COVID-19 Can Affect Your Hearing Too

Woman protects her hearing health by wearing a mask.

One of the most unusual symptoms of COVID-19 is that it’s able to temporarily deaden your senses of taste and smell. We know that one of the first symptoms is loss of smell. But your sense of smell and taste aren’t the only sense affected by COVID-19. Sensorineural hearing loss is an uncommon and long-term issue according to new studies.

How is Hearing Loss Brought on by COVID-19?

Each day scientists are discovering more about COVID-19. But we’re truly in the dark in many ways. 2019 is when the virus was first discovered. Normally, scientists work for years, if not decades, to fully describe a new pathogen. And COVIC-19 can be particularly challenging because it impacts different individuals in different ways.

You could experience a wide range of symptoms. And one of those symptoms is permanent hearing loss. Why this happens is still not known. It might be something known as “cellular stress” caused by the virus. Some cells (such as the cells in your ear) will begin to breakdown, according to this theory, because the virus puts so much strain on the body. But your body’s own immune response might also be responsible for this kind of hearing loss. On occasion, your immune system can go into high gear and ends up causing significant damage to your body.

Also, when other COVID symptoms are going away, this hearing loss can still become apparent. Again, we aren’t quite sure why this occurs. We also have no clue why it’s more or less likely to happen.

Is There Any Treatment For This Kind of Hearing Loss?

Permanent sensorineural hearing loss is possible as a result of COVID-19. There may be a few treatment possibilities depending on certain variables. Actually, researchers have noticed already that steroid treatments seem to help safeguard your hearing, particularly if you get early treatment. If you do experience sudden loss of hearing, you need to consult a doctor.

Either way, once you’ve totally recovered from your COVID-19 situation, it may be a good plan to visit us and get a hearing examination.

But it’s worth pointing out that there are a couple of qualifiers to all of this. Hearing loss, first off, is not a very common COVID symptom. At the moment, we’re not certain how prevalent this symptom is. But it’s likely that the science on COVID will keep updating and changing as scientists discover more.

Can COVID Induced Hearing Loss be Avoided?

If you have sudden changes in your hearing and you have COVID-19 contact your doctor and schedule a hearing examination with us. An early response could help reduce long-term hearing loss.

Try to prevent getting sick: Safeguarding yourself from contracting COVID-19 is the best way to prevent this kind of hearing loss. So when it comes to things like social distancing, social gatherings, and wearing a mask, follow the guidelines.

While this specific symptom isn’t common, it still happens. And you will be substantially better off with more insight about hearing loss and COIVID. It’s a good decision to come in for an evaluation if you think you’ve suffered hearing damage.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

Stop struggling to hear conversations. Come see us today. Call or Text