While hot flashes and night sweats are commonly recognized 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
Estrogen 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, estrogen 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-gynecologist at San Diego Fertility Center.
