Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Rustysmum on November 18, 2017, 03:37:07 PM
-
This is a relatively new symptom for me. Both ears have started itching like crazy in the past month. Seems like every other thing I have had wrong with me over the past seven years is put down to perimenopause so wondered if anyone else had suffered with this too? If so what did you find helped? I am not a swimmer, so definitely not swimmers ear. Thanks
-
Yep. Deep in the ears. Back of the throat, roof of mouth, outside of the ears >:( - all eased by Savlon. As oestrogen levels drop off the body may become dry: deep in the ears, roof of mouth, skin, eyes, vagina ........
-
Yep me, my ears literally drive me crazy they're so itchy! I've scratched in them that much that they've bled before 😭
-
Thank you. I thought it probably would be related! Will try Savlon 🙂
-
Ditto .. me too .. especially at night 😳
-
Mine too, its very frustrating when you cant stop it
Tha last time i went to have my ears syringed the nurse said all that is there is just dry skin, i never associated it with menopause
-
I've had periods of ear itching too, but thought it was from dry skin (I noticed it was worse in the winter months). A tiny bit of petroleum jelly helped on the outer ears, but the insides are okay so far
-
As oestrogen levels drop off so the body may dry, including skin etc..
-
Only my right ear ::)
-
My itchy ears drive me crazy and have done for some time. I often wake in the night and find I have made them bleed. CLKD do you put the Savlon into your ear or only on the outer area? If not what relieves it for any of you lovely ladies?
-
My itchy ears drive me crazy and have done for some time. I often wake in the night and find I have made them bleed. CLKD do you put the Savlon into your ear or only on the outer area? If not what relieves it for any of you lovely ladies?
I've tried all sorts of things and not found anything to relieve it. Will watch this post with interest for any new ideas!!
-
I had itchy ears for years and years and years from dry ear wax. >:( It was mega itchy and used to go weepy. >:( Told by the GP to use olive oil - made it worse. Got prescribed a steroid ear drop - made no difference.
No scratching allowed. :(
Used bicarbonate ear drops for five days, morning and night. It cured it and I have never looked back :)
I still use it if there is any sign of a return, and I have an olive oil ear spray (earol) if it feels dry, which is less messy than the drops.
-
bicarb of soda was one of my Victorian Granny's cupboard basics - how did you mix it?
-
You buy it ready mixed from the local chemist - about £3-4. (Care+ which I think is an independent chemist brand but I think I have got it from boots too). It has a bit of glycerol and alcohol in it too, to help things along.
-
Tnx.
-
Thank you dahliagirl. I also scratch until they weep so willing to try anything. Worse at night when ear has been on the pillow. Also find winter worse or if I have been out in any wind then they will start. Itching is often deep in the ear. I will go and check in my local Boots tomorrow or we do have another good independent one so will try there if unsuccessful. Will report back
-
Dry winds cause my outer ears to get sore so they need TLC
-
I was having awful problems with my ears. They were so dry the skin would break open and weep. They looked awful and felt very uncomfortable. After putting up with it for years my doctor prescribed dermal cream to moisturise them once a day and the difference is amazing. If I stop using the cream they deteriorate so I think it's something I will have to use for life but they have never felt or looked or felt better than they do now :)
-
Dahliagirl. I bought the ear drops but they say that it is for wax and so I am am bit worried as my ears are itchy but not with a lot of wax. Was this the same for you. Thanks
-
I had the doctor look down my ear several times over 25 years and say there was wax. But I never saw any at the outside and only ever had flakes of dry skin, mostly as a result of the scratching. When it got bad (and when I had the night sweats) they would be damp and weepy in the morning and not smell nice. I used to think it was infection.
It was mostly the one ear, and I never saw any ear wax unless I stuck something down it :-X
I was told to use olive oil and not scratch.
Not scratching was hard and the olive oil gave me earache. Nothing came out.
In the meantime I must admit I used cotton buds, hairgrips etc out of sheer frustration. I have also used moisturiser, almond oil, and oil with a bit of lavender in it. :-X
When I used the bicarb drops for the five days as per instructions, I got loads of lumps of manky dead skin and dark compacted ear wax out. And the itching stopped. It is only thing that has ever worked for me. To start with I went a bit deaf in one ear because there was so much stuff there! :o
If you are not sure if you have an earwax problem, you could get someone to look. Normally the earwax gradually moves to the outside as your skin grows and moves to the outside, and it keeps things 'moist'. If you have been scratching a lot (or being naughty and using hairgrips), it damages the skin in the ear canal and this does not happen properly. Then it itches all the more.
Personally, I would give it a couple of days and see if it has any effect. If you are still sure it is only dryness, then you can get an olive oil ear spray which is less messy that using drops and is a lighter touch. Or use something like dermol round the entrance.
-
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/outer-ear-infection/causes/
This might be helpful if you want to go the official route. There is a spray/drops that are a mix of antibiotic and steroid that the doctor can prescribe if they think there is any infection.
-
This has been SOhelpful to read. I've suffered from various itchy patches on my skin (mostly arms) pretty much my whole life - it's just something I'm prone to. The last year or so though I've had flare ups in places that are not usual for me, including my ears. As a motorcyclist who wears earplugs on a daily basis I had put it down to the plugs although I wasn't entirely convinced as during periods when I wasn't riding for a few weeks I was still getting the itchiness. I use Cetraben on all my itchy patches now which does help to a certain degree (certainly on my arms).
It seems to me that many of my various menopausal symptoms just seem to be an exaggeration of issues that I've had all my life (digestion also comes to mind!). Does anyone else find that also?
-
Thank you dahliagirl your post was really helpful. I will give it a try and see. Can't do before Sunday as we are away for a couple of days and I would rather be at home
-
I don't think there is anything in it that would cause a problem - I used to put bicarb in the bath for my children (and husband) when they had chickenpox to help with the itching.
A friend has problems because she uses hearing aids. When it gets to the weepy stage, she gets otomise from the doctor. I was going to try this, but had a breakthrough with the bicarb ear drops so have never needed to.
Menopause and aging does seem to exaggerate things. I am now getting eczema which I have not had since I was a child, so I will have a look at your Cetraben, AstroCat :)