One of the most unusual symptoms of COVID-19 is that it’s able to temporarily deaden your senses of smell and taste. We know that one of the first symptoms is loss of smell. But your sense of smell and taste aren’t the only sense impacted by COVID-19. Sensorineural hearing loss is an unusual and lasting issue according to new studies.
How Can COVID-19 Result In Hearing Loss?
Scientists are discovering more about COVID-19 every single day. But we’re really in the dark in a lot of ways. The virus itself was only first observed in late 2019. Normally, scