<p>I once asked an allergist, and he just said…allergies. (this was years ago when I lived in Calif, maybe there’s some new info now???)</p>
<p>But, it sometimes drives me crazy…especially at night!!!</p>
<p>Anyone else? What do you do???</p>
<p>aggghhh!!!</p>
<p>look up swimmers ear. (bacterial infection related to moisture) easily treated with home remedies. Don’t know if non swimmers get it, but I suppose they could.</p>
<p>No doubt allergies–I’ve lived with it for years…dust mites are the most common allergy…pets? “seasonal”?</p>
<p>I would recommend that you see an allergist for an evaluation–so you can try to avoid whatever is causing the allergic reaction. Taking a prescription antihistamine like Allegra or Zyrtec (over the counter) will most likely provide relief from the inner ear itchiness.</p>
<p>^I got swimmer’s ear in both ears at the same time when I was young.</p>
<p>Though I had been doing lots of swimming that summer…hm.</p>
<p>I get them. and they drive me CRAZY. until I finally went to and ENT guy (normal Dr. said keep your fingers out of your ears … and paper clips and all else. Which I knew, but was not able to stop completely. I tried the fold the ear over and wiggle it, but that didn’t help either.</p>
<p>Finally ENT gave me some prescription lotion that I put just barely on the canal with a Qtip (DON"T GO TOO FAR the Dr. said 90 times). and it stopped. </p>
<p>I can’t tell you the relief. And when it came back, I tried it with just regular lotion (lubiderm, unscented, uncolored) and that works mostly. Not as well as the Dr.s but then I can skip the Dr. trip.</p>
<p>edit to add … NOT a swimmer, either. But water does stay in my ears for some reason when I shower. Worse when/if I swim, but I think it itches more in the winter.</p>
<p>The doc said that ear wax can sometimes irritate the skin in the canal and make it itch - and that it was nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>YES!!! It wasn’t swimmer’s ear and the over-the-counter medications for that didn’t help at all. Also not allergies. My doctor, who is wonderful, gave me a prescription for ear drops: Bausch & Lomb Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Hydrocortisone Otic Suspension USP. All I need to do is use about 1/2 a drop when they start to itch and I’m good for several weeks.</p>
<p>The bottle sits on my nightstand – it’s worse at night for me, too.</p>
<p>I found out recently that my father has the same problem.</p>
<p>I am not a medical professional but you might have the opposite of swimmers ear; dry earwax due to low humidity.</p>
<p>Is the circumstance better or worse during the winter heating season?</p>
<p>Could be swimmer’s ear or allergy. I swim all the time, so I get it all the time. Unless I’m religious about doing a simple and cheap cure, it comes back:</p>
<p>Put a half-eye-dropper of isopropanol (regular rubbing alcohol) in your ear. So if you’re doing your right ear, tilt your head all the way to the left, and eye-dropper it in. Your ear will clog for a second, then tilt your head the other way so the alcohol goes out.</p>
<p>Your ear will be clear, and you’ll say “ahhhhhh…” Itching will be gone.</p>
<p>If you do that 4 times/week, the problem will be gone before the week is up.</p>
<p>Yes, I have this problem all of the time due to allergies. At one point I did have swimmers ear (which was very painful, by the way). Both my MD and the ENT asked me if I swim, and I replied that I never put my head in the water at the pool as it messes up my hair (my kids will testify to this). So no idea how I got it.</p>
<p>You may want to explore food allergies. Try eliminating milk from the diet, then wheat, then maybe orange juice. You might be surprised at how the skin changes.</p>
<p>Also, get a new pillow and new pillow cases. Old pillows carry lots of critters. Yuck. I know one person who gets a new pillow every six months! That seemed a bit extreme to me, but then I realized I had a pillow from my childhood and…ewwww…the penny dropped. Yuck. I got a new one and was able to part with my lovie pillow.</p>
<p>I have the same problem. My doc said it’s because too many ear wax built-up. She recommended ear wax oil but it doesn’t work for me. My friend told me about ear candling and it works for me! Now I use it every 3-4 months, no more itchy ear and my allergy seems improved too. I’m not medical professional but I’m glad it works fine for me.</p>
<p>One can get swimmers ear from taking shower. Swimmers ear is infection because of water remaining in ear (outside) and it hurts like hell. Treated by antibiotic drops. I have never heard that it itchy. D. had tons of them (competitive swimmer). To prevent, you need to use “Dry Ear” drops after each swim.</p>
<p>I assume that wax has been taken care off. Other than that Google your question.</p>
<p>I do the pillow thing may be an issue, too. For immediate relief, I will wash the washable ones on “Allergiene” in my LG. That’s supposed to kill any dust mites. Then I’ll buy new ones for the ones that aren’t washable. H and I sleep with lol like 6-8 pillows…we’re odd.</p>
<p>usually the first sign I notice that it’s time for the seasonal allergy meds. claritin works for me, luckily.</p>
<p>I have itchy ears as I write, and it is allergy. My daughter has itchy ears because of her swimming and water polo. One historically successful remedy, recommended by our ENT, is a drop or two of equal parts rubbing alcohol and white wine vinegar in your ear, followed by lodging some cotton balls in your ears for a few hours. If the itching continues, have your doctor look in your ear, you may have an bacterial infection (or yeast<–this is fairly common, too) in either your inner or outer ear.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>P.S. You can get swimmer’s ear from showering; you don’t have to have been swimming, and I would see an ENT doc, not your allergist, if the itching is not alleviated by the foregoing home remedy.</p>
<p>My brother is an ENT and I have itchy ears. He says - and my doctor agrees - that it’s a localized form of psoriasis and/or dermatitis and is best treated with a generic, cheap cream you get with a prescription. It’s clotrimazole and bethamethsone. A big tube is about $8. My brother sometimes gives me samples. </p>
<p>A good effect of using the cream is that it reduces the production of the ear wax that makes the itching worse.</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>I think that might be true! I have used some clotrimazole cream before and it does help.</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>I think that might be true! I have used some clotrimazole cream before and it does help.</p>
<p>The Doctors (TV) just talked about ears. A few drops of olive oil for dry, itchy ears. Or for wax buildup dilute hydrogen peroxide 4:1 and do drops of that.</p>