Depending on where you’re located, allergy season can be all year long. From pet dander to pollen, allergies can range from a minor inconvenience to a daily battle that impacts your quality of life. The first and most familiar indications that you are dealing with allergies are normally itchy eyes and a runny nose.
But some will experience advanced symptoms like hearing loss, bad balance, and tinnitus. Added pressure in the inner and middle ear is the reason for these symptoms.
Why do Allergies Affect Your Hearing?
Your body releases a chemical called histamine when it detects an environmental allergen. This release leads to the familiar sniffles and itchy eye symptoms of allergies. Fluid accumulation in the inner ear is a less common symptom. The fluid stops the allergen from getting further into your ear canal. The resulting pressure can cause problems with your equilibrium leading to a blocked ear, difficulty hearing, and balance issues.
How to Treat This Allergy-Related Hearing Loss
Allergies can be managed in many different ways. The majority of people start with over-the-counter products such as Claritin, Zyrtec, and Allegra. Minor cases can be effectively managed within a couple of days and initial relief usually begins after the first dose. Long term use of these medicines is also safe. Other allergy medication can be used short term but aren’t recommended as a long term solution because of their potential side effects, these medications include Sudafed, Afrin, and Benadryl.
There are also natural solutions that can be used on their own or in combination with over-the-counter remedies. Saline solutions or a Neti pot are some examples. In certain situations, even a simple hot shower can lead to improvement, especially when combined with a vapor tablet. You can also take steps to change your environment such as buying an air purifier, wiping dust off surfaces with a damp cloth, and washing your fabrics with hot water every couple of weeks. If you have pets and have a problem with pet dander, make sure you give your pets a bath frequently.
If None of These Help
Over-the-counter and natural remedies may not work in some cases. When none of these approaches help over the course of several weeks professional help might be required. To find out if you need an allergy shot, you will need to consult an allergist. Every week for around six months a shot will be given in increasing doses then the shots will be decreased to one every month. Small amounts of the allergen will be introduced into your system allowing your body to progressively learn how to handle it. Though it only takes around eight months for patients to feel some relief, this treatment will demand a long term commitment of as much as five years.
If you still have pressure in your ears and none of these methods help, it’s time to get a hearing test.