibiotic cream at night to the infected area, neosporin with aloe works well for me. Apply it gently with a Qtip instead of cleaning your ears with a dry Qtip. The problem comes from lack of ear wax and over cleaning the ears with fingers and dry Qtips. Ear wax protects your inner ear from getting too dry and thus preventing red itchy ears that lead to scratching with dirty fingers and inevitably an infection.

kats3meow

Dec 12, 2012

To: barnfrau

Is this a prescription ointment or is it readily available for purchase without a prescription?

sumurbreeze

Dec 18, 2012

I have had an itchy ear for a few months now, it is driving me insane, I cannot sleep, I've had 4 lots of antibiotics so far, which reduces the swelling and sharp pain, I left it and ended up with a chest infection also. I wondered since the dog ear drops for mites seem to work, if it may be the case that this can infact be passed to humans, (contrary to everthing I've read) has anyone been tested for this? My cat had earmites when we got him as a kitten and the ear thing does co-incide. I have never had alot of earwax and this has pretty much run in the family so I don't think I have blocked ears as some have mentioned. I am back again to see the doctor this week.

jennysonice

Dec 19, 2012

To: arielcharlie

eczema can be cured or almost, this is off topic, but my son had eczema so bad since he was born, he was rubbed raw and when he was 4 i looked up this natrual cure from this book i bought. Mix honey, goldenseal root powder and vitamin e oil, but i skip the e oil and it still works, it should be like tooth paste and 1 part honey 1 part goldenseal root powder. Get a shirt or pants you don't care about because they will get stained, put it on before you go to sleep and change in the morning. I do this 3 nights in a row. My son used to get eczema in the spring and it would just stay and get worse , then much worse in the fall, and the doc's meds did not work bearly. Now he gets eczema in the spring, and i put the mixture on him and he dont get it until next year. It takes about a week for it to go away, but you will see it get better by the 3rd or 4th day. Olive oil is good for alot of ear problems, its a natural antibiotic, but who knows if bacteria is your problem, Goldenseal basically cured my sons eczema, he had it all year all the time before and now he gets it for a week once a year, goldenseal is antibacterial, antifungel and antiviral, haha i cant spell but goldenseal still works lol, look up goldenseal and study before you use, but if you ask a doc he will say not to use, go to natural healing books or websights they will tell you the pros and cons.

dna4ears

Jan 03, 2013

To: anyone

I have had the itchy, wet ears for YEARS. Nothing works...doctors say my ears "look ok." Two years ago our son gave us a "membership" to 23andme, a ?DNA website. We sent the samples in and got our DNA results back in a couple of weeks. I was shocked to see "Wet Ear" among the list of medical similiarities to others with my DNA. Never heard of "Wet Ear: but here it was on my DNA. ??????????Don't know what to say here except that it may be in our physical makeup from birth and before. I am sure some day there will be more of an explanation but here is an angle I have not seen on your posts. Check it out..maybe it is heredity. Strange.

dna4ears

Jan 03, 2013

To: anyone

I have had the itchy, wet ears for YEARS. Nothing works...doctors say my ears "look ok." Two years ago our son gave us a "membership" to 23andme, a ?DNA website. We sent the samples in and got our DNA results back in a couple of weeks. I was shocked to see "Wet Ear" among the list of medical similiarities to others with my DNA. Never heard of "Wet Ear: but here it was on my DNA. ??????????Don't know what to say here except that it may be in our physical makeup from birth and before. I am sure some day there will be more of an explanation but here is an angle I have not seen on your posts. Check it out..maybe it is heredity. Strange.

dna4ears

Jan 03, 2013

To: anyone

I have had the itchy, wet ears for YEARS. Nothing works...doctors say my ears "look ok." Two years ago our son gave us a "membership" to 23andme, a ?DNA website. We sent the samples in and got our DNA results back in a couple of weeks. I was shocked to see "Wet Ear" among the list of medical similiarities to others with my DNA. Never heard of "Wet Ear: but here it was on my DNA. ??????????Don't know what to say here except that it may be in our physical makeup from birth and before. I am sure some day there will be more of an explanation but here is an angle I have not seen on your posts. Check it out..maybe it is heredity. Strange.

lmtooclay

Jan 07, 2013

To: Anyone

Thanks so much everyone for the great info. I have all this wet ear stuff too and also have the same thing on my scalp. It wet smelly and clear fluid around my hair line and on my scalp. It scabs over white like my ears and also doesn't go away. Dr. say its eczema but they said it was eczema in my ear too. Anyone else have this problem too.

lizzygina

Jan 17, 2013

I just came through a nasty bout of horribly itchy ears. If felt like I needed to fit a brush in there and scratch! Then they started to have a burning itch, felt swollen and began seeping. When I would lie down, I could feel drainage of some sort draining out. The drainage dried then became flaky and crusted. The more I picked at it, the more it drained and the more it itched. I was desperate for help. I thought it reminded me exactly like a yeast infection. But yeast in my ears! Never heard of that one. I knew vinegar water worked great for other yeast infections (since vinegar kills funguses etc.) so I decided it was worth a try. I filled a small container with half vinegar, half water. I splashed this water up and around my ears, then soaked a Q tip swab in it and used inside my ears. I did this several times a day and till evening I could tell a marked improvment. Till the next day, the itching was almost gone. YEAH! Thank God. It was about to drive me crazy. It has been several days since and I still do the vinegar once or twice a day and the itch is gone. There is no drainage.

