any advice for really itchy ears?
I’m using double domes, but have the same problem with custom moulds.
I don’t suffer from wax build up, or any other obvious problems - simply that after a few hours the area around the domes becomes exceedingly itchy. a good ‘run’ usually gives instant relief.
I’ve tried various ear oils, which sometimes helps for a while but…
any advice most welcome.
stay well
Yes it is an issue at times use a product call EarGene. It helps to keep the itching under control. I get it from Amazon. Just go to Amazon and search for EarGene.
An idea to keep as a fallback option if no other remedies work:
Try domes from another HA manufacturer. I had discomfort (sense of itchiness) from Widex domes but this went away when I switched to Starkey domes. Something in the “plastic/rubber” of the Widex domes was disliked by my skin in my ear canals.
The Starkey domes fitted easily onto the receivers of my Widex Moment RIC HAs. S
I never could wear domes, I was allergic to they and my ear canals would get so red and irritated. I wear acrylic ear molds with no issues other than having to use the EarGene every few days to make sure my ears don’t itch. Now I wear my aids an average of 16 hours each day, as I can’t hear to communicate with anyone without them. I have my primary and backup aids that I keep ready to be used on a moments notice.
thanks guys…
have just ordered ear gene - i’ve used miracell, but didn’t like it very much, and it didn’t seem to really help that much.
i’ve swapped domes, and the ones i’ve swapped to seem less irritating than my previous ones - resounds double domes, with an open-top vs (phonak?) with what can best be described as a nipple over the opening.
as i wrote, i don’t have a problem with wax buy, and not wishing to sound gross, with what appears to be dry, flaking skin around the area where my aids sit?
anyway, shall await the ear gene and see if that helps…
stay well, and thanks for the replies.
In YouTube Dr. cliff AuD has a video about treatment for itchy ears.
yeah, watched it… thanks.
my friendly doc suggested that I simply try Vaseline at night, and, if necessary, smearing some on the domes. He said, off the record, that basically I was probably attempting to clean my ears too fastidiously (cotton buds with witch hazel), and that any ‘oil’ would probably act as a moisturizer.
mentioned my problem to a friend who was also suffering, and she swears by paw paw ointment every night…
ymmv
Thank you!
Domes and anchors and wax guards…oh my. I find the anchor strips (name?) so hard to buy. I don’t like the ones that my audiologist (who quit) used to give me two at a time. They make the wax guards so hard to put in place on the receiver.
DaveL
Toronto
I have had a whole range of in ear bits. Hard acrylic would get hot, two different soft moulds were better but still sore, right ear especially. Then new aids with domes. After a matter of hours I called at the High Street chain that now had the contract and asked for smaller domes. I went from a 5 down to a 4 and the relief was immediate. These were double flanges and one ear canal was definitely smaller than the other. The opposite ear now became the uncomfortable one. I put a smaller dome on that ear.
The downside is slight, but unnoticeable to me, loss of amplification.
I then changed aids and got the phonak double flange equivalent. Again the pain would return after a time. Then I got the smaller tulip shaped ones and can now keep them in at long as I need.
Two downsides this time. Again a potential, but unnoticeable loss of amplification, but, more significant, I sometimes forget to take them out showering, swimming, or even going to sleep.
As I have said elsewhere, no matter how effective they are it counts for nought if you can’t keep them in all the time.
I can’t wear them all the time. I have to take the aids out a few times per day to let my ear canal get dry due to sweating or high humidity environment.