Endlessly itchy wet ears

[SimplyMe2007]

Since I was a child I have had ear problems but over the past few years I have had increasingly maddening ear problems.  I have used drops and anti biotics.  I sense relief then the symptoms return.  Most days I can hear but am constantly aware that my ears are itchy.  The challenge is to not itch.  If I itch, I usually get flaky stuff that I literally can lift off my inner ear.If I itch too much it becomes wet and begins draining a wet clear fluid.  Then at night, whatever side I lay on clogs shut.  In the morning there is thick crusty crud that again I try not to pick at.  Im obviously in continual circle of symptoms here.  Dr's seem to think I cause this problem by itching which causes infection which causes itchiness. HELP please?  I am open to homeopathic suggestions as mainstream medicine just seems to temporarily relieve the symptoms and not cure the cause.  Thanks in advance

[SimplyMe2007]

Hmmmm, I am the only one with this??

[SimplyMe2007]

I know someone hear (play on words) must have this problem.

[SimplyMe2007]

Took new strong antibiotic pills along with a long dose of ear drops.  Dr. Said Chronic ear infections are harder to get rid of. No running in ears but still maddening external itching.  Crusty **** can be scraped off the itchy area. Its like dried onion skin.  C'mon I know I am not the only one with this ****.  Help!

[Ant00]

No i have it dr say nothing is wrong i cant handle it anymore i clean my ears till they bleed thats how itchy they are

[Av23]

I think we both have the same problem..Ive got the itching and the wet clear fluid, but mine ends up sticky with a nasty odour..And my left ear has clogged shut..but i am in extreme pain now because i hav swelling around my left jaw..and yes it is really hard o stop the itching..
But unlike u i cant take tablets..lol so i hope the doctors can sort it out coz it hurts sooooo much

[SimplyMe2007]

Av, its horrible. Mine has been going on for three years.  The only benefit is that I do not hear my husband's snoring. I lay down and they immediately clog. I did used to get really nasty smelling crud out of them every morning. I have had times when my jaw is so sore, or my ear, or below my ear. This has been such a pain in "the ear" for me. Richt now the itchiness is truly driving me nuts. I have even restorted to putting cortisone creme or just good moisturizer in my ear to try to stop this madness.

[rocky351]

My room mate and I quit smoking. we starting getting the same symptoms and blamed on physical change due to quitting smoking. we are now both losing sleep.

[rocky351]

I think it must be contageous. Why did two of us get it at the same time? Will see doctor today.

[sirjoseph]

my left ear itches just inside the canal. when i relieve the itch with a cotton swab flaky moisture comes out. a couple months ago i went to a doctor about dizziness and painless sinus pressure and congestion (which i still have problems with, so that was pretty much a waste of time) he looked in my ears and noticed a blistery looking spot where the itch was coming from. he gave me antibiotic ear drops and they temporarily relieved the itch but now its back. i think that was his solution to get me out of his office though haha. you shouldve seen him squirm when i mentioned the dizziness. i think he knew that itch had nothing to do with it but he just wanted me out of there for a while

[cursed1]

My ears are itchy due to a teeny parasite.  It is probably dwarf tapeworm.  And, it is contagious.  They are so small, your doctor will see nothing there.  And, you will be labeled crazy.  The itch is the squirmy babies breaking out of their egg sac.  I put everything I think will help into a potion, and I squirt it in my ear,  Polysporin base and WORMWOOD  are the main ingredients.  It keeps them at bay, but does not cure me.

[SimplyMe2007]

The itch can drive you insane. Last night I was going nuts with intense itchy feeling.  Sure enough, when you try to relieve the itch you cause it to get all stirred up again and runny. All I want for xmas is Two new ears, Two New Ears.......

[rocky351]

I went to the doctor. He told me there was absolutely nothing wrong, no infection, no punctured ear drum, and no wax build up. He said I was probably getting water in my ears from the shower and it was draining at night. I have been showering for 50 yrs and never had this problem. I read on another forum (regarding same thing) to use vaseline on a q-tip. Doctor said this did not sound like a good idea. My room mate decided to try it and is cured. I started doing it myself this morning. No itching. The draining actually keeps me awake. Will see if I have crust in the morning. Will let u know.

[rocky351]

vaseline works

[kellybrooke]

Do you have acid reflux/GERD?  I awaken most days with both ears feeling wet inside and my ear wax is sticky enough that I can stretch it out between my fingers.  My ears have been itchy for so many years that it seems normal to me to have them constantly itch and feel raw.  I made numerous trips to the doctor as a kid and even until my early 20s only to be told that I had no ear infection.  Now that I have severe GERD I am starting to wonder if these symptoms were a result of acid in my throat at night.  Try following the GERD improvement suggestions (especially avoiding certain foods and stopping eating a few hours before bedtime) and see if that makes any difference.  I'm having a hard time finding information about "wet ears" and acid reflux together, but I believe it's just a matter of time before we hear more about it.  I am having a hard time stopping eating and still I eat the problem foods (like chocolate, fatty foods, etc), but I have some food issues to deal with.  Please let me know if trying this helps you.

[PS134]

Glad to know other people are having the same symptoms. I have fluid from left ear only and then it forms a crusty layer and itches. Went to the doctor and they said the same thing about the shower thing which was rediculous. I have went to an ear noise throat specialize and they only gave me ear drops. the first dr suggested it was wax. I said wax isnt wet. I can feel it draining when Im laying down. I have had this for about 3yrs now. drives me crazy. I am thinking of going to a dermatologist next, has anyone went to one yet?

