How to Deal with Menopause Itchy Ears? 4 Expert's Advice

Do you have itchy ears these days? Do you think menopause could be responsible? Find your answer, read on.
Who knew the tiny estrogen hormones could cause this havoc in our lives and itching in our ears? That sounds pretty surprising to me, but not so strange. The other day, when I visited my doctor, I saw another lady, almost the same as my age, would stick her finger inside her ears every now and then. It was later that I discovered from my doctor that she had itchy ears, the severe ones.

I, too, had itchy ears, but I didn’t realize it could be related to menopause in any way. I heaved a sigh of relief after seeing the other lady that I didn’t, at least, have to go through that. As women, we are bound to go through various changes during our lifetime, menopause being one of the most significant changes of them all. Some of us, like myself, go through mild symptoms, while others, like that lady, had to bear the symptoms a little severely.

How to Deal with Menopause Itchy Ears? 4 Expert's Advice

If you are aged somewhere between your 40s and 50s and have itchy ears, let it not come as a surprise to you that itchy ears, though lesser known, may be a symptom of menopause. Let us discover what can cause itchy ears during menopause and what you can do to alleviate this symptom.

Menopause and itchy ears

Itchy ears in menopause are the last straw for women dealing with a multitude of symptoms. If I look back at myself, I was literally looking for something sharp to pin inside my ears because they were itching very badly, that too, in the middle of the night when I was already going through a hot flash, and trust me, I have never found myself burning with rage more.

Although rare, things like these happen, and the credit goes to those mighty little estrogen and progesterone hormones. In addition to being reproductive hormones, these also play a pivotal role in water retention and maintaining skin and mucous membrane health by promoting hydration and collagen production. The decrease in estrogen levels leads to a decrease in collagen production.

Collagen is a protein that helps in maintaining the structure and elasticity of your skin. A decline in collagen can result in dryness, thinning, and decreased skin elasticity, including the skin of the ear canal, making it prone to itching.

The mucous membranes that line the ear canal can be affected by hormonal changes, resulting in the mucus membranes producing less mucus, becoming thinner, and losing some of their protective properties, eventually leading to dryness, irritation, and potentially itching in the ear canal.

How to Deal With Itchy Ears

Now that we know the HOWs and WHYs let us go through the CANs that may help you during this phase.

Dry ears are more prone to irritations, itchiness, and infections, and although we said that menopause could be the reason your ears have been itching, it’s yet to be backed by research, leading to the conclusion that menopause could only be one reason, and there may be other reasons your ears are itching.

For instance, fungal infections like Otomycosis could also be a reason why your ears are aching or itching. This may result in partial hearing loss or tinnitus. Another infection that is associated with ear pain and itchiness is Swimmer’s ear. Apart from these, common colds may also cause itchy ears.

One must pay a visit to their doctor to find the underlying issue before assuming that this could be related to menopause or, in the words of Dr. Karen Pike, “When your ears itch or if you have other ear conditions, it is essential to address them at the earliest, or they may exacerbate.”

Here are some expert tips from Dr. Karen Pike to help you during this time:

Natural Cures

In this case, it’s the decrease in estrogen level that has caused the irritation or the itching in your ears, which is likely caused by the dryness, as explained above. Using olive oil or baby oil to massage your ears is said to provide instant relief to your itchy ears.

Monitor your Food Intake

It’s important to monitor your food intake because you might be unknowingly consuming food items that you might be allergic to, and it can have an adverse impact on your ears as well.

Mostly, foods like nuts, soy, shellfish, and fish are likely to trigger allergies, but that shouldn’t give you an idea that only these kinds of foods should be kept in mind. Chia seeds, which are known to have many benefits, can also trigger allergies.

Also, including foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids may reduce your chances of earache and itchiness in your ears.

Drink Sufficient Water

As I said earlier, due to the decreased estrogen levels, the skin is not able to retain water. One should consume at least 11 cups of water a day to keep themselves hydrated. If your ears are itchy because of the dryness, it’ll help with it and will also help with your overall health.

Consult your Doctor

While the home remedies may do their work for the time being, if the irritation of the itchiness persists, a wise move would be to reach out to your doctor and see what he has to say. He will help you with the underlying issue and will even prescribe medicines if needed.

Conclusion

For a topic that was discussed so infrequently, menopause is a very vast thing and still needs a lot of discussions to bring about the comfort zone where women can actually discuss their symptoms with someone else or at least in their circle.

Discussing it among your social circle will not only help you feel empowered but also help you gain insights into others' experiences and how they are helping themselves with it.

Moreover, discussion might not always help, and in these cases, you must seek medical advice and reach out to your doctor for professional advice or medications if needed.

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