Did you know that ear health provides several clues about overall health? You can protect yourself if you learn more about the links between your ear health and general health. Here are surprising things your ears could be telling you.
Itchy Ears
Itchy ear canals happen to individuals of all ages. Usually, itchy ears indicate a fungal infection, a bacterial infection or other ear irritation. Sometimes, however, an itchy ear can be a symptom of psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a skin condition that happens when an overactive immune system attacks the skin by mistake.
Psoriasis inside the ear may cause a buildup of dead skin that leads to itchy ears and difficulty in hearing. Remember to contact your ENT doctor or specialist in Denver as soon as you notice a problem in your ear.
Earache
Impacted earwax, quick changes in air pressure, swimmer’s ear, and middle ear infections are the leading causes of ear pain. Pain from an abscessed tooth, sore throat or issues with the jaw joints may also sometimes be felt in the ear.
Tinnitus
Ringing in the ears, though very annoying, rarely indicates a serious health concern. It often means wax buildup, age-related hearing loss, or you have been around sudden, loud noises. But tinnitus can sometimes be a sign that there is a problem in the temporomandibular joint or an injury to the neck or head.
Pulsatile tinnitus can also in rare cases be a sign of blood vessel damage or a tumor.
Diagonal Earlobe Crease
The presence of a diagonal crease in the earlobe may indicate underlying heart disease. But scientists have not yet established what exactly causes this Frank’s sign, and not every person who has the crease will have cardiovascular disease.
Unusual Ear Shape
An unusual ear shape sometimes reflects a problem with the kidneys. The association is because our kidneys develop at the same time as our ears. A newborn with unusual ear shape may then need a test of her kidneys.
Low-Set Ears
Studies have linked low-set ears with various syndromes. People with Down syndrome often have low-set ears on top of other physical differences and development problems. Besides the low-set ears, Turner syndrome also causes issues with how the neck and head form.
Other genetic disorders associated with low-set ears include Noonan syndrome, Jacobsen and Shprintzen-Goldberg syndromes. These conditions hinder normal development in several parts of the body.
Ear Pits and Folds
There is a rare association between pits and Brachio-Oto-Renal Syndrome, a condition that disrupts the normal development of neck tissues and causes issues with ears and kidneys. Renal ultrasounds are recommended for a kid born with ear pits and other anomalies.
Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome may also cause creases or small holes around a child’s ears. Kids with this syndrome may also be born bigger than usual. They also commonly have low blood sugar and a large tongue.
Ears that hurt, itch, ring or appear a little different could be a symptom of a problem elsewhere in the body. Taking care of your ear health is a worthy investment in your wellbeing and overall health.
