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Can regular usage of earbuds cause itching in the ear?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I had itching in the ear. I thought I had something in it, so I bought an otoscope. I looked at it last night, and it looks like my eardrum is halfway gone. I am attaching the pictures. Kindly help me.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I had a detailed look at the otoscopic picture of your eardrum (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity). There is absolutely no defect, perforation, or hole in the eardrum, and it is absolutely intact. The area which you are referring to is actually a layer of the skin that is shedding off and will disappear slowly. The itching in the ear could be due to recurrent use of earbuds to clean the canal, and hence it has to be completely avoided. I do not see any major issue out there, and hence there is absolutely nothing that you need to worry about. I hope this was helpful.

Medically reviewed byDr. Sushrutha M.

Published At August 11, 2021
Reviewed AtJuly 9, 2024

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