[OneInBillions]

I'm just wondering if anyone else here suffers from seasonal allergies, specifically ones that cause problems in the ears.

My allergies seem to be getting worse as I get older. About a week ago I started getting a lot of congestion, which in turn caused my right ear to feel "full" with slightly muffled hearing. A few nights ago that "fullness" finally cleared up, with the help of some medication -- only to give way to occasional tinnitus, or "hissing" in my right ear. It seems to have gotten more persistent and loud tonight, despite the decongestants I took. And it's driving me crazy!

I'm pretty sure that it's all related to my allergies, since I get a lot of sinus congestion too. But ear troubles always ramp up my anxiety. And from what I've read, that can make it worse, like a vicious spiral. A few years ago I had a bout of very loud tinnitus for about 3-4 days straight that really drove me nuts. I'm so afraid of a repeat of that incident. Plus there's always the worry that I might be losing my hearing outright. I think some slight barotrauma from scuba diving and frequent flying in my teens have made my Eustachian Tubes a bit more prone to issues like this. I can't imagine living with tinnitus full-time, or living without hearing at all.

Plus I've had insomnia for a few years now and ear troubles just make it worse -- especially tinnitus.

Can anyone relate?

[Raindropvampire]

Aye, I can relate. With me my chronic allergies and sinus issues cause my ears to pop and crackle all the time. That's when it doesn't sound like my ears are stuffed with cotton. It also causes a lot of ear infections which makes me worry that my hearing is going to suffer. I need surgery on my sinuses but so far have been too scared and broke to do it.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I live in the Ohio valley so we ALL struggle with allergies here! Lol

Yes it affects my ears. I get fluid in my ear and the vertigo that comes with that. Sudafed tends to help clear that up for me.

[BipolarMama31]

I live constantly with fluid in my ears. Some days are more painful than others.

After years of allergy shots and tons of medications, honestly the only way to relieve the pain and stop it before it turns into an infection is hydrogen peroxide in each ear for 10 minutes, then a cut piece of garlic in each ear for 15 minutes.

I swear those 2 things are the only relief I get after all these years.

Tip: Make sure the garlic is big enough not to get stuck. Having my hubby pull out garlic from my ear with tweasers wasn't fun

[jemicajane]

If local honey isn’t doing the trick for you, try bee pollen. The same concept lies behind how it works-starting in small amounts and gradually increasing the dosage daily will help build up your immunity to the pollen in your area. This is a play off what is known in medicine as “the hygiene hypothesis”, in which childhood exposure to germs and bacteria are vital to developing an immune system that can handle those same things down the line. Here you expose yourself to allergens before allergy season so your system doesn’t take a huge blow when the air fills with pollen. There are two vital parts to this remedy-first, make sure you are not anaphylactic or severely allergic to bees, or so allergic to pollen that you experience anaphylaxis.