# Ears so itchy - I would gladly cut them off and eat them. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373 "2009-07-27T01:37:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/1 "2009-07-27T01:37:14Z")
Title is likely self-explanatory. I dipped into another thread a while ago (sorry I cannot link it - I am too distracted). My ears are constantly itchy and expelling nasty-smelling fluids. The doctors I have consulted are very unhelpful - they tell me they see nothing wrong in my ears. How can this be - I have moisture constantly leaking from my ears and crusting around my lobes. I am going mad with the itching. Anyone else out there with ear problems similar so I can talk to my doctor. He thinks I am a neurotic woman, I do not think that I am. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/2 "2009-07-27T02:48:56Z")
Sounds like swimmers ear, but I’m not a doctor and nobody can give you sound medical advice over the internet. Change doctors. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/3 "2009-07-27T03:08:51Z")
Have you seen an ear specialist or an ear, nose and throat specialist? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/4 "2009-07-27T03:34:08Z")
IANAD, and don’t pretend to be. The two likely culprits are bacteria and yeast. You can rinse your ears out with Hydrogen peroxide solution to kill bacteria. I would try this morning and night for a week if I were in your situation. HPs also is great for cutting through the ear wax and rinsing it out. Then, if that didn’t fix the problem, I’d try clotrimazole cream. It’s found in the foot care aisle. This one is problematic because I don’t know whether it’s safe to rinse it down into your ear. I think I’d just put it around the outside, and maybe just inside the canal, but not pushing it down too far. If it helps, then your doctor will know for sure what’s wrong and can give you a prescription for an internal yeast killing pill like ketaconazole. Good luck! I hate when the Dr. doesn’t take things seriously. I definitely agree that you need to find a new doctor. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/5 "2009-07-27T03:46:51Z")
You really need to get another doctor. If you’re having these symptoms and all you’re getting is a shrug you need to get another doc ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/6 "2009-07-27T05:04:48Z")
Does he actually see the symptoms and just ignore them? ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/7 "2009-07-27T07:59:17Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Does he actually see the symptoms and just ignore them? Not really. The condition comes and goes so often that sometimes when I see the doctor, it looks like flakey skin and pus in the ear (hence antibiotics) and other times there appears to be nothing. That is the frustrating thing. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/8 "2009-07-27T16:02:04Z")
Do you have allergies at all? Itchy ears are one of my symptoms (along with itchy eyes and nose). Do go get a second opinion, preferably from an ENT. ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/9 "2009-07-27T16:29:00Z")
I have the same thing to a lesser extent, i.e. not enough to crust outside the ear, but the inside is always either wet or crusty. And very itchy. Do your ears get worse when they get warm? Usually it’s my left ear that’s the problem, and if I sleep on my left side so my ear’s against the pillow and it gets warm inside, it gets much worse, almost like it’s “sweating” from the heat. I’ve been to three docs (no ENTs though) who all brushed it off and just said “It’s just irritated because you’ve been itching it. Stop itching it and it’ll go away.” Yeah, that doesn’t work. If you find the answer, **King Bobo** , I’d love to know what to do! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/10 "2009-07-27T18:53:36Z")
> [@King\_Bobo](#): > > The condition comes and goes so often that sometimes when I see the doctor, it looks like flakey skin and pus in the ear (hence antibiotics) and other times there appears to be nothing. When the problem is active, can you take pictures so the Dr can see it when you finally get an appt? I’m sorry to hear of your troubles. Itches always seem like to \*worst \*symptom to have. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/11 "2009-07-28T00:43:18Z")
I have started having the same problem over the past year or so in both ears. I don’t have insurance and it’s not an emergency so it’s not likely I’ll find out what it is any time soon. I try to use tea tree oil shampoo to wash them every day and that seems to help the itching but if I miss a day it’s crusting and itching all over again. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/12 "2009-07-28T01:21:56Z")
After looking at [this link](http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010301/927.html), do you think it might be otitis externa? It has different causes- bacterial, fungal, , etc., but symptoms include itching (pruritis). This link says it’s potentially life-threatening in some cases, but IANAD. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/13 "2009-07-31T07:53:33Z")
