If you’re subjected to a lot of loud sound and don’t wear ear protection, you might 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 are fairly common and well recognized causes of hearing loss. But there’s a new kid on the block, and you can probably guess who it is: Covid-19.
That’s right, the same disease that’s been turning the world upside down for the past couple of years might also be responsible for hearing loss.
Maybe? Probably? Okay, Covid-19 is still a very new virus. And something new about it is being uncovered all of the time by scientists. There is some research which suggests that hearing loss could 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.
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. All of the currently approved vaccines have this in common. Vaccines don’t affect your ears, they just don’t work that way. It would be like eating a nice healthy salad and then claiming that it was the cause of your diabetes.
This is true of both the established vaccines and the new mRNA vaccines. For most individuals, the risks are vastly exceeded by the benefits. Talk with your doctor and seek reputable information if you have any questions about vaccines.
Okay… with that off the table, let’s talk about hearing loss.
So, how does Covid trigger hearing loss?
But, how can this trigger hearing loss? Particularly, how does this cause sensorineural hearing loss, the type of hearing loss that is the result of damage to your auditory system and is usually permanent?
Well, there are a couple of hypotheses. Either one of them could cause hearing loss or both together.
Theory #1: inflammation
The first compelling theory among researchers is that Covid-19 causes considerable inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, and that this inflammation can eventually impact your ears. Your ears, nose, and mouth are all interconnected, after all. This may trigger hearing loss in a couple of ways:
- Fluid buildup: Fluid has a more difficult time draining because inflammation has made the drainage channels more narrow. It becomes harder and harder to hear as this fluid continues to build up. Once the symptoms subside, your hearing will typically return to normal (if this takes place, you’re not experiencing sensorineural hearing loss).
- Damaged cells: It’s essential to keep in mind that viruses reproduce by hijacking your body’s own cells. The result is damage. And because Covid impacts your vascular system, this can sometimes result in damage to the vascular links between your ears and your brain. This situation is sensorineural hearing loss and will be generally permanent.
When hearing loss is caused by a buildup due to inflammation, steroids can often help. There’s still a continuing effort by scientists to discover a way to prevent sensorineural hearing loss. It’s unclear, based on this research, just how much protection vaccines give you against this sort of damage, but it seems obvious that it’s better than no protection.
Theory #2: Long Covid
The second hypothesis is a little murkier in terms of 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 people experience symptoms from Covid well 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 lasts for months (or longer). There’s no doubt, Long Covid is real, but scientists still aren’t sure why.
Data about long-term hearing complications was systematically reviewed by scientists and a report was published in February 2021. The review found that:
- After having Covid, hearing loss was reported by 7.6% of individuals.
- Vertigo was reported by7.2% of people
- Tinnitus was reported by 14.8%
Whether these auditory problems are caused by Long Covid or just associated with it isn’t really clear, but it goes without saying there’s some kind of relationship. A host 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 narrative. When researchers are attempting to devise a treatment plan, these personal accounts, while they are part of everyday life for the individuals, aren’t enough for scientists to go on. That’s why research is so critical.
As researchers obtain more evidence that these hearing difficulties are fairly extensive, they’re able to create a clearer understanding of the hazards associated with Covid-19.
Of course, there’s still more to understand. Research is ongoing, which means the link between Covid-19 and hearing loss isn’t actually proven or unproven. No matter how your hearing loss develops, however, it’s still important that you seek out treatment as soon as possible. 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&