Can Allergies Causes Tinnitus & Hearing Loss?
Have you ever noticed a strange loss of hearing when your allergies start acting up?
You are not alone. While many people suffer from allergies throughout the year, a number of them suffer from allergy-related hearing loss and tinnitus in the springtime especially.
Allergies can, in fact, affect hearing.
“Hay fever”, also known as allergic rhinitis, often causes symptoms such as itchy eyes, a runny nose and sneezing. It can be accompanied by an uncomfortable feeling of pressure in the ear and a sensation that the ear is clogged.
Do Allergies Cause Hearing Loss?
When allergies start to affect our body, our immune system begins to produce antibodies that release the compound histamine as a reaction to an influx of pollen. Histamine is the cause of “hay fever” symptoms – itchy eyes, a runny nose and sneezing.
Once an excess amount of mucus is produced, the sinuses become blocked. The mucus may also block the Eustachian tube, which is the drainage path for the middle ear and interferes with the sound traveling through your ears. It can cause the ear to feel full, pressured or a slight loss of hearing, along with other “hay fever” symptoms.
Other patients may experience loud ringing noises in the ears, a symptom of tinnitus. People who already suffer from tinnitus might struggle with more severe symptoms when affected by allergies.
3 Types of Allergy-Related Hearing Loss
Fullness: a buildup of excess fluid that causes pressure, fullness or a clogged feeling in the ear. It’s an uncomfortable feeling that makes it more difficult to hear at your full abilities. These symptoms will subside with the other symptoms. If you are experiencing pain, we recommend seeking medical attention as it may be an ear infection.
Tinnitus: fluid build-up results in tinnitus that only occurs alongside other allergy symptoms. If you have persistent symptoms of tinnitus with or without a runny nose, sneezing or itchy eyes, contact your nearest NexGen Hearing Clinic to speak with an audiologist.
Conductive Hearing Loss: when sound can’t travel through the ear to the middle ear due to excess fluid or other blockages, it causes hearing loss. It may appear suddenly with other allergy-related symptoms or persist over time.
It’s typically curable once allergy symptoms subside or the causes are removed. If symptoms persist independently and frequently, speak with your nearest NexGen Hearing Clinic for testing to ensure it’s treated properly.
Hearing Aids & Allergies
If you wear hearing aids, you may find that allergy season affects their performance. They may not be performing as effective due to allergens clogging the hearing aids, making it more difficult to hear.
Regular maintenance and cleaning of hearing aids is essential to helping it perform well, and last longer.
It’s possible to suffer from an allergic reaction to the hearing aid itself. Potential causes are irritation such as trapped water, dry skin or an allergy to the hearing aid material. Consult with an audiologist if you suspect you are having an allergic reaction to your hearing aids for alternative options.
Do You Suffer From Hearing Loss?
If you are concerned about hearing loss or tinnitus, the passionate, dedicated and experienced hearing professionals at NexGen Hearing are here to help you experience an improved quality of life and support you on your journey to better hearing.
NexGen Hearing provides free hearing tests, hearing aid consultations and sales, tinnitus consultations and much more at over 45 clinics in the BC Interior, Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
To find a clinic near you and book an appointment, click here or call 1-877-606-6671.