Itchy Ears? It Could Be A Sign You’re Entering This Dreaded Phase

Forget hot flashes, exhaustion or night sweats. This pesky, seemingly harmless problem could be a symptom of changing hormones.

While hot flashes and night sweats are commonly recognised signs of perimenopause, there’s one lesser-known symptom: itchy ears.

Described by many as a deep-seated crawl or tickle in the ear canal that feels impossible to reach, itchy ears are easy to shrug off as a hygiene issue. But experts say it can actually be a natural result of the hormonal ups and downs of perimenopause.

Here’s the lowdown on this often-overlooked symptom:

How Changing Hormones Affect Your Ears And Skin

Oestrogen levels naturally rise and fall throughout each menstrual cycle as a follicle matures and eventually ruptures to release an egg. “[But] during perimenopause, as egg and follicle quality declines, oestrogen production can vary more dramatically from cycle to cycle, depending on the quality of the specific follicle developing that month,” explained Dr. Sandy Chuan, a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and obstetrician-gynaecologist at San Diego Fertility Center.

Chuan added that it’s also common to intermittently skip ovulation entirely during this transitional period. “During these anovulatory cycles, or cycles without ovulation, oestrogen levels remain low because no follicle is developing, resulting in minimal oestrogen production.”

And according to Dr. Christine Maren, a board-certified physician and Menopause Society-certified provider, those dramatic swings aren’t the only issue.

“Hormonal shifts in perimenopause often begin with less progesterone. Progesterone is anti-inflammatory and, importantly, stabilises mast cells, which are the immune cells that release histamine,” she said. These........

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