If you’re exposed to a lot of loud sound and don’t use ear protection, you may experience hearing loss later in life. Likewise, if you work on a noisy factory floor and don’t wear hearing protection, hearing loss may be in your future. These hearing loss causes are fairly common. But there’s a new kid on the block, and you can most likely guess who it is: Covid-19.
That’s right, the same illness that’s been turning the world upside down for the past couple of years might also result in hearing loss.
Maybe? Probably? Alright, we’re still in the early phases of completely understanding Covid-19. And something new about it is being uncovered constantly by scientists. There is some research which indicates that hearing loss may be a potential side effect of Covid-19, but more research still needs to be done to back this up. So where is this research currently at.
Does the Covid vaccine trigger hearing loss?
So here’s the first thing to keep in mind: The Covid-19 vaccine has never been proven to cause hearing loss. All of the presently approved vaccines have this in common. That’s just not how these vaccines work, they don’t affect your ears at all. It would be like blaming your diabetes on the salad you had for dinner.
This applies to the brand new mRNA vaccines and the more conventional ones. For the majority of individuals, the risks are vastly outweighed by the benefits. If you have questions about vaccines, be certain to speak with your doctor, and get information from a reputable source.
Let’s discuss hearing loss now that we’ve cleared that up.
So, how can Covid cause hearing loss?
So how is hearing loss triggered by this? Particularly, how does it trigger 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 hypotheses. These theories, we should point out, aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive. They could both be true!
Theory #1: inflammation
The first substantial theory among researchers is that Covid-19 causes significant inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, and that this inflammation can ultimately affect your ears. Your ears, nose, and mouth are all linked, after all. There are two ways this could trigger hearing loss:
- Fluid buildup: Inflammation can make drainage pathways narrower, making it more difficult for fluid to escape or drain efficiently. It becomes harder and harder to hear as this fluid continues to accumulate. After the symptoms clear up, your hearing will usually return to normal (this wouldn’t be an example of sensorineural hearing loss).
- Cell damage: Remember that viruses utilize your body’s own cells to reproduce. This can lead to damage. Sometimes, damage to the vascular links between your ears and your brain happens because of the way Covid affects your vascular system. This situation is sensorineural hearing loss and will be generally irreversible.
Steroids are sometimes prescribed when hearing loss is related to inflammation. There’s still an ongoing effort by scientists to determine 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 significant when it comes to patients’ experience, but a little less comprehended with regards to cause and effect. There’s something called Long Covid which you, by now, have probably heard about.
Long Covid is a condition in which people experience symptoms from Covid long after the actual virus has left their body. Sometimes, patients will experience a mild bout of Covid followed by a debilitating Long Covid experience that drags on for months (or longer). There’s no question, Long Covid is real, but scientists still aren’t sure why.
Data about long-term hearing difficulties was systematically reviewed by scientists and a report was published in February 2021. The review found that:
- Vertigo was reported by7.2% of people
- 7.6% of individuals reported hearing loss after getting Covid.
- Tinnitus was reported by 14.8%
There’s certainly a connection between Long Covid and hearing problems, but it’s unknown if there’s a direct cause and effect association. Long covid seems to trigger a broad constellation of symptoms, including those that affect your hearing.
Anecdote or evidence?
When someone talks about how they got Covid and had hearing issues ever since, that’s an anecdote. It’s only one person’s narrative. And while it’s a fact of life for them, it isn’t really enough for researchers to go on when formulating treatment plans. So research is key here.
Scientists will be able to get a clearer understanding about the hazards of Covid as they accumulate more information about how widespread these complications are.
We certainly need to learn more. Research is continuing, which means the connection between Covid-19 and hearing loss isn’t actually proven or unproven. It’s important to get help as soon as possible regardless of how your hearing loss developed. So if you think your hearing isn’t what it once was, call us to schedule 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&