Happiness is having a scratch for every itch. Ogden Nash

The most obvious way to manage itchy ears is to get to the itch and scratch it. However, like most itches, scratching will likely make it worse, not better.

The skin in your ear canal is very thin and sensitive, which makes it prone to injury and dryness and the itch in your ear canal is often hard to reach.  I have heard of people using all sorts of tools to get to the itch which not only makes the itch worse, it makes it potentially dangerous (for example think: a pointy object in ear next to a quickly opening door – YES it happens).

So what could be causing the annoying itch? And what is the best way to manage it for the long-term?

What is causing your itchy ears?

Wax build up

In most cases, ear canals do a good job at self-cleaning. Wax is designed to work its way out of your ear (often in a spiral pattern) from the eardrum to the ear canal entrance; where you can clean it away with a tissue or cloth. On its journey toward the ear canal entrance, the wax picks up dead skin cells and any other foreign particles and removes them from your ear canal. A clever system to clean this mostly inaccessible orifice. For some people with particularly narrow or bendy ear canals, wax gets trapped on its way out of the ear canal. This can feel itchy and of course, over time it can block your hearing. The best way to manage this it to see an ear nurse who will use a microscope to look down your canal while they suck out the wax build up, of course, they can check for other possible causes of skin irritation or infection.

Allergic reactions

A common cause of itchy ears is an inflammation of the lining of the ear canal due to an allergic reaction. The reaction could be caused by shampoos or soaps, overused earplugs or deeper fitting earphones.

Has there been a recent change in the products you use? The sensitive ear canal skin can be more prone to skin irritations and inflammation than other skin areas like your head or face. Does the itch reduce when you stop using the new product?

Infections – fungal or bacterial

Fungal or bacterial infection of the external auditory canal (otitis externa) is another cause of itch in the ear canal.

Infections of the ear canals occur when there is constant humidity where an infection can grow. This can happen for people who wear occluding earplugs or hearing aids or swim often and is more common in people with diabetes.  If you suspect an infection see your GP (for drops) or an Ear nurse specialist who will clear and manage the infection.

Known skin conditions

Itching ears may be a side effect of a systemic skin condition affecting the rest of the body, such as psoriasis or eczema. If you have been diagnosed with one of these conditions, it can also affect your ear canals.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post What could be causing your itchy ears? And what to do about it. appeared first on Auckland Hearing.

Red is for the right ear and Blue is for the left ear. The removal cord sits at the bottom of your ear canal. To put your custom earplugs in, hold them with your thumb on the bottom (near the removal cord) and finger on the top and they will easily slide in.

Your custom earplugs may be a bit grippy at first, you can use some water-based lubricant to help them fit in if needed.

Cleaning your earplugs

Each time you use your earplugs give your earplugs a wipe with a tissue or a soft cloth when you take them out. Please store them in the case that they came with and keep them away from moisture, heat or direct sunlight.

Your custom sleep earplugs (pictured above) can be cleaned in hot soapy water, then rinsed. Allow them to dry out before wearing them.

The filters in a musician (or other) earplugs must not be immersed in water.

To clean them, the filters can be popped out with a gentle squeeze and then you can clean the plugs in soapy water.

Dry your earplugs thoroughly before putting the filters back.

How long do earplugs last?

Our ears continue to grow over our lifetime and silicon shrinks.  This means that over time the earplugs will become looser and will not block as much sound (or swim plugs may let water in). With a lot of wear, earplugs discolour or the material may stiffen.

Your custom earplugs could last many years but may not be as effective after a few years. Children’s earplugs for swimming need to be replaced more often as their ear shape and size is continually changing. For optimal function, it is recommended you get new earplugs every 2 – 4 years (depending on what you are using them for).

Replacing lost ear plugs

The company that makes your earplugs keeps a copy of your ear impressions on file. This means if you lose one or both plugs they can be remade easily. Just give us a call and we will reorder them for you. The amount of time
your impression files are kept is variable between companies (from 2 – 4 years). After that time you will need to come back into the clinic for new ear impressions to be made.

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Cochlear dead regions can occur in:

– the high frequencies (most common, can be due to noise induced hearing loss)
– low frequencies (more likely to be congenital)
– there can be a “dead hole” in the middle (very uncommon)
– a “surviving island” (very poor hearing)
or “patchy” – possible auditory neuropathy (very poor hearing)

Cochlear dead regions and hearing aids

Providing amplification (with hearing aids) in the frequency range where there is a dead region does not add any benefit. In some cases it can make hearing worse as it causes distortion across other regions where hearing is good. This is why we often reduce amplification or take it away in the frequencies where people have severe or profound hearing loss.

Cochlear dead regions

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