You might develop hearing loss as you get older, especially if you frequently expose yourself to loud noise. Hearing loss may be in your future, for instance, if you work on a loud factory floor without ear 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.
That’s correct, the same illness that’s been turning the world upside down for the last couple of years may also lead to hearing loss.
Maybe? Probably? Okay, Covid-19 is still a very novel virus. And scientists are discovering something new about it all the time. Some research does suggest that Covid-19 is linked to hearing loss, but that research is also somewhat early and is still waiting for more data to back it up. So where is this research currently at.
So can hearing loss be caused by Covid-19?
So here’s the first thing to bear in mind: The Covid-19 vaccine has never been confirmed to cause hearing loss. That’s true for all of the presently approved and available vaccines, from Pfizer and Moderna to Novovax. Vaccines don’t impact your ears, they just don’t work that way. It would be like blaming your diabetes on the salad you ate for lunch.
This is true of both the conventional vaccines and the new mRNA vaccines. For most individuals, the risks are greatly exceeded by the benefits. Talk with your doctor and seek reputable information if you have any questions about vaccines.
Let’s discuss hearing loss now that we’ve cleared that up.
So, how does Covid cause hearing loss?
So how is hearing loss triggered by this? Particularly, how does it cause the kind of hearing loss that is the result of damage to the auditory system which is normally irreversible, known as sensorineural hearing loss?
Well, there are a couple of theories. These theories, we should point out, aren’t always mutually exclusive. They could both be relevant!
Theory #1: inflammation
The first substantial theory among researchers is that Covid-19 causes considerable inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, and that this inflammation can ultimately impact your ears. After all, your nose, mouth, and ears are all connected. This might produce hearing loss in a couple of ways:
- Fluid buildup: Fluid has a harder time draining because inflammation has made the drainage pathways more narrow. As this fluid builds up, hearing becomes difficult. After the symptoms clear up, your hearing will typically return to normal (if this takes place, you’re not dealing with sensorineural hearing loss).
- Cell damage: It’s essential to remember that viruses reproduce by taking over your body’s own cells. The consequence is damage. And because Covid affects your vascular system, this can sometimes cause damage to the vascular links between your ears and your brain. This situation is sensorineural hearing loss and will be basically irreversible.
Steroids are occasionally prescribed when hearing loss is caused by inflammation. There’s still a continuing effort by scientists to find a way to prevent sensorineural hearing loss. How much protection from this kind of hearing loss the vaccines will provide is unknown, but it’s better than no protection.
Theory #2: Long Covid
The next hypothesis is more significant when it comes to patients’ experience, but a little less understood in terms of cause and effect. There’s something called Long Covid which you, by now, have probably heard about.
Long Covid is a condition in which patients experience symptoms from Covid long after the actual virus has left their system. Sometimes, people will experience a mild bout of Covid followed by a debilitating Long Covid experience that lasts for months (or longer). There’s no question, Long Covid is real, but scientists are still unsure why.
In February of 2021, researchers published a systematic review that examined data about long-term auditory problems resulting from Covid-19. Here’s what the review discovered:
- 14.8% reported experiencing tinnitus
- 7.6% of people reported hearing impairment after getting Covid.
- Vertigo was reported by7.2% of people
Whether these auditory complications are caused by Long Covid or just in relation to it isn’t entirely clear, but it goes without saying there’s a relationship of some kind. A variety of symptoms, including hearing problems, come from Long Covid.
Anecdote or evidence?
When somebody talks about how they got Covid and had hearing issues ever since, that’s an anecdote. It’s only one person’s story. When scientists are attempting to devise a treatment plan, these individual accounts, while they are part of day-to-day life for the individuals, aren’t enough for researchers to go on. So research is critical here.
Scientists will be able to get a better understanding about the hazards of Covid as they obtain more information about how extensive these complications are.
We undoubtedly have to learn more. The connection between Covid and hearing loss isn’t either proven or unproven at this time and research is ongoing. It’s crucial to seek help as soon as possible regardless of how your hearing loss developed. So if you suspect your hearing isn’t what it once was, give us a call to make an appointment.
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&
