How Allergies Affect Ear, Nose and Throat

How Allergies Affect Ear, Nose and Throat

We're all familiar with the typical signs of allergies. The weird and unbelievably persistent sneezing. The box of tissues always on hand, seemingly a permanent accessory. The itchy, watery eyes that make you look like you just finished watching an incredibly sad movie, on repeat. However, allergies are much more than a runny nose; they are a full-blown inflammatory response, and your connected ear, nose, and throat (ENT) system is a major first line of defense when they occur.
Allergic reactions can be seasonal, like the rainy or monsoon season in India, that cause a rush of outdoor pollen or airborne mold spore activity, or perennial, meaning they are indoor allergens, such dust mites, that irritate you all year.
If you have ever noticed your "stuffed" nose turn into a "plugged" ear or a "scratchy" throat, you are not imagining it! Let's explore how these three seemingly discontiguous areas are a close-knit community, and the allergy issue in one can be a problem for all three.

A Quick Look at the Allergic Ocean
Before getting into the nitty gritty details, let's set the stage. When you come in touch with an allergen, like pollen, dust mites, pet dander, or mould, your immune system thinks it's a threat and releases a lot of chemical mediators, the most well-known of which is histamine. This causes allergic rhinitis.
Histamine is the culprit causing your symptoms. Histamine dilates blood vessels and causes them to leak, stimulates mucus production, and causes swelling and itching of tissues. Because your ears, nose and throat are typically the primary site of exposure for airborne allergens, these typical areas sustain the worst damage.

The Nose: Ground Zero for Allergies
Your nose is the first line of defense. Allergens in your nasal passages initiate a histamine response quickly, producing an array of symptoms:
● Frequent Sneezing: Your body's violent, explosive effort to forcefully eliminate the allergens.
● Running Nose (Rhinorrhea): The inside lining of your nose decides to produce thinner, clear mucus in an attempt to wash these irritants away.
● Nasal Obstruction (Congestion): Congestion in your nasal passages does not come from mucus, but from the blood vessels in your nasal passages swelling and inflaming and reducing air flow. This is why you feel congested even after blowing your nose.
● Itching: An insatiable itch in your nose, the roof of your mouth, and your throat is a hallmark sign.
When you are in a state of chronic inflammation in your nose, you can also create the disease nasal bronchial allergy, where the response from the allergic stimulus that affects your nose stresses and infects your airways, and creating asthma. This chronic state of congestion forces you to breathe from your mouth, which leads us to the next victim.

The Throat: The Irritated Passageway
Your throat can be continually annoyed by a number of different presentations, but they are basically two ways: post-nasal drip and direct irritation.
● Post-Nasal Drip: This is the number one cause of throat problems that arise from allergies. All of the excess mucus that is being created in your nose must go somewhere and simply beats a path down the back of your throat. This leads to continuous tickles due to irritation; a constant, annoying scratch; and constant urge to clear the throat. It may also lead to constant dry cough which tends to be worse when you go to bed at night.
● Direct Irritation: Inhaling allergens, installs immediate irritation to the sensitive lining of the throat. Breathing through the mouth contributes to drying of your throat, worsening that raw sore feeling.

The Ears: The Silent Sufferer
This is the connection that confounds most people. How could pollen in the air be related to your ears feeling clogged? The answer lies in a small, but important piece of anatomy: the Eustachian tube.
The Eustachian tube is a small canal that connects the back of your nose to your middle ear. It does two important things: helps drain fluid from the middle ear and equalizes air pressure. If allergies cause the opening of this tube to be blocked with inflammation and mucus, it is a two part insult to your ears: fluid gets trapped, and pressure changes.

Eustachian Tube Dysfunction can produce some uncomfortable symptoms:
● A feeling of clogged, full or "underwater" ears.
● Muffled sound.
● Popping or clicking sounds.
● Ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
● In more serious cases, dizziness or balance problems.
In children, this trapped fluid can easily lead to painful middle ear infections (otitis media).

Finding Relief: Managing the Entire ENT System
Recognizing this link is the first step to give purpose to managing your relief.
● Avoidance: The optimum approach to manage your symptoms is to avoid the exposures. Check the pollen levels every day and use air purifiers with HEPA filters.
● Nasal Wash / Rinses: Saline nasal sprays or nasal washes (like a neti pot) can be invaluable. This is very useful in washing away allergens and excess mucus reducing post-nasal drip and inflammation around your eustachian tubes.
● Antihistamines: These over-the-counter medications reduce your body's release of histamine, reducing itching, sneezing, and runny nose type symptoms.
● Nasal Steroid Sprays: These sprays reduce inflammation in the nose, which helps with nasal congestion and ear pressure.
● Drinking a lot of water helps to thin up mucus.

When to See a Doctor
Consulting a specialist is worthwhile if OTC medicines do not work or if your symptoms are significant.The final diagnosis of allergic rhinitis relies on:
● Clinical Exam: A thorough check of the ears, nose, and throat. A nasal endoscopy may be done to get a good look at the inside of the nose.
● Allergy Testing: A skin prick allergy test and/or specific blood tests are both available to isolate the actual allergens resulting in symptoms.
● Long-lasting solutions: For allergies causing persistent symptoms, your doctor may consider prescribing an immunotherapy for allergy (allergy shots or tablets). Immunotherapy helps your body to become desensitized to your triggers over time.

So the next time you have the feeling of clogged ears, at the same time you have a scratchy throat, remember the invisible connection. Treating the first allergic reaction helps for the whole ENT neighbourhood to feel peace and quiet once again.

If you are in the Delhi area and find yourself constantly battling sinus pressure, post-nasal drip, clogged ears, or a scratchy throat, it's time to seek a specialist's opinion. You don't have to simply endure these symptoms year after year.
For a comprehensive evaluation and a personalized treatment plan, book your consultation with Delhi's leading ENT specialist today. Visit ENT Specialist in Delhi to schedule an appointment and take the first step towards breaking free from the cycle of allergy symptoms. Breathe easier, hear clearly, and feel better starting now.