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<\/p>\nThe Willamette Valley has been dubbed \u201cthe grass capital of the world\u201d \u2013 great news for people who make their living off the land, but troublesome for those with allergies in Salem. Spring is especially bad.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when plants and trees begin to bloom, releasing pollen into the air and causing misery for a large number of residents throughout Oregon.<\/p>\n
In addition to the usual litany of symptoms we associate with allergies \u2013 sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; sinus pain and pressure \u2013 hearing can also be affected.<\/p>\n
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Oregon residents weary of the seemingly endless winter rains tend to look forward to spring with unbridled enthusiasm, but the season\u2019s changeable weather can put a literal damper on all that goodwill \u2013 especially when it contributes to allergy symptoms.<\/a><\/p>\n The Asthma and Allergy Foundation<\/a> estimates between 10 and 30 percent of Oregon adults suffer from seasonal allergies, and up to 40 percent of children.<\/p>\n Allergies are the result of the immune system\u2019s attempt to protect the body from external threat by releasing histamine into the bloodstream, increasing mucus production and leading to the classic symptoms listed above.<\/p>\n Because the ears share a common pathology with the sinuses<\/a>, they are affected, too.<\/p>\n Much of this can be blamed on atmospheric pressure.<\/p>\n When the barometer rises and falls quickly with passing storms, a pressure imbalance can occur in your ears, leading to a feeling of fullness and a \u201cpopping\u201d sensation.<\/p>\n Seasonal allergies exacerbate the problem; they can cause swelling of the Eustachian tube, a narrow organ that helps regulate pressure in the ears.<\/p>\n