6 Reasons Why You Have Itchy Ears

Ear infection

Children aren’t the only ones who get ear infections. They affect adults too. Itching is one possible symptom of both an internal (otitis media) and external (otitis externa) ear infection. “[Otitis externa is] an inflammatory response of the skin of the ear canal, and it often looks like eczema,” Kesser says.

Another name for an outer ear infection is swimmer’s ear. These infections are common in swimmers because bacteria thrive in moist environments. Fungi multiply in wet ears too.

Psoriasis

This chronic skin condition happens because of an overactive immune system. Skin cells multiply too quickly, build up and form scaly (and often itchy) patches called plaques. You might see these patches on your earlobes, in the folds of your ear or in your inner ear. If enough plaques build up inside the ear canal, they could eventually cause hearing loss.

Perimenopause or menopause

The transition to menopause is fraught with symptoms. Unpredictable periods, mood swings, insomnia, hot flashes and night sweats are some of the most well-known ones, but some women are surprised to find that they’re scratching their ears more during this transition.

Are itchy ears a symptom of perimenopause? They could be. Estrogen levels bounce up and down during this time of life. When estrogen levels are high, they increase the activity of nerve cells that process itch signals. When levels are low, they make skin (including skin in the ears) drier and therefore itchier.

Allergies

In the case of an allergic reaction, the itch is caused by histamine — a chemical that cells of the immune system release when they react to allergens. Depending on the type of allergy, your ears might start to itch after you’re exposed to pollen or when you eat foods like fish, soy or dairy. Itchy ears and throat combined are probably a sign of an allergic reaction.

A reaction from something that touched your skin, called contact dermatitis, might also be the culprit. “The most common is nickel-containing earrings,” Kesser says. “New soaps, new shampoos, new hair products and new skin products can cause an allergic reaction and itching in the ears.”

Other symptoms

Looking for other symptoms can give you clues about what condition is causing the itch:

• Ear eczema: Dry skin, rash, bumps, leathery patches, crusting, swelling
• Ear infection: Pain, pressure, fluid coming from the ear, hearing loss
• Fungal infection: Pain in the ear, a scaly rash that looks like athlete’s foot, unusually colored discharge
• Ear psoriasis: Scales, flakes, dry skin, discolored skin, oozing around plaques
• Perimenopause: Mood changes, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, irregular or skipped periods, difficulty sleeping
• Allergies: Hives, stuffy or runny nose, cough, wheezing, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, swelling of the face, trouble breathing
• Contact dermatitis: Rash, leathery patches, dry and cracked skin, bumps, blisters that may ooze and crust over, swelling, pain

Possible treatments

Which treatment your doctor prescribes depends on the cause of the itch. Topical creams and steroid ointments relieve itching on the outer parts of the ear. Antibiotics or antifungal medicines may help with ear infections. Antihistamines relieve itching caused by allergies.

Treatment is a little more challenging when the itching is coming from deep inside the ear. “We can’t really get gels and ointments down in the ear canal very effectively, so what we do is use solutions,” says Dr. David S. Haynes, a professor of otolaryngology and chief patient experience officer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Sometimes your doctor might recommend ear drops to specifically treat the inflammation that’s causing the itching. Ear drops for itchy ears are oily and won’t wash off easily, so you need to use them only once or twice a month. “They stay there and eliminate the itching and the dermatitis pretty quickly,” Haynes adds.

Home remedies for itchy ears

If your ears are just itching without any pain or pus/liquid draining from them, you may be able to treat the problem at home. Here are a few things to try:

• Stop using cotton swabs.
• Keep water out of your ears for a week to 10 days.
• Apply a topical steroid cream like hydrocortisone with your finger, not a cotton swab.
• Avoid any skin products, hair products or jewelry that might be causing a contact allergy or dermatitis.

When to see a doctor about itchy ears

“Itching alone is a pretty benign sign, but if you have pain or bleeding, that’s not normal,” Haynes says. If the itch doesn’t go away, see your doctor to make sure you don’t have a more serious condition like an infection or referred pain from a problem in your mouth or sinuses. Rarely, itching could be a symptom of skin cancer in the ear canal.

Start with a visit to your primary care doctor. If the treatment they recommend doesn’t relieve the itch, they might send you to an ear, nose and throat doctor for more specialized care.

Bottom line 

Itching in the ears can be a symptom of a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis, an allergic reaction or, sometimes, perimenopause. When itching is your only symptom, you may be able to treat it at home with an over-the-counter steroid cream.

See a doctor if you have other symptoms, like pain or fluid draining from the ear. Avoiding the cause will help you prevent another bout of itchy ears in the future.