COVID-19 Can Impair Your Hearing Too

COVID-19 has a few unusual symptoms like dampening your sense of smell and taste. Indeed, loss of smell is often one of the first symptoms of infection. But your sense of smell and taste aren’t the only sense affected by COVID-19. New findings are pointing to an unusual, but longer-term issue: permanent sensorineural hearing loss.

How Can COVID-19 Result In Hearing Loss?

Every day scientists are discovering more about COVID-19. But we're really in the dark in many ways. 2019 is when the virus was first observed. Usually, scientists work for years, if not decades, to fully identify a new pathogen. And COVIC-19 is particularly difficult because it effects different people in different ways.

There are a wide variety of symptoms you can suffer from. And permanent hearing loss can be one of them. Why this happens is still unknown. It could be something known as “cellular stress” caused by the virus. Based on this hypothesis, COVID places so much stress on your body that some cells (like those responsible for hearing) start to break down. But this form of hearing loss may also be a result of your body’s own immune reaction. On occasion, your immune system can go into overdrive and winds up contributing to significant damage to your body.

It’s also worth noting that sometimes this hearing loss can first appear when other COVID symptoms are almost gone. Again, we aren't really sure why this happens. Nor do we have a solid grasp of what sort of underlying circumstances might cause COVID-related hearing loss to be more or less likely to take place.

Can This Hearing Loss be Treated?

Sensorineural hearing loss caused by COVID-19 can definitely be permanent. Needless to say, there are a lot of variables, and there are a few treatments, also. Actually, researchers have already recognized that steroid treatments appear to help protect your hearing, particularly if you undergo early treatment. If you do experience sudden loss of hearing, you should talk to a doctor.

Getting a hearing exam after your COVID has passed is always a good idea.

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. We don't know yet how common this particular symptom is at this point. But it’s likely that the science on COVID will keep updating and changing as scientists discover more.

Can You Prevent COVID-Induced Hearing Loss?

If you have sudden changes in your hearing and you have COVID-19 get in touch with your doctor and schedule a hearing exam with us. Lasting hearing loss can be lessened by quick response.

Try to prevent getting sick: The best way to protect against COVID-related hearing loss is to do whatever you can to steer clear of getting COVID in the first place. This means following guidelines when it comes to social gatherings, physical distancing, and wearing a mask.

While this specific symptom isn't common, it still occurs. And the more insight you have about COVID and hearing loss, the better. It's a good idea to come in for an assessment if you think you have suffered hearing damage.