How to effectively handle itching in the ears?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have a few questions about the ear that I have been curious about for a while, and I would appreciate your help in understanding them better. Here they are:

1. If you were to flip the ear upside down, looking between the two arches, is the middle solid all the way through, or is it open to the top of the head?

2. What do the hair cells in the ear look like? I have seen pictures, but do they really look like that in reality?

3. What does the fluid in the round window feel like? Is it sticky? I know it is a bit of a strange question, but does it feel like water?

Lastly, I know I should not do this, but I used to use a few strands of hair to tickle my ear, and it felt pretty intense. Is there a way to safely and comfortably tickle my ears without doing that? I also bought an otoscope camera to check if any hair falls into my ear. It used to happen, but I have not had that problem lately.

Thanks so much for your time in reading this.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I went through your query.

Thanks for your questions. I will do my best to help you out:

1. The middle part of the ear (like the ear canal) is solid and does not open to the top of the head. It is all contained within the ear structure.

2. The hair cells in the ear are tiny and look like little hairs or cilia. The pictures you have seen are pretty accurate, but they are so small that they are hard to capture perfectly.

3. The fluid in the round and oval windows is not sticky. It is more like a watery substance that helps transmit sound vibrations. It is not something you can feel generally unless there is an issue.

4. The blood vessels in the ear are hard to see without specialized equipment.

When tickling your ears, it is best not to put anything in them, as that can cause damage. Instead, you could try gentle ear massage or stimulating the outer ear with soft touches to get that sensation without risking injury. I am glad your otoscope camera is helping.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.