Most Common Complaint – Itching in the Ear

Most of my outdoor patients complain of itching in the ear. On examination, I often find no abnormality in the ear except for broken hairs, bald canal skin, or scratch marks. The problem is really not in the ear but in the mind.

The Indian mindset is set from childhood that the ear is a dustbin full of dirt and it should be cleaned regularly. But the truth is otherwise. There are two myths:

• That the ear contains dirty substance or wax
• So ear should be cleaned regularly

I tell you — wax is a natural gift of God. It’s a substance secreted by modified sweat glands and contains lysozymes that inhibit bacterial growth. Being sticky, it traps dust and foreign particles, preventing them from reaching the eardrum.

So why does wax become the center of ear problems?

Because most general physicians, pediatricians, or non-ENT doctors blame three things for most ENT issues — Wax, Tonsils, and Sinus.

Sometimes wax becomes dry or hard and causes discomfort, but a few wax-softening drops solve this. Rarely is wax itself the root cause — unless water enters and causes swelling or fungal infection.

The ear has a self-cleaning mechanism via migratory epithelium and hair pushing the wax out. But people use earbuds due to misleading ads. They’re not suitable. Why?

Can you scoop ice cream blindfolded with a stick? No. But people do the same while cleaning ears blindly. This injures delicate skin and hairs, causing bruises, infections, eczema, and narrowed canals.

This is a psychological problem — a kind of OCD. Ear is a special sensory organ. Even a minor stimulus feels good to the brain, which then urges the hand to scratch again — a vicious cycle.

Ear shares nerves with tonsils, teeth, throat, larynx, and stomach. Even acidity can cause low-grade itching in the ear. Why scratch when an antacid can help?

Best advice: Consult an ENT to rule out real causes. If psychological, the best cure is — forget your ear!

“IF YOU FORGET THE EAR, THE EAR PROBLEMS WILL FORGET YOU 😊”

– Dr. Ajay Jain, MS (PGI, Chandigarh), DNB
Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery