It’s Dry Ear Season — Learn How to Avoid the Itch
Despite the 70-degree weather here in Oregon, we’re deep into fall and (cue the Game of Thrones memes) winter is coming. I love winter but there’s one bummer aspect of it that sneaks up on me every year - dry skin. For me, that means and industrial supply of lip balm and hand lotion, but for many it also mean dry, itchy ears. That’s because in many places, even if it’s raining or snowing, the air is dry and that draws moisture from the skin, making it itch. But don’t despair, you don’t have to live through another itchy winter. In this article I’m going to talk about how to prevent and manage those dry ears, and give you the signs that it’s time to bring in professional medical help.
A quick disclaimer before we start: This is general information designed to be useful to as many people as possible, but I don’t know your exact situation. Consulting with your health care provider is always the best step. Also, be sure to read the final section of this article, “When to Get Professional Help” for further guidance.
Ditch the Q-Tip
As they say, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment.” So as we talk about an itch-free winter we should talk about what you can do to reduce the chance or severity of dry skin in your ears. To do that I want to nerd out on a little bit of ear biology. Like the rest of your skin, the skin in your ear canals have special pores in them that produce natural oils that moisturize and protect your ears. As we all remember from our teen years, too much oil can be a pain, but your skin, especially in your ears, needs a healthy amount of oil in order to keep it healthy and strong. This is especially important in the ears, too, because deeper in your ear canal the skin is thinner and sits directly on bone, making it more susceptible to cracking, especially when dry. The outer portion of the canal has thicker skin and a layer of cartilage under the skin making it hardier, but still not immune from the itch.
This anatomy lesson is the basis of our first tip: Stay away from Q-Tips. Yes, I know you’ve heard not to use Q-Tips a thousand times, but my issue isn’t that you’ll poke your eardrum. Instead, I’m thinking about those natural oils in your ears. In addition to grabbing wax in your ears, your cotton swab is soaking up all of those healthy, moisturizing oils. There are other ways to manage ear wax that don’t involve cotton swabs, and talking to a health care provider can help you with that.
Turn Up the Humidity
Again, if you’re living somewhere where winter is the dry season, the humidity of your spaces is another factor you can control. Adding a humidifier to increase the air moisture in your home or office may be part of the answer for you. More humid air won’t draw moisture from your skin like the dry winter air does. That being said, too much moisture can be an issue, too. Most humidifiers are going to keep your space at a healthy level of humidity but keep an eye out for excess moisture in your space (and your ears).
Moisturize!
Just like dry lips get lip balm and dry hands get lotion, there are products you can use to moisturize the skin in your ears. There are a number of options, from home remedies to prescription solutions, but for most people a generic, over-the-counter option will do the job. The go-to option for ear moisturizing drops is Miracell, though most drug stores will have a generic or store brand option that will likely work just as well. Miracell should be used as directed on the label, but is generally used every day but putting a few drops in each ear before bed. While we’re talking about ear solutions, it’s worth mentioning why I recommend Miracell over alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, which many people have heard of for earwax management. While they potentially have their uses in wax management, both alcohol and hydrogen peroxide will dry out the ears. So these solutions will actually make the dryness and the itchiness worse.
When to Get Professional Help
For most people the solutions we discussed here will go a long way to improving dry itchy ears this winter. That being said, there are situations where cutting Q-Tips and adding ear drops won’t help. There are some causes of ear issues that are more serious and require professional attention. Middle ear infections, fungal or bacterial infections of the ear canal, and excessive ear wax impaction can all cause itchy ear canals, but will likely present differently than itchiness caused by dry ears.
One thing to look at is the onset of your itchy ears. Dry, itchy ears are likely to come on more slowly and match up with the dryness of the weather. Things like ear infections and wax impactions may start and/or get worse more quickly (though not always). It’s also important to consider what you’re experiencing. Dry ears will generally itch, but often not hurt. If you are experiencing pain in your ears, I strongly recommend you consult with a medical professional. Finally, whether the cause is dry ears or something more significant, if things get worse or don’t resolve it’s a good sign to seek professional help. Even if the culprit is just dry ears, your provider may be able to recommend something stronger or different to try. In any case, it’s good practice to let your primary care provider know about any issues you have (even if they seem minor) and any new medications you’re using (even minor ones like eardrops).
There you have it! I hope this helps you have a better - or at least less itchy - winter. If you’re looking for a new hearing health provider in Multnomah or Clackamas Counties in Oregon, come see me at Sono Audiology. I’m a licensed audiologist providing hearing tests, hearing aids, tinnitus management, and auditory processing disorder testing and intervention based out of Gresham, Oregon.
Dr. Bryan Greenaway is the owner and audiologist at Sono Audiology, serving Gresham and Portland, Oregon. He also runs Orelo Hearing, which creates online courses that help hearing aid users become active partners in their hearing health. This article was edited for concision and clarity with AI and the image was produced with AI.
