COVID-19 has a few uncommon symptoms like dampening your sense of smell and taste. We know that one of the first symptoms is loss of the sense of smell. But COVID-19 impacts more than just your sense of taste and smell. New findings are pointing to an uncommon, but longer-term issue: long lasting sensorineural hearing loss.
How is Hearing Loss Brought on by COVID-19?
Scientists are learning more about COVID-19 each day. But we’re really in the dark in a lot of ways. The virus itself was only first discovered late in 2019. Normally, scientists work for years, if not decades, to completely describe a new pathogen. One thing we’re discovering about COVID is that it affects different individuals in a lot of different ways (making it a really tricky and challenging nemesis).
There are numerous symptoms you can suffer from. And permanent hearing loss can be one of them. Why this occurs is still unknown. It might be something known as “cellular stress” caused by the virus. According to this theory, COVID places so much stress on your body that some cells (like those responsible for hearing) begin to deteriorate. But this kind of hearing loss could also be a result of your body’s own immune reaction. Considerable damage can be done to your body when your immune system overcompensates.
It’s also worth mentioning that occasionally this hearing loss can first appear when other COVID symptoms are on their way out. Again, we’re not quite sure why this takes place. We are also clueless why it’s more or less likely to occur.
Is There Any Treatment For This Type of Hearing Loss?
Sensorineural hearing loss from COVID-19 can definitely be permanent. Of course, there are many variables, and there are some treatments, also. Actually, researchers have noticed already that steroid treatments appear to help safeguard your hearing, especially if you get early treatment. It’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible if you experience sudden loss of hearing.
Either way, once you’ve completely recovered from your COVID-19 situation, it might be a smart plan to visit us and get a hearing test.
But it’s worth mentioning that there are a couple of qualifiers to all of this. First and foremost, 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 discover more about COVID-19 the science will adjust.
Can You Prevent COVID-Induced Hearing Loss?
If you have sudden changes in your hearing and you have COVID-19 contact your doctor and schedule a hearing exam with us. Long-term hearing loss can be minimized by quick response.
Try to avoid getting sick: Safeguarding yourself from getting COVID-19 is the best way to prevent this type of hearing loss. So with regards to things like social distancing, social gatherings, and wearing a mask, stick to the guidelines.
This symptom does happen though it’s rare. And the more insight you have concerning COVID and hearing loss, the better. It’s a good idea to come in for an evaluation if you think you have suffered hearing damage.