I went to Mayo in Rochester for these problems. They did a thorough exam and found nothing. It continued.....I found it difficult to sleep on my left ear. The inside of my left ear itched like crazy. I decided to try different things to try to stop the pain and itch. I am an RN. First, I decided it may be from a low level bacterial infection. Nothing wrong with me dental wise I use ear plugs showering daily. I gently wash the ear and rinse thoroughly. I brush my teeth 3 times daily, with a soft toothbrush, making sure I do a good job on the gum line.I floss everyday. I use listerine daily before bedtime. I .wash all my eye glasses daily, including the ear pieces in running water. I gently massage the painful affect ear and put alcohol on it daily. It took at least a month of this daily routine before I notice any relief. It has been 3-4 months and I have found relief .It may sound like a crazy routine, but the pain and itch were driving me crazy. I hope this helps people with same problem. Best of luck.