While you may associate allergy season with spring-time, allergies are present year-long and the frustrating symptoms that follow are never far behind. If you have ever been a victim of allergies, you might have experienced symptoms like: itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, congestion, sneezing, and even temporary hearing loss.
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Hearing loss can be a result of allergies, as well the flu or a cold. In the case of allergies and illness, the symptoms that follow are a result of your immune system’s response. Although allergies are not the cause of permanent or profound hearing loss, there is a correlation between allergies and how your body’s response can negatively affect hearing. In this article, we take a look at how allergies can cause hearing loss and how this affects those with preexisting hearing loss as well.
Allergens can wreak havoc on your immune system, but may also negatively impact your hearing and lead to hearing loss. When thinking of allergies, most people associate this with indoor and outdoor allergies like pollen or pet dander. However allergens can come in many forms from outside sources to food, skin or contact allergens and irritants, and can lead to a variety of other auditory related issues as a result.
When dealing with seasonal allergies or other allergic reactions, it is common to experience auditory issues and ear discomfort. Hearing loss during an allergic reaction or the cold or flu is due to the body’s immune response. While combating the allergen or cold, the body experiences inflammation and increases production of mucus. This impedes the body from regulating pressure in the ears and fluid can become trapped. Hearing can become muffled as a result of inflammation and blockages.
Those who have preexisting hearing difficulties are also affected by allergies. Allergic reactions can cause further hearing loss and exacerbate other conditions. Tinnitus and Meniere’s disease are two such conditions that cause hearing loss, and which worsen due to allergies. Hearing aids and assistive devices can also be affected by allergens, inhibiting functionality. Pollen and other allergens can clog the microphone port on hearing aids, making them less effective and may prompt you to replace the cover of the port, if regular cleaning does not resolve the issue.
Allergic reactions and the cold or flu can all cause temporary hearing loss as a result of the immune system’s response. The reason for allergy-associated symptoms is due to the immune system’s response to these irritants and perceived threats. When your immune system encounters allergens, it fights back by creating antibodies which then release histamine. Whether the body is encountering food allergens, skin allergies, or seasonal allergies, the response is the same. Histamine is the chemical compound released by cells to protect against foreign invaders and works by sending messages between cells, prompting the body to spring into action. If you experience common allergy symptoms like sneezing, itching, watery eyes, or ear discomfort and hearing loss, this is the work of histamine as it is prompting the body to get rid of the allergens and invaders. While histamine is the body’s natural response and intended to safeguard against harmful allergens, sometimes the body can overreact. This overreaction is the body’s defense mechanism, but it cannot always distinguish the appropriate level of response or how great of a threat foreign invaders are.
Histamines cause inflammation in the area of the body affected by the specific allergen. This inflammation prompts other chemicals in the immune system to head to those areas and begin healing. However, this inflammatory response may also trigger and irritate the mucus membranes contained in our ears, impacting the ability to hear clearly. If you experience a sensation of plugged ears or pressure, this is likely due to the increase in mucus production and fluid becoming trapped within the ear. While this is a common effect of histamines and allergies on hearing, there are a variety of ways that hearing loss can be caused as a result of allergic reactions and allergies can play a part in many ear conditions. It is also important to note that nearly all parts and components of the ear can be affected by allergies.
Although seasonal allergies are the first association for many when thinking of allergic reactions and hearing loss, all allergic reactions can impact hearing, as can the cold and flu. Beyond seasonal allergies, other types of allergic reactions including food allergies and skin allergies can lead to auditory issues impacting hearing. Regardless of the type of allergic reaction, the immune system defends the body the same. Auditory health and hearing loss can be most impacted by seasonal and outdoor allergies, food allergies, and contact or skin allergies. The ear consists of three main sections: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. Different areas of the ear are more sensitive or prone to certain types of allergic reactions.
Airborne and outdoor allergens are the culprit for seasonal allergies, resulting in allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis also known as “hay fever”, can cause a variety of symptoms from common allergy symptoms like red eyes to a sensation of pressure or fullness in the ears. The allergic response that follows also causes an increase in mucus production, leading to temporary conductive hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss occurs when fluid becomes trapped and built up within the middle ear, impeding sound waves from entering the ear.The cold and flu can also cause temporary conductive hearing loss. When sick with a head cold or flu, congestion causes fluid to build up in the sinuses and ears. This buildup of fluid results in a pressure or plugged feeling in your ear, and can even decrease hearing ability by 24 decibels.
Food allergies can also cause hearing loss, and have an especially strong correlation with ear and hearing health in children. The most common food allergens are: milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, and shellfish. Much like hay fever and other allergic reactions, food allergies also trigger the release of histamine and can cause conductive hearing loss. Allergic reactions to foods have been shown to have a strong correlation with ear infections, especially in children. Ear infections cause inflammation and ear discharge, leading food allergies to also cause conditions like otitis externa.
The outer ear is the section most prone to contact allergies often resulting in itching or swelling. However, allergies can also introduce ear infections and otitis externa, referred to as “swimmer’s ear”, resulting in inflammation and redness in the outer ear canal which connects the outer ear to the eardrum. Those with recurring swimmer’s ear should seek treatment to avoid eardrum damage and scar tissue from building due to repeated ear infections. Swelling in the outer ear as a result of an allergic reaction can travel down into the ear canal causing the passage to narrow and for sounds to become muffled.
Allergies or the cold and flu can also cause Tinnitus, or worsen the condition for those who already have it. Tinnitus is generally described as a high-pitched or ringing sound in one or both ears, but some also report a roaring, clicking, or hissing sound. There are many different factors that can cause Tinnitus, including sinus infections and allergic responses. However, if your Tinnitus is prolonged longer than your cold or allergy symptoms, occurs in only one ear, or is associated with vertigo it is important to seek professional attention and consult your physician or audiologist. If you experience Tinnitus but no other allergy symptoms, then this indicates that there may be another auditory issue at the root and should seek medical attention. While Tinnitus is common, occurring in up to 15% of people, it should be taken seriously as it can lead to permanent hearing loss if untreated.
While hearing loss resulting from allergies or sickness is common, it is generally a temporary condition. However, that does not mean that hearing loss should not be taken seriously or that it is not necessary to seek treatment. Although hearing loss will usually subside as other allergy or cold symptoms clear, there are steps you can take to alleviate discomfort and speed up the process. Prevention is the best treatment and allergy sufferers can avoid hearing loss and other symptoms by taking allergy medicine to prevent a flare up. If allergy symptoms are prevented, inflammation is also stopped from taking place. If it is too late to avoid allergy or cold symptoms, a hot shower can help clear out any blockages in the ear. Over-the-counter antihistamines can also help offer relief, even if taken too late to prevent the allergic reaction from taking place. In the case of hearing loss due to the cold or flu, taking an anti congestant can help clear out excess fluid or mucus and relieve conductive hearing loss or sinus pressure.
Although hearing loss related to allergies and the common cold is usually temporary, there are some instances to watch for in which may be important to seek medical attention. If hearing loss persists after other allergy symptoms have subsided, you should consider seeking medical attention as this could indicates another underlying cause. Other instances which may require immediate professional help are sudden loss of hearing or severe ear pain.
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