If your ears feel blocked during spring, you may wonder whether allergies are causing your blocked ears. Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) can cause an itchy or blocked nose, sneezing and watery eyes. For some people, these symptoms can also be accompanied by ear pressure, fullness or a muffled feeling.
This is partly because your nose and ears are connected by small passages called the Eustachian tubes.
How can allergies affect your ears?
The Eustachian tubes connect the middle ear with the back of the nose. They help your ears adjust to changes in pressure.
When hay fever causes congestion around the nose, the Eustachian tubes may not open and close as freely as usual. This can sometimes make your ears feel:
- Blocked or full
- Pressurised
- Muffled
- Like they need to pop
- Occasionally itchy
These sensations can occur alongside familiar allergy symptoms such as sneezing, an itchy nose and nasal congestion.
Why do my ears feel blocked during allergy season?
Pollens are breathed in through your nose and mouth, and can travel into the Eustachian tube towards your middle ear. Pollens are irritants to some individuals and can cause inflammation and mucous to be produced in the tube. Instead of these tubes opening regularly to equalise pressure and allow drainage, they can become swollen and stick together, affecting how they open and function. This can alter the pressure in the middle ear and cause a temporary feeling of fullness, pressure or blockage.
For many people, this sensation occurs alongside their allergy symptoms and may settle as the congestion improves.
Could blocked ears be caused by earwax?
Sometimes, a blocked-ear feeling can be related to earwax build-up rather than allergies.
Earwax is a normal part of ear health. It helps protect the skin inside the ear canal. If wax builds up, it can sometimes contribute to muffled hearing or a feeling of fullness.
Allergy-related ear pressure is different because it is associated with congestion and the Eustachian tubes rather than wax blocking the ear canal.
Because these sensations can feel similar, an ear examination can help determine whether earwax or another factor may be contributing.
Can hay fever make hearing feel muffled?
It can. When pollens are inhaled, they can cause extra mucus to be produced in the Eustachian tubes, and this can cause muffled hearing, or ears that don’t feel quite as clear or sharp as usual.
Hay fever and its symptoms can vary greatly from person to person. Some may not be affected at all, while others are very sensitive to pollens and grasses and will be severely affected. If the symptoms and blockages continue, having your ears assessed can help identify what may be contributing.
Can a blocked nose cause blocked ears?
Yes, a blocked nose and blocked ears can sometimes occur together.
The nose and middle ear are connected through the Eustachian tubes. When you have nasal congestion from hay fever, a cold or another cause, the tubes may not function as freely, which can contribute to ear pressure or fullness.
This is one reason you may notice your ears feeling different when your nose is blocked.
What can you do if your ears feel blocked?
If you notice blocked ears during allergy season, you can:
- Take note of whether the ear symptoms occur alongside your usual hay fever symptoms.
- Follow allergy-management advice from your GP or pharmacist.
- Avoid putting cotton buds or other objects into your ear canal.
- Give your ears time to settle as your allergy symptoms improve.
- Consider an ear health assessment if the blocked feeling continues or you are unsure what is causing it.
There is no need to regularly clean inside your ears at home. The ear canal has its own natural cleaning process, and inserting objects can push wax further onto the eardrum.
When should you have your ears checked?
If a blocked or muffled feeling continues, keeps returning or is affecting your everyday hearing, an ear health assessment can help identify what may be contributing.
The Ear Nurses can look inside the ear and consider possible causes such as earwax, congestion or Eustachian tube dysfunction.
If you experience a sudden change in hearing, seek prompt medical advice.
Looking after your ears during allergy season
Spring can bring increased pollen and hay fever symptoms for many people in Melbourne. If your ears feel blocked at the same time as an itchy or congested nose, there may be a connection.
The Eustachian tubes provide the link between the nose and middle ear, and pollens and grasses can affect how they function.
However, blocked ears can have different causes, including earwax. If you’re unsure what’s causing the sensation, an ear health assessment can provide more information.
The Ear Nurses at Crystal Clear Ears provide ear health assessments and earwax removal services across Melbourne, including Epping, Glen Waverley, Brighton, East Melbourne, Surrey Hills and Truganina. The appropriate care depends on individual circumstances and assessment.