Home Remedies to Treat Itchy Ears

How to Treat Itchy Ears: 10 Tips and Remedies

The human ear is one of the most sensitive parts so if it goes through sudden change, it leads to the onset of itchy ears. The ear canal is innervated with sensitive neurological fibers, which gives the response to the ear prone to itching. You become helpless to view the inner part of your ear so do not try to make an additional effort otherwise it may irritate the ear furthermore and drive you to probe the ear recklessly.

While dealing with this troubling problem, people find themselves at their wit’s end. When it is unbearable, people would definitely try to insert some sharp objects like bobby pins, toothpicks for the sake of having some relief from itching. Sometimes these sharpened edge tools get into the sensitive ear canal that will leave them with the skin scraping and ruptures due to which the inflammation and swelling can be happened. It also allows the bacteria and foreign particles to freely enter deeper into the skin to cause serious infection.

Causes of Itchy Ears

The most common causes of itchy ears are:

Ear infections

Allergic reactions

Compulsive cleaning of ear

Ear dryness due to no secretion of ear wax

Water trapped inside the ear

Head-phone induced irritation

Insect bites

Ear canal dermatitis

Sometimes, psoriasis, eczema or acne can be the reason behind the itchy ears.

According the study in 2015, published in Otolaryngology online reports that if the bacterial and fungal itching takes place in the ear are evidenced by a specific condition called asteatosis. The study states that it is important to consider asteatosis as one of the sufficient diagnose for chronic and persistent itching.

Signs & Symptoms of Itchy Ears

An itchy ear also comprises some other symptoms such as:

Redness on outside of the ear

A type of drainage comes from the ear

Pain on the affected area

Fever

Swelling and inflammation

Some of the home made remedies are explained below; these remedies are incredible for getting rid of itchy ears like:

1. Gravity

If you feel like water has entered into your ears during the bath or swimming, you will definitely feel itching after a short period of time. Gravity, in this case will help you remove the fluid out of your ears.

Tilt the side of your head with the affected ear parallel to the ground.

Now put inside your clean finger.

Try to create a vacuum to help dislodge the fluid.

Use a cotton bud to clean up the discharge.

2. Warm Water

Flushing your ears with warm water is one of the most recommendable ways to get rid of excess earwax that is the cause of itchy ears. The gentle force of the water will dislodge the wax and makes it easier to remove from the ear.

Fill up the rubber bulb syringe with slightly warm distilled water.

Tilt your head on the upper side then pull the outer ear to straighten the ear canal.

To put a small amount of water into the ear canal, use the syringe.

Leave for just a minute then drain out by tilting your head to the opposite side.

With the help of a clean cloth, clean away the water.

Repeat the process on the other ear.

3. Valsalva Maneuver

To remove clogged water from the middle ear. Valsalva maneuver is a simple pressure equalization technique can go a long way. It helps in relieving the stuffiness and pain in the ear thus reduces the itchiness.

The study showed in the 2011, found that valsalva maneuver to be as an effective as Toynbee maneuver and ear popper in equalizing middle ear pressure.

Just close your mouth and pinch your nostrils closed with your fingers, now take a deep breath.

Blow the air out of your nose for regulating the air pressure. When it is done correctly, you will hear a slight popping sound that indicated the reopening of the Eustachian tubes of your ears.

4. Olive Oil

One of the old age remedy is olive oil and it can help in relieving the itchiness of ears.

Olive oil is used to remove the excess earwax and keeps your ear canal greased. It also contains -antiseptic properties so it reduces the risk of ear infection.

According to the study in 2013, published in Practice Nursing reports that if your ears are regularly greased with the olive oil, it increases the ear canal contents. Further research is needed to provide the improved evidence of ear care.

Another 2003 study published in Pediatrics found that if you use herbal ear drops containing olive oil can help to reduce the pain and ensuring from an ear infection in children.

Lie on your side with the affected ear facing up.

Now pull the outer part of your ear back in a gentle manner.

Put 3 drops of lukewarm olive oil in the opening of your ear with the help of a dropper.

Now gently massage the skin at front of the ear.

Keep remaining on your side for about 10 minutes.

Wipe away extra oil that drips out from your ear while you sit.

Repeat in the other ear if needed.

5. Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is very much effective in this case, to deal with the itchiness in the ear, there is wide range of commercial ear drops containing hydrogen peroxide as one of the main ingredients.

