A: This is a great question! Let’s start with some allergy basics.
Allergies
An allergy is when your body’s defenses overreact to something that is not typically harmful. These are called allergens, and common ones include latex, pet dander, and peanuts.
When you come across an allergen, your immune system goes into defensive mode. Chemicals called histamines flood your body and where you encountered the allergen.
The Allergic Response
Histamines are like security guards — once released, they do what’s needed to remove the allergen. Reactions such as inflammation, itchiness, and excess mucus production result. But how does this cause hearing loss?
Seasonal Allergies and Hearing Loss
Because the allergic reactions leading to hearing loss so often involve seasonal allergies, that’s where we’ll focus. Other allergies, such as those triggered by mold or pets, would also work as examples.
The outer ear
Let’s use pollen as our allergen example. We’ll begin with the effects on the outer ear:
- Pollen lands in or near your ear canal
- Histamines kick into high gear and try to remove the allergen
- Inflammation, itching, and possibly swelling begin
- A strong enough reaction blocks sound trying to get to your eardrum
- Hearing loss is the result
The middle ear
Continuing with pollen as our allergen example, let’s look at the effects on the middle ear:
- Pollen lands in your nostril or nasal passage
- Histamines kick into high gear and try to remove the allergen
- Inflammation and excessive mucus production begin
- Mucus builds up in your middle ear
- Your Eustachian tube, which drains excess mucus from your middle ear, becomes blocked (from inflammation or mucus)
- Discomfort, hearing loss, or an infection result
The inner ear
Finally, continuing with pollen, the effects of allergies on the inner ear are:
- Pollen lands in your nostril or nasal passage
- Histamines kick into high gear and try to remove the allergen
- Inflammation and excessive mucus production begin
- These have been known to worsen symptoms of other ear-related problems, such as Ménière’s disease, which includes symptoms such as hearing loss, balance issues, and tinnitus
As you can see, it’s simple cause and effect — and the cause is usually inflammation, mucus, or a combination of both in the tiny passageways in your ears.
Contact us today if you think your hearing issue could be more than the temporary effects of seasonal allergies!