[pippyrushrush]

I know where you are coming from I thought I was the only one with this issue, my itching gets so bad that I scratch and dig until me ears scabb and hurt but I cant stop scratching because it itches so baddly.  I have stuck pencils, pens, keys, in my ear just to try and relieve the itching.  If you have any suggestions on what to use for the itching please help.

[Eric P Wilkinson, MD]

Itchy ears are actually very common.  They tend to be worse in people who make very little wax as wax typically lubricates and moistens the ear canal.  

There are several things that can be tried.  If the eardrums are intact, a drop or two of baby oil (mineral oil) every few days can help quite a bit.  Over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream (apply to outer ear canal with the little finger) can be very helpful.  There are other prescription treatments (Dermotic oil) that can help also.

There are actually some people that have chronic external otitis due to fungal infections of the nails.  This is called an "id" reaction or dermatophytid reaction.  Treating the nail fungus will actually help the ears in some of these patients.  Strange but true.

Hope this helps!  See an ENT physician for a full exam if you are unsure as to the status of your ear canals or eardrums.

[kmmy730306]

I also have had very itchy ears.  They started years ago before I had  my first baby.  After I had the baby, they got REALLY itchy and it wasn't until she was a year old that I discovered I was hypothyroid.  When I started taking the medication for my thyroid and my levels became normal, my itchy ears magically disappeared!  However, I had another baby.  It wasn't until she was 6 months old that I got itchy ears again.  My thyroid was off again, but this time my ears remained itchy after my medication was regulated.  Needless to say, I am very frustrated.  Now it is spreading to around my nose and above and below my eyes.

[sckntiredofBNsckntired]

I have had ear trouble since day one of my life. I am the type to get swimmers ear from showers. I have a simular problem with gunk and itchy ears. I am unable to hear unless my ear is directed at what I am trying to hear. Some times they get so bad I have to go to the ENT specialist and have stuff suctioned from my ear once a week for about six weeks. Regular eardrops whether it is antibiotics, steroids, or whatever only make the situation worse. I got Domboro drops which helped with the goo. My ears still get dry and flakey. If I don't address the issue immediately, it will get worse. I was prescribed Elecon cream which helped with they dry, itchy and flaking. It still happens, mostly in the winter, though.  They still haven't given me a reason why or anything, though.

[geinak]

I have had the same problem for over three years now.  My family doctor told me to swab my ears with a mixture of alcohol and vinegar which gave me some relief for a short period of time.  I have been seeing an ENT now, once or twice a week, maybe 8 visits total.  We started with antibiotics and drops which worked while I was taking the drops.  Then the Doc did a culture and prescibed a new antibiotic, a creame and new drops.  I experienced the same outcome and the symptoms returned immediately after the medicine ran out.  The doc said she couldnt continue using the creame and drops because they had steroids in them.  The latest thing the Doc tried was an old fashioned medicine, I'm sorry I don't have the name, that she used to paint my ear canal and then sprayed some kind of powder on it.  I thought after two treatments that it was starting to improve but after a third visit it is getting worse again.  Symptoms are itchiness, very wet ears at night on the side or sides that I sleep on and a flaky crust type stuff that forms in the ear which is very hard to remove and hurts like heck when i remove it.  I am now preparing to go to a second ENT to see if he/she might have any more ideas.

[mshuck]

My 12 year old son had a cholestoma removed about 5 months ago and his ear is not healing correctly.  He is having the same conditions as you describe above.  His ear canal swells almost close, itches terribly, is full of gunk and leaks at night.  He is not getting water in his ear (only baths and my wife carefully washes his ears) so we don't know what is causing the drainage.  The surgery was done by a reputable surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital but he said he's never seen this condition after a cholestoma surgery. He thinks the problem is due to the my son scratching but as you know its a  terrible cycle (itching, scratching, etc).  

Has anyone found anything that works?  He has no ear drum since the surgery.

[bobarbie]

I've had the same problem with my ears for about 30 years now off and on, sometimes it has gone away for a while, I'm not sure why...but has been constant for a few years now.   About 30 years ago I had a doctor, his name was Dr.Osheroff, I haven't seen or heard of him in years, anyway he told me it was some type of a fungus or mold and gave me some white cream from a tube that he just happen to have in his office, he gave me some in a little container (so I don't know what the name of it was, now I wish I would have asked) and instructed me to apply some with a q-tip he handed me, immediatly the itching stopped, it was like a miracle, what a huge relief!  I seem to remember only actually using it for about a week, I'm not even sure I had to use up the little container of it.  But I do know that It took care of the problem for years.  Now that the problem is back I've looked in our local phone book for the doctor to no avail.    Problem definately could be fungus, which would explain weepy, crawly feeling in ears........also seems worse after sugar comsumption (sugar feeds yeast).      

[analog]

I have many of the same problems.  The doctor said I had seborrheic dermititis - which can also show up as flaky skin around your nose and mouth.  Using a prescription co-steroid cream helped the flaky itchy skin - - still dealing with the liquid running out of my ear.....
If the ear doctor doesn't help - see a dermatologist....

[RMH63]

I'm no doctor, but been there, had that..........have them check for fungal infection or yeast! Betcha a week or two of distilled vinegar drops in your ear will eliminate this! Works better than the otc Lotrimin drops for ears! Hope this helps you...!

[SimplyMe2007]

Funny tung

[SimplyMe2007]

Let me try this again.  I recently used a dandruff shampoo and almost immediately the running of my ears slowed down to a near halt but now I have scaly skin in the outer ear with incessant ringing and my sense of smell is stronger.  Does this make sense?