Ask An Expert

Tickling in Ear Canal

Question:

For the past three months, I've had a constant and irritating tickle in my inner ear. It even wakes me up at night. I've used ear rinses and had my primary care doctor examine it, but she could not find anything. Any suggestions?

Answer:

You might want your primary physician to refer you to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor. Some ear canals can have “pockets” that are not noticeable by looking in the ear canal with a standard otoscope, and an ENT doctor can use a more powerful microscope to get a better view of the ear canal. Further, if there is a question of whether the tickle is in the canal portion or the middle ear portion of your ear, the doctor can discuss with you the best way to treat the irritating tickle.

Related Questions

Question

Treating Swimmer's Ear
What is "swimmer's ear" and what is the best way to deal with it?
Symptoms of Meniere's Disease
I have been diagnosed with Meniere's Disease. I have always had ringing in my left ear. Recently I have noted a thumping sound in my left ear. Is this another symptom of Meniere's Disease?
Hearing Tests for Children
My 10-year-old daughter is having trouble with comprehension and focus in school. Do you think that her hearing should be tested?
Loud Music and Hearing Loss
I use ear buds with my MP3 player and wondered what volume of sound is safe. Can loud music cause hearing loss?
Hearing Loss and Vertigo
Three weeks ago I lost hearing in my right ear with severe vertigo. An ER doctor gave me antibiotics which didn't help. I went to ER again. They flushed the ear and my hearing came back, but the vertigo is still present and seems to be getting worse.