Ear Mites in Humans: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention (2024)

Ear mites (Otodectes cynotis) are common in dogs and cats. Ear mites are parasites, which means they live on and feed off a host. An infestation in the ear is known medically as otoacariasis.

While extremely common in household pets, these ear bugs are rare in humans. Only a handful of human cases have been reported in a recent 40-year time span. The most common symptoms of ear mites in humans include itching, pain, and a feeling like something is in your ear.

This article explains whether humans can get ear mites from their pets, the signs and symptoms of ear mites, and how to treat them.

What Do Ear Mites Look Like?

Otodectes cynotis is the most common species of ear mites. They are tiny, about the size of a pinhead, but they are visible to the naked eye.

However, considering they live inside your ears, it's often difficult to see them yourself. A healthcare provider may need to view them with an otoscope, a tool that shines light into your ear to examine it.

What Causes Ear Mites in Humans

Since ear mites are common in cats and dogs and not in humans, transmission will most likely be from a pet. Close contact is necessary to pass the ear mites to a new host since they don't jump or fly.

A common way ear mites can pass from animals to humans is from lying down or snuggling with a pet with an ear mite infestation.

Signs and Symptoms of Ear Mites

Since the greatest likelihood of contracting ear mites is from pets, identifying symptoms of ear mites in pets is crucial in limiting exposure.

Telltale signs of ear mites in pets are:

• Head shaking and scratching
• Pruritus (itching, evidenced by ear scratching)
• Trauma to the external ear from scratching
• Skin redness
• Debris in the ear canals that resembles coffee grounds

In humans, common signs and symptoms of ear mite infestations are:

• Itching
• Ear pain
• Foreign body sensation
• Ear drainage
• Evidence of otitis externa (swimmer's ear)
• Tinnitus (ear ringing)

Ear mites can cause a lot of discomfort, ranging from pain and itching to infection and ear ringing. Untreated, it can lead to potential hearing problems.

How to Tell If You Have Ear Mites

Symptoms are one clue that you might have ear mites, but you can also identify them through visual examination. You'll need the help of a healthcare provider (or veterinarian if you suspect them in your pet).

A vet will examine your pet's ears for signs of ear mites, such as a dark discharge, redness, itching, and irritation. To confirm a diagnosis, a vet will swab your pet's ears and examine the contents under a microscope.

In humans, diagnosis is made similarly. Your healthcare provider may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist (also called an otolaryngologist) with more experience and equipment for diagnosing and treating this ear condition. They will use an otoscope to examine your ear and observe symptoms of ear mites.

Ear Mite Treatment

Ear mites are harmful because, untreated, they can lead to infection and damage the ear. In both pets and humans, treatment is necessary.

As with pets, ear mite treatment consists of ear cleaning and medication to kill the mites. Once the ears are clean and the mites are gone, people and pets find relief from pain and itching.

Some treatment options for humans include:

• Washing the ear canal with warm saline (salt and water mixture)
• Mineral oil drops
• Lignocaine (local anesthetic)
• Ethanol (disinfectant and antiseptic)
• Crotamiton(scabies treatment)

How to Get Rid of Ear Mites in Your Home

Ear mites can travel from host to host during close contact, but can ear mites infest your house or live on your bed? Ear mites usually only survive for a few days outside of a host.

However, researchers have found that mites survive as long as 12 days in the right conditions. This includes if the temperature is lowerthan 57 degrees F and the humidity is between 58% and 83%.

Since this temperature and the humidity range are more common outdoors than in human homes, ear mites are unlikely to infest your home or bed. But taking precautions is still a good idea if you and your pets have them.

Try these tips for cleaning your home to slow transmission:

• Vacuum floors, especially areas where your pet likes to lay
• Wash your bedding and your pet's bedding in hot water
• Place items that can't be washed in sealed plastic bags for a couple of weeks

How to Prevent Ear Mites in Humans

Since ear mites are contagious, it's important to prevent transmission by maintaining good hygiene and getting regular pet checkups. Because ear mites usually originate from pets, preventing them in your pets is your best bet for keeping yourself ear-mite-free.

Tips and strategies to prevent ear mite infestation include:

• Keep your pet away from other pets unless you know they do not have ear mites.
• Avoid dog parks and kennels.
• Check your pet's ears routinely for symptoms to catch mites early.
• Clean your pet's ears routinely.
• Ask your vet about a preventive medicine to reduce the likelihood of an infestation.
  

Summary

While ear mites are rare in humans, transmission between pets and humans can occur. If you notice your pet shaking its head, scratching its ears, or having a discharge that looks like coffee grounds from its ears, have your vet check it out as soon as possible. Preventing and treating pets' ear mites early is the best way to avoid contracting them yourself.