Allergy Season and Hearing Loss: What You Need to Know

As allergy season approaches, you may be bracing yourself for itchy eyes and a runny nose. But did you know your allergies could also affect your hearing? Allergy symptoms can cause a range of hearing problems, such as muffled hearing and itchy ears. So, if you feel like you’re dealing with hearing loss this allergy season, your allergies may be to blame. Here’s what you need to know about allergy season and hearing loss.

What Types of Hearing Issues Can Allergies Cause?

Seasonal allergies can trigger an immune response, releasing histamine throughout your body. This results in allergy symptoms that you’re likely all too familiar with – including sneezing, itchy eyes, runny noses, and congestion.

Allergy-related congestion and swelling can lead to conductive hearing loss, which occurs when sound waves can’t reach the auditory nerve. This typically affects the middle ear, where inflammation prevents proper fluid drainage. As fluid builds up in the middle ear, it can feel like pressure building in your ear that may also cause balance issues. The fluid buildup also means that sound waves are not able to pass through to the inner ear and auditory nerve as easily, leading to symptoms of hearing loss.

If you have existing hearing loss or hearing conditions like tinnitus, seasonal allergies may also make these hearing conditions worse.

Treatment Options for Allergy-Related Hearing Loss

While allergy-related hearing loss can have a negative impact on your quality of life, the good news is that this is generally a temporary situation that improves once allergy symptoms subside. Taking an antihistamine, decongestant, or related allergy medication may be able to reduce or eliminate your allergy symptoms, including the inflammation and congestion that may be causing hearing loss. Additionally, some self-care steps you can take at home include:

• Chewing gum, yawning, or swallowing to alleviate pressure in the ears
• Using warm compresses to help encourage fluid drainage in the ear

Staying hydrated and using a humidifier may also help thin mucus and ease congestion. These steps, along with avoiding known allergens when possible, can support overall ear health during allergy season.

Seeking Medical Care for Allergy Hearing Issues

If your seasonal allergy treatments aren’t helping with your hearing loss or your hearing issues persist outside of allergy season, you may need to seek medical care. A hearing specialist can evaluate your hearing, perform hearing tests, and review your symptoms and medical history to better understand your hearing concerns. From there, your provider can recommend personalized solutions, such as hearing aids, that can support your hearing health.

Turn to Autumn Oak Speech, Voice, and Hearing

If you live in Friendswood, Texas, or a nearby city, you can turn to Autumn Oak Speech, Voice, and Hearing for the dedicated hearing evaluation services you need. We can perform a complete hearing test and explore various solutions to help ensure your hearing health. To schedule a hearing evaluation, contact Autumn Oak Speech, Voice, and Hearing today. We’re here to support your hearing health this allergy season in Friendswood, TX.