If you’re subjected to a lot of loud sound and don’t wear ear protection, you may experience hearing loss later in life. Hearing loss may be in your future, for example, if you work on a loud factory floor without hearing protection. These hearing loss causes are rather common. But there’s a new kid on the block, and you can probably guess who it is: Covid-19.
That’s correct, the same disease that’s been turning the world upside down for the past couple of years may also result in hearing loss.
Maybe? Probably? Alright, we’re still in the early stages of actually understanding Covid-19. And scientists are discovering something new about it every day. 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 produce hearing loss?
So, let’s get this out of the way right off the bat: The Covid-19 vaccine has never been proven to cause hearing loss. All of the currently approved vaccines have this in common. That just isn’t how these vaccines work, they don’t impact your ears at all. It would be like blaming your diabetes on the salad you ate for dinner.
This goes for the brand new mRNA vaccines and the more established ones. Which means that the benefits of these vaccines still greatly surpass the risks for most people. Talk with your doctor and find reputable information if you have any questions about vaccines.
Let’s talk about hearing loss now that we’ve cleared that up.
So, how does Covid trigger hearing loss?
But, how does this cause hearing loss? Particularly, how does this lead to sensorineural hearing loss, the kind of hearing loss that results from damage to your auditory system and is typically irreversible?
Scientists have a couple of theories. Either one of them could cause hearing loss or both together.
Theory #1: inflammation
Covid-19 creates inflammation in your upper respiratory tract, and the theory is that this inflammation eventually impacts your ears. Your ears, nose, and mouth are all connected, after all. This might cause 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. In these circumstances, your hearing will usually go back to normal after your symptoms subside (if this takes place, you’re not experiencing sensorineural hearing loss).
- Cell damage: It’s essential to keep in mind that viruses replicate by taking over your body’s own cells. The consequence is damage. Sometimes, damage to the vascular connections between your brain and your ears takes place because of the way Covid affects your vascular system. This would be considered sensorineural hearing loss, and would most likely be essentially permanent.
Steroids are sometimes prescribed when hearing loss is a result of inflammation. Researchers are still searching for a way to prevent sensorineural hearing loss caused by cell damage. How much protection from this type of hearing loss the vaccines will provide is not clear, but it’s better than no protection.
Theory #2: Long Covid
The second theory is a bit murkier when it comes to the cause and effect, but more substantiated in terms of patients’ experience. There’s something called Long Covid which you, by now, have probably heard about.
Long Covid is a condition in which individuals experience symptoms from Covid well after the actual virus has left their system. Often, a debilitating bout of long Covid that lasts for months, or longer, after having Covid itself, is experienced. Scientists are still unsure exactly what causes Long Covid, but there’s no denying it’s a real thing.
In February of 2021, researchers published a systematic review that evaluated data about long-term auditory problems due to Covid-19. The review found that:
- Vertigo was reported by7.2% of people
- 7.6% of individuals reported hearing impairment after becoming ill with Covid.
- 14.8% reported experiencing tinnitus
Whether these auditory problems 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. Long covid seems to initiate a broad constellation of symptoms, including those that affect your hearing.
Evidence or anecdote?
It’s anecdotal when somebody says that their hearing hasn’t been the same since they got Covid. It’s one individual narrative. When scientists are attempting to devise a treatment strategy, these individual accounts, while they are part of day-to-day life for the individuals, aren’t enough for scientists to go on. So research is key here.
Scientists will be able to get a better comprehension about the hazards of Covid as they collect more data about how prevalent these difficulties are.
Of course, there’s still more to learn. Research is ongoing, which means the link between Covid-19 and hearing loss isn’t necessarily proven or unproven. No matter how you developed hearing loss, however, it’s still crucial that you get treatment as soon as you can. So if you suspect your hearing isn’t what it used to be, 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&