Home Remedies for Itchy Ears

Itching in ears can be very discomforting for a person. You can not help but scratch the ear, to get relief from it. However, this is the last thing that you should do, as this kind of an action can in fact, increase the itching!

So, the best thing that you can do to rid yourself of it, is to find out the causes behind the itching and then take treatment for the same. Along with the treatment, there are some natural cures too, which you can follow, to speed up the healing and to get rid of the itchiness. On that note, some home remedies for itchy ears are given in the article below.

Causes

The most common cause is the change in the level of earwax. For instance, if the amount of earwax increases, it can block the ear, decrease a person's hearing capacity, and lead to itchiness. Similarly, if the amount is less, which is often a condition experienced by swimmers or those whose ears remain exposed to water for a long time, it can cause dry ears and itchiness too.

Fungal infections, allergies caused by chemicals in hair products or even particles in the atmosphere, skin problems such as eczema and seborrheic dermatitis, infections such as otitis externa, entry of a foreign object such as a bug - these are some of the other causes, which may lead to itchiness.

Treatment

Although this infection can be treated with over-the-counter medication and ear drops, yet, as ears are extremely sensitive, it is recommended that if the itching is severe, you consult an ENT specialist. He would check the ear thoroughly, diagnose the problem behind the itching, and then prescribe medicine for the same.

If the problem is caused by an allergy, antihistamines are recommended by the doctor. If any skin problem is behind the itchiness, steroid creams as well as taking medication to treat the skin problem first, is the usual course of action suggested by doctors.

Itchiness and pain caused by dryness and lesser production of earwax can be taken care of by application of heating pads on the ears. Along with the medication, the following natural remedies can bring a lot of relief to the affected person.

Home Remedies

• Maintain ear hygiene by cleaning it regularly. At the same time, clean your ears only when there is excess build up of wax. Otherwise, you would be removing the natural oils from the ear canal.

• Put a few drops of olive oil in your ear, two to three times in a day. Olive oil is soothing and will reduce any kind of itchiness that you might be experiencing.
• If itchiness in the ears is caused by any hearing aid that you are using, before inserting it in your ears, rub a small amount of olive oil on it.

• Sometimes, hearing aids which do not fit properly can lead to itchiness and pain. So, get them readjusted in order to rid yourself of the itchiness.
• Use only ear buds to clean your ears. Do not use pens, hairpins, or any other thing for this purpose, as it can puncture the eardrum.

• Take some garlic cloves, crush them, and mix them with olive oil. Heat this mixture to the boiling point, let it cool, and when it gets back to the room temperature, put a few drops of it in the ears. Garlic is a natural anti-bacterial, antifungal, and anti-oxidant agent and thus, will help in curing ear infections.

• One of the most effective remedies is to gargle with warm, salt water. Follow it up with inhaling steam and drinking a glass of hot milk to which a pinch of turmeric has been added. This is an excellent remedy for sore throat, cold, and the resultant itchy ears.

Relief from itchy ears is possible, provided you follow the above suggested treatments and home remedies regularly. However, if itchiness is accompanied by extreme pain in the ear, any kind of drainage from it and a decreased hearing ability, consult a specialist immediately.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.