Hydrogen peroxide helps in diluting the consistency of the wax and causes it to bubble up and move out of the ear.

Mix equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide (3%) and water.

Fill an ear dropper with this solution.

Now tilt your head sideways then put few drops of this solution into the ear. Sit in the same position for some time.

Tilt your head now in opposite side to drain out the solution.

Wipe away the earwax with the help of a clean cloth.

Repeat the process for your other ear.

6. White Vinegar

White vinegar is also an effective remedy to remove the fluid inside your ear to get rid of the itchiness.

However, it will do wonders when combine with the rubbing alcohol. White vinegar helps in dissolving the earwax, rubbing alcohol serves as a drying agent from the ear. Vinegar also protects your ear from having any kind of infection.

Take a bowl and mix equal parts of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.

Soak a cotton ball in the solution.

Tilt the affected ear towards the sky then squeeze 3 drops of this solution into the ear.

Wait for 5 minutes and tilt your head to the opposite direction.

Remove the earwax from the outer ear with an earbud.

7. Apply Warm Compress

If the acne is the cause of itchy ear, the warm compress can be used in this condition which can be extremely useful in drying out the acne. Once the acne is completely healed, the itchiness will be gone automatically.

The heat from the warm compress helps in reducing the inflammation and irritation, which soften the acne and allows it to bring the pus out of the surface. The warmth helps in reducing the pain as well.

Take warm water in a large bowl.

Soak a wash cloth and squeeze out the excess water.

Apply the warm compress on the ear for 5 minutes.

Use a mild cleanser to wash the ear.

Use this remedy two times daily for few days.

8. Use Blow Dryer

To avoid the internal ear dampness which may be due to the itchiness, a blow dryer can be a magical thing to sort out this situation.

The warm, dry air comes out from the blow dryer will turn the water into steam and gradually help it comes out of the ear.

Pull your earlobe away from your body.

Hold a blow dryer about 12 inches away from your ear.

Set the heat of the blow dryer to warm and air flow to low.

Turn the dryer on and keep its position into the ear canal.

Hold the blow dryer in position for approximately 30 seconds.

Repeat if required.

Note: Don’t expose your ear to the dryer heat for more than a few minutes to avoid burning.

9. Keep Your Ears Dry

Try to keep your ears dry as much as possible because it will help a lot, it will reduce the severe infection and discharge that is the reason of itchiness in the ears.

Any kind of moisture in the ear can cause infection.

Dry your ears thoroughly after exposure the moisture or swimming and after taking bath. Wipe off the water only outside of your ear in a slow manner using the towel or clean cloth. Tilt your head to the side in order to drain the water from your ear canal.

While bathing, to prevent getting water in your ear canals, coat the 2 cotton balls with petroleum jelly and put 1 in each of the outer ears.

10. Maintain Good Ear Health

You can prevent your ears from any kind of itchiness and ear problems, for this, you need to maintain the proper ear health which is very important.

Don’t use cotton swabs to clean the inside part of your ear. It can cause damage.

Regularly clean the outer side of your ears with the help of a cotton ball, warm water, and mild soap. It will help your ears far away from the debris and allergens out of your ear canal.

Always wear earplugs while swimming to keep water and debris out of your ears.

Wear earplugs when attending loud concerts to avoid noise pollution.

Prevention of Itchy Ears

Because the ears can be cleaned ourselves, you must avoid those sharp tools to cleaning your ears. On the other hand, you should use all of the following objects that are specially designed for your ear in order to maintain the ear hygiene that cannot prove harmful to the reliability of your eardrum. Some of the important points are described below on how to prevent your ears carefully. Note down the points:

While choosing the jewelry or ear accessories, you must be careful that it never made of metals that might cause allergic reactions thus leads to itching.

If you are a swimmer, use a solution to not allow the excess water to reach in the ears.

Manage overproduction of ear wax by the help of ear drops or bulb syringe.

Always use mild shampoos and shower gels that are specially formulated for sensitive skin.

Do not forget to disinfect the head piece or earplugs if you use it regularly so that will never irritate your ears.

Avoid touching your ears with dirty fingers.

Additional Tips

Yawning or chewing motion of your mouth also help in getting water out of the ear canal because it creates a pressure in the middle ear thus stretching the ear canal.