17/06/2026
Sneezing, itchy eyes, and blocked ears? June's grass pollen peak affects hearing more than most people realise. Allergic inflammation can swell the Eustachian tubes that ventilate your middle ear, and when they cannot equalise pressure, ears feel full, crackly, and muffled.
Treating the allergy helps the ears too: antihistamines and steroid sprays reduce the swelling, and the old tricks (swallowing, yawning, gently blowing with your nose pinched) encourage the tubes to open.
The catch is that ear wax blockage feels almost identical, and summer swimming makes wax swell. You cannot tell the difference from the inside, but a 30-second look with an otoscope settles it. If your ears stay blocked once the pollen drops, that is the moment to get them checked rather than reaching for more antihistamines.
Full guide on our blog: https://hearwithish.com/hay-fever-and-blocked-ears-why-summer-allergies-affect-hearing/