Can Allergies Cause Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

Allergies are caused by your immune system reacting to a foreign substance in your environment, such as pollen, dust mites, animal dander, and mold. Your immune system views these allergens as a threat to your health and begins to fight them off by releasing antibodies and histamine. This can lead to you experiencing some of the typical allergy symptoms: congestion, sniffling, and a runny nose. Therefore, allergies can lead to allergy-related hearing loss and tinnitus.¹  

The symptoms of allergies can cause you to experience conductive hearing loss, which occurs when something blocks the sound path to your eardrum or inner ear. In this case, your ear can be clogged with mucus and other fluids shifting in your ear, causing pressure to build in your middle ear which can lead to your hearing being muffled. 

To determine the difference between allergy-related hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss it is recommended you have a hearing test done if the muffled sounds do not become clear in a couple of months. Many people discover that they have sensorineural hearing loss after visiting a hearing clinic for a hearing test due to allergies. 

It is important to note that allergies do not cause sensorineural hearing loss. The people mentioned above found that they had existing hearing loss, and the allergies exacerbated the issue.  

For people who are already experiencing sensorineural hearing loss, temporary conductive hearing loss can interfere with their hearing aids. You should avoid using your hearing aids for prolonged periods during pollen season, as they might worsen any blockages you're experiencing. 

You should already be cleaning your hearing aids often, but you should double your cleaning routine during allergy season. If you need a refresher on performing hearing aid maintenance, you can read more about maintenance here.

Seasonal allergies, including hay fever, can cause a variety of symptoms including a feeling of pressure in the ear and the sensation that the ear is clogged. Those who already experience tinnitus may hear louder ringing in their ears or have their tinnitus symptoms worsened. 

While allergy season can be miserable, it can be a serious issue for those with sensitive ears, existing hearing loss, or a tendency towards congestion. Luckily, in most places pollen is only an issue for a few months. If your hearing is concerning you every season of the year, you can schedule a hearing consultation with one of our hearing healthcare professionals.

1 “Allergies and the Immune System.” Johns Hopkins Medicine. Accessed April 28, 2022. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/allergies-and-the-immune-system