You may develop hearing loss as you get older, particularly if you regularly expose yourself to loud noise. Hearing loss may be in your future, for example, if you work on a noisy factory floor without hearing protection. These hearing loss causes are rather common. But there’s a new fighter in the ring, and you can probably guess who it is: Covid-19.
People all around the world have been ravaged by all of the many symptoms and side-effects of Covid-19, and that might include issues with hearing.
Maybe? Probably? Okay, Covid-19 is still a very novel virus. And something new about it is being discovered all of the time by scientists. Some research does suggest that Covid-19 is connected to hearing loss, but that research is also somewhat early and is still waiting for more facts to back it up. So let’s have a look at where things stand currently.
So can hearing loss be triggered by Covid-19?
So here’s the first thing to remember: The Covid-19 vaccine has never been proven to cause hearing loss. All of the presently approved vaccines have this in common. Vaccines don’t affect your ears, they just don’t work that way. It would be like consuming a nice healthy salad and then claiming that it caused your diabetes.
This is true of both the established vaccines and the new mRNA vaccines. For the majority of individuals, the risks are vastly outweighed by the benefits. Speak with your doctor and find reputable information if you have any questions about vaccines.
Let’s discuss hearing loss now that we’ve cleared that up.
So how is hearing loss triggered by Covid?
But, how does this trigger hearing loss? Particularly, how does this lead to sensorineural hearing loss, the type of hearing loss that results from damage to your auditory system and is typically permanent?
Scientists have a couple of theories. Either one of them could cause hearing loss or both together.
Theory #1: inflammation
Covid-19 produces inflammation in your upper respiratory tract, and the concept is that this inflammation eventually affects your ears. Your ears, nose, and mouth are all interconnected, after all. There are two ways this could cause hearing loss:
- Fluid buildup: Inflammation can make drainage pathways smaller, making it harder for fluid to get out or drain efficiently. As this fluid accumulates, it becomes harder to hear. In these instances, your hearing will typically return to normal once your symptoms subside (this wouldn’t be an example of sensorineural hearing loss).
- Damaged cells: Remember that viruses utilize your body’s own cells to replicate. This can lead to damage. And because Covid impacts your vascular system, this can sometimes lead to damage to the vascular connections between your brain and your ears. This situation is sensorineural hearing loss and will be basically irreversible.
When hearing loss is caused by a buildup due to inflammation, steroids can often help. There’s still a continuing effort by scientists to find a way to prevent sensorineural hearing loss. It’s not clear, based on this research, just how much protection vaccines give you against this type of damage, but it seems obvious that it’s better than no protection.
Theory #2: Long Covid
The next theory is more substantial when it comes to patients’ experience, but a bit less comprehended with regards to cause and effect. At this point, you’ve probably heard of something called Long Covid.
People will go through symptoms of Covid when they are experiencing Long Covid, long after they have recovered from the actual virus. Often, a debilitating bout of long Covid that drags out for months, or longer, after having Covid itself, is experienced. Scientists still aren’t sure just what causes Long Covid, but there’s no doubt it’s a real thing.
In February of 2021, scientists published a systematic review that examined data about long-term auditory difficulties due to Covid-19. Here’s what the review found:
- Vertigo was reported by7.2% of people
- Tinnitus was experienced by 14.8%
- 7.6% of people reported hearing impairment after becoming ill with Covid.
There’s definitely a connection between Long Covid and hearing problems, but it’s unknown if there’s a direct cause and effect association. A host of symptoms, including hearing problems, come from Long Covid.
Anecdote or evidence?
It’s anecdotal when somebody states that their hearing hasn’t been the same since they got Covid. It’s only one person’s story. And while it’s a fact of life for them, it isn’t really enough for scientists to go on when devising treatment plans. So research is key here.
Researchers will be able to get a better understanding about the dangers of Covid as they collect more data about how prevalent these complications are.
We definitely have to learn more. The link between Covid and hearing loss isn’t either proven or unproven at this time and research is ongoing. Regardless of how you developed hearing loss, however, it’s still crucial that you get treatment as soon as you can. So give us a call if you suspect you might be experiencing hearing loss.
References
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.883749/full
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14992027.2021.1896793?journalCode=iija20&