Itchy Ears in Perimenopause? Here’s How to Find Relief

Have you experienced itchy inner ears? Constant ringing in your ear? Or maybe more earaches than usual? These surprising symptoms are all related to perimenopausal ear changes that result from changing hormones!

Let’s talk about what causes these ear changes and what you can do to find relief from itchy ears.

Ear changes in perimenopause

As you age and enter perimenopause estrogen levels decline. Low estrogen levels can cause the mucous membranes in your ear to dry out and result in reduced circulation, leading to a few issues inside the inner ear.

Here are 5 symptoms that can affect your ears in perimenopause:

Ringing Ears or Tinnitus

Ringing Ears or tinnitus can happen due to factors such as high blood pressure and poor circulation which are both common during perimenopause.

How to reduce ringing ears in perimenopause

A long-term population study in Taiwan found that women who took Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) had a lower risk of developing tinnitus, which gives promising evidence that HRT may help with both the management and prevention of tinnitus.

Ringing ears may also be linked to stress and poor sleep — so often times stress-management techniques such as yoga and meditation have been recommended as a potential lifestyle measure to reduce the presence of ringing in your ears.

If your quality of life is being negatively impacted by ringing ears, please get in touch with your doctor and discuss the possibility of hormonal changes that could impact your ear heatlh.

Hot ears

Hot ears are associated with night sweats and hot flashes. Often women feel the heat from the chest up and this can leave the ears feeling hot or even throbbing.

How to reduce hot flashes and night sweats

Hot flashes are often the hallmark of perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Some tactics that can help you reduce the impact of hot flahses include dressing in layers so you can remove clothing when a hot flash hits, or carrying a portable fan or ice packs with you. But those methods don’t get to the root of the hot flash itself, and won’t reduce their frequency. Depending on how significantly you are impacted by hot flashes, you may be a good candidate for HRT to reduce this symptom.

However, hot flashes are also correlated with stress and anxiety — and stress management can go a long way in reducing how prone you are to hot flashes. Read this post for more on the surprising connection between hot flashes and anxiety and how to reduce hot flashes.

Itchy ears

Falling estrogen levels can cause a lot of things to dry out. It’s what contributes to vaginal dryness, thinner skin, and more brittle hair. It can also lead to mucous membranes in the ear drying out, leading to a pesky inner ear itch that can feel hard to scratch. Dry skin and eczema are also common during perimenopause, this can happen anywhere on the body, including inside the ears.

How to find relief from itchy ears

It’s a good idea to visit your doctor so they can thoroughly inspect your ears and rule out any infections as a potential cause of itchy ears. If you are experiencing eczema inside your ear they may be able to prescribe a medicated ear drop to help provide relief. You may also find using a humdifier in your home can help combat some of the dryness that can contribute to itchy ears.

Earaches

Dryness inside the ears — which can cause itchy ears — can also make you more prone to ear infections as your body is less able to regulate ear wax production, which plays a role in mitigating ear infections. During perimenopuase, women are also more prone to hay fever and colds which can lead to sinus issues and earaches.

How to prevent ear infections

The first line of defense is your own immune system! A balanced diet rich in colorful veggies is a great place to start, and you may want to explore supplementing some of the top immune-boosting nutrients, such as Vitamin C, D, and zinc — especially during cold and flu season. Also, if you’re prone allergies and sinusitis that can increase your risk for ear infections, so addressing those allergens is a great place to start.

Lastly, ear wax buildup can put you at a higher risk for ear infections. If this is something you deal with you may need to visit your healthcare provider for regular ear cleanings, or discuss if the use of wax-softening solutions is a good fit for you at your next doctor’s visit.

Hearing loss

This can be a scary one, we know. Low estrogen levels have been found to be linked to hearing loss. The exact method of this impact isn’t known, but it’s thought to be linked to reduced blood flow to the ear, potential bone loss in the inner ear, and potential changes in neuroregulatory mechanisms.

It’s important to know that complete hearing loss is not often linked to hormonal changes associated with menopause, it’s more that hearing capacity changes over time.

Studies have suggested that HRT exposure — which can support many menopause-related symptoms — is actually linked to a greater risk of hearing loss the longer a woman is on HRT. The mechanism behind this increased risk of hearing loss following HRT is still being researched.

How to prevent hearing loss

Hearing loss is a complex process that is driven by hormones, genetics, and environmental factors to name a few. It’s best to speak to your doctor about your situation and what you can do to reduce your risk of hearing loss over time.

Want to learn more about the many symptoms of perimenopause? Check out our top read article: Why You Should Track the 34 Symptoms of Perimenopause