Ear Eczema

Many people recognize common locations of eczema to be on the hands, elbows, knees, and face. There are actually many types of eczema that can affect different parts of the body. Ear eczema is one of those types of eczema that not many people know about but can cause extreme discomfort for those who have it.

Eczema on ears can cause extreme itchiness on the external part of the ear and the outer ear canal. Some people experience skin flaking in the ear canal and on the ears.

Some people with eczema in the ears experience inflammation and minor swelling of the ear canal. The eczema may cause oozing sores that crust over to form scabs.

A common ear eczema treatment is a steroidal cream. The doctor's instructions for applying this anti-eczema cream should be followed. Usually, it is only applied to the external parts of the ear. Never apply medication or any other substance into the ear canal unless following the instructions given by the doctor.

One complication of eczema is infection. Since eczema often causes intense itchiness, the person may scratch the rash. Even if people are trying to avoid scratching, they may scratch the eczema during their sleep and not realize it.

The open sores of eczema are prone to infection from bacteria entering the wound. If increased redness, tenderness to the touch, and fever develop, the person should notify their doctor about a possible infection and seek medical attention.

If left untreated and the condition worsens, it could affect the person's hearing while the condition persists. The swelling of the ear canal could cause conductive hearing loss by blocking the sound waves from reaching the inner ear.

This type of eczema should not have a permanent effect on hearing. If the condition clears and the person is experiencing hearing loss, an audiologist should be consulted to determine the cause of the hearing loss and recommend treatment.

Using ear plugs often can aggravate this condition and cause more skin flaking in the ear canal. People who work in loud, manufacturing environments may need to wear ear plugs daily to protect their hearing.

Though a common cause of ear itching is atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema, the ear redness, itchiness could have other causes. A bug bite or food allergies can cause itchiness and swelling on the ears. An allergic reaction to a dye, perfume, soap, detergent, or other chemical could cause ear itching if the person touched their ear after handling the substance.

People who need to wear earplugs should not neglect to do so due to the eczema in ears. Protecting the hearing is crucial. Working in loud environments is a common cause of hearing loss.

Please visit this informative article about the different types of eczema for more information on other kinds of eczema like contact dermatitis and discoid eczema.