Thank you to all who answered and who related to my very annoying problem. I have now been to the ENT who, while more sympathetic than my regular doctor, did not give me many more answers. When I saw him one ear was relatively clear while the other was raging with itchiness - so he saw both at different stages. He again said it was otitis externa/media and recommended antibiotics. I declined this treatment as I have done it at least three times before. So then he said maybe I should see an allergist, so now I am waiting again for an appointment to another specialist - will maybe take another 4-6 weeks. That is about the average wait time for an appointment with a specialist here in Canada’ s universal health system. I cannot speed this up as I am not allowed to have any private health care so that I can pay to see someone sooner. Meanwhile I can only wait, or if I get too crazy, travel to the US and see someone privately. PS Taxi, in answer to your question, yes, it does seem to worsen depending on which side I sleep; also the pain increases in that ear because of the pressure on the “ear flap” (I am sure there is an anatomical term for this - I do not remember what it is). Damn, I am so tired of this cycle of pain, infection, leaking, itching - it could drive a person to the mad house. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/14 "2009-07-31T14:41:45Z")
Have you ever considered seeing a dermatologist? Are you sure all the nastiness is coming from inside your ears, or might it just be leaky skin? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/15 "2009-07-31T14:57:47Z")
Since you’re using the term “infected”, why won’t you take the antibiotics? Can’t he give you something you haven’t tried yet? Do you think it might be [seborrheic dermatitis](http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000501/2703.html)? And how come no one can ask so much as a hypothetical legal question around here, but they can ask for medical advice? As I said in my earlier post, otitis externa/media can be potentially life-threatening. Mostly to immunocompromised people, but still. I think you should take the doctor’s advice, at least until you can see another. Your ears and hearing are not things you want to mess around with. ---
**Author:** ![kaamato3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kaamato3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaamato3)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/16 "2012-01-13T19:13:11Z")
[quote=“King\_Bobo, post:13, topic:504373”] Thank you to all who answered and who related to my very annoying problem. I have now been to the ENT who, while more sympathetic than my regular doctor, did not give me many more answers. When I saw him one ear was relatively clear while the other was raging with itchiness - so he saw both at different stages. He again said it was otitis externa/media and recommended antibiotics. I declined this treatment as I have done it at least three times before. So then he said maybe I should see an allergist, so now I am waiting again for an appointment to another specialist - will maybe take another 4-6 weeks. That is about the average wait time for an appointment with a specialist here in Canada’ s universal health system. I cannot speed this up as I am not allowed to have any private health care so that I can pay to see someone sooner. Meanwhile I can only wait, or if I get too crazy, travel to the US and see someone privately. PS Taxi, in answer to your question, yes, it does seem to worsen depending on which side I sleep; also the pain increases in that ear because of the pressure on the “ear flap” (I am sure there is an anatomical term for this - I do not remember what it is). Damn, I am so tired of this cycle of pain, infection, leaking, itching - it could drive a person to the mad hou ---
**Author:** ![kaamato3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kaamato3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaamato3)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/17 "2012-01-13T19:17:17Z")
I have had such itchy ears. I tried tagamet based on a suggestion from a holistic healthcare person. The thought was it could be herpes or shingles of the ear nerve. Tagament was suppose to help. For two weeksI took it, which made the itch go away. I am not sure why it helped. The problem is, then my digestion gets messed from the tagamet. Vicsous circle. SO now I am back to the horrible itch. ---
**Author:** ![kaamato3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kaamato3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaamato3)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/18 "2012-01-13T19:19:42Z")
YES! Horrible, constant itchy ears. I think it relates to Lactose intolerance. I cut milk products out, but I still have itchy ears. I just want to tear them off sometimes. Taking Zagamet helped for the two weeks I took it. I took it based on a suggestion that it could be herpese in the ears or Shingles of the ear nerve. Now I am back to the same old itching!!! ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/19 "2012-01-13T21:01:59Z")
Herpes or shingles has absolutely nothing to do lactose intolerance or any GI symptoms. Herpes outbreaks are almost always contained to mucosal tissue, which neither the external ear nor ear canal are. Shingles, when it presents, tends to be on one side of the body, and its main symptom is excruciating pain. So, no. ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373/20 "2012-01-14T03:04:00Z")
I have heard food allergies can cause this. My friend had this problem during a very stressful time in his life and he absolutely hates to go to the doctor–which I would first of all recommend above all. Here is what I used to help him, and it cannot be used along with other remedies. Herb Pharm goldenseal extract with a dropper. This is an antibiotic herb in grain alcohol, and I put about 5 drops in his ears 3 times a day for about 3 days. Then I warmed devils club root in organic olive oil (this is easy to get in Alaska-it grows all over- but you might have to go to an herb or health food store anywhere else. Or maybe order it online.)I let it simmer in the olive oil for a whole day and dropped it in his ear while it was lukewarm. He claimed it helped him cure an ear problem he had been suffering with for a long time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ears-so-itchy-i-would-gladly-cut-them-off-and-eat-them/504373.md?page=2)