One of the most uncommon symptoms of COVID-19 is that it’s able to temporarily dampen your senses of taste and smell. Indeed, loss of smell is often one of the initial symptoms of infection. But your sense of smell and taste aren’t the only sense impacted by COVID-19. Sensorineural hearing loss is an unusual and long-term issue according to new studies.
How Can COVID-19 Cause Hearing Loss?
Scientists are learning more about COVID-19 every single day. But there’s still a great deal we don’t understand. 2019 is when the virus was first discovered. New pathogens normally take years or even decades for scientists to describe. And COVIC-19 can be particularly difficult because it effects different people in different ways.
You may experience a wide variety of symptoms. And one of those symptoms is irreversible hearing loss. Researchers still aren’t sure why that is. The virus might be creating a response called “cellular stress”. According to this theory, COVID puts so much strain on your body that some cells (such as those responsible for hearing) begin to deteriorate. But your body’s own immune response could also be responsible for this type of hearing loss. Significant damage can be done to your body when your immune system overcompensates.
Also, when other COVID symptoms are almost gone, this hearing loss can still show up. The exact timing isn’t really known. We also have no clue why it’s more or less likely to happen.
Can This Hearing Loss be Managed?
Irreversible sensorineural hearing loss is possible as a result of COVID-19. There might be a few treatment options depending on certain variables. As a matter of fact, researchers have already recognized that steroid treatments appear to help preserve your hearing, particularly if you get early treatment. If you are affected by sudden loss of hearing, you should consult a doctor.
In either case, once you’ve completely recovered from your COVID-19 situation, it might be a good idea to visit us and undergo a hearing screening.
There are a few qualifiers to all of this that should be pointed out. First of all, hearing loss does appear to be a relatively uncommon symptom of COVID. We don’t know yet how prevalent this particular symptom is at this point. But as scientists learn more about COVID-19 the science will adjust.
Can You Prevent COVID-Induced Hearing Loss?
Right now, if you already have COVID, you need to let us or your doctor know right away if hearing changes suddenly. An early response may help minimize lasting hearing loss.
Try to prevent getting sick: Protecting yourself from getting COVID-19 is the best way to prevent this type of hearing loss. So when it comes to things like social distancing, social gatherings, and wearing a mask, follow the guidelines.
This symptom does occur though it’s rare. And the more insight you have concerning COVID and hearing loss, the better. If you think you’ve already suffered hearing damage, it’s probably a wise decision to come in and get tested.