That was a very cheap solution and no doctor bill. Live and learn

ScottLoar

Jan 19, 2013

I've had severe bacterial and fungal infections of both ears. After a hospital stay to cure the bacterial infection under controlled circumstances, then treatments curing the fungal infections, I had surgery on both ears to widen the ear canal. Still I have wet ear canals, the wet literally seeping out of both ears even as I write this. This doctor (I've seen three doctors over the course of four years) is sure the current problem is eczema of the ears, but how to control or cure it?

ScottLoar

Jan 19, 2013

Some of the people here are confusing bacterial and fungal infections with eczema of the ears. These are three separate matters. Bacterial infections are cured with anti-bacterial medications; fungal infections (which are plants) are cured with anti-fungal medications or sometimes acetic acid (like vinegar; one of my fungal treatments was 5% acetic acid in solution which is stronger than common vinegar). Home remedies for severe cases of either bacterial or fungal infections will not work: you need a specialist to identify the infections then apply specifics against those infections.

Ecezma (eczema) of the ears is the sloughing of dead cells in the ear canal and the inability of the ear to produce wax, or enough wax which is the natural lubricant of the ear which prevents the problem.

jae_jae87

Jan 31, 2013

To: jae_jae87

I have this crusty stuff on both outer ears and it has this clear fluid coming out .. plus it itches. im scared. what is it?

ScottLoar

Feb 10, 2013

To: jae_jae87

You've got a problem, you don't know what it is, and you're scared. You shouldn't be asking here; you should immediately see a doctor who can identify the problem and give specifics to cure it. You don't need home remedies or folk wisdom or internet advice - go see an eye/ear/nose/throat doctor.

lizzygina

Feb 20, 2013

Just thought I would update. I was using half vinegar half water for my itchy, draining ears and I did have to up the solution to full strength apple cider vinegar. Whenever I feel the itchy starting again, I use the vinegar and it goes away. I very much agree with some of you that it could be candida. Candida feeds on sugars so it makes sense why it can get worse after eating junky food. Jock Itch and Athlete's Foot and finger nail funguses are in the same family. Vinegar works great at getting rid of these types of yeast. It works for me and my friends every time.
Vinegar is harmless, natural and cheap and you will only smell like a pickle for a minute! Best of all, you don't need a prescription for it.

singerears

Mar 01, 2013

To: itchy runny ears- this is what worked

I have suffered from this for years and years-
what finally works for me is COLLOIDAL SILVER-  a couple of drops inserted in the ears-

it is antifungal, anti viral, anti bacterial- you can also spray it on your pillowcases as well- will get rid of bacteria/viruses there-  take measures to make sure your pillowcases are clean

I am convinced this is a fungal issue- Thosehere  speaking of yeast infections - that is the connection- fungal-
Colloidal silver sprayed in nose is tremendously helpful also

Please try this it is very simple, totally harmless and miraculous .
You don't have to buy it bottled as nose spray (more costly that way for a very small amount) -get a bigger bottle and use a medicine dropper for your ear application..that way you'll have enough to use as a spray and to take internally (which I do whenever I feel like Im getting a bug) Takes care of it fast.  Research it and you'll see
Please try it.
I'm really thankful to have finally found this.

itchnomore828

Apr 22, 2013

To: ALL

I Petition the Lord to Cure All of US.. Amen

itchyears1969

May 14, 2013

To: This site really helped me!

I just had to comment that after reading everyone's comments, I was able to 'cure' myself. So thank you everyone!! I had the same symptoms: chronically wet, itchy ears with a liquid that was sometimes yellow in color and smelled of B.O. I deducted that it was not eczema, like many have mentioned on this site, since I knew that was a immune system deficiency, so why would I have that only in my ears? So I figured it must be fungal or bacterial like many others have mentioned as well. Then it hit me. This issue started around the time I joined a gym almost a year ago. That is when I started using my ipod for working out. I am guessing that I must have laid my earphones on a dirty bathroom counter, or they fell on the floor and picked up some kind of fungus. Of course, then I put them in my ears. I already had some perscription fluconazole in my medicine cabinet. I put that on a Q-tip and swabbed my ears. I noticed relief and improvement immediately! The infection was all but gone in 2-3 days! So my suggestion would be to try an anti-fungal first and see if that works. If not, then maybe go to the Dr. By the way, you can now buy fluconazole over the counter.

boyoyo

May 17, 2013

I dont think everyone here actually has the same problem. I found a cure, though I have had this problem for decades. And it has worked twice (I subsequently realised I must have reinfected it the first time after being clear for six months).

Basically, I have the eczema a lot of you have. This isn't curable, but the crusty weeping part was due to a bacterial infection. Sadly I can't now recall the bacteria but it was described to me as typical of chronic, ie long term infection. Anyway two weeks on Ciproxin antibiotics and it is gone again and no sign of return. It's a very strong antibiotic and made me feel bad while on it but it worked. I still have the mild itch and flaking of eczema but no more goo and blockage and argh. Definitely check it out as a possibility.