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Tickling in Ear Canal


Medically reviewed by
  • Wendy Schreuder, M.S.

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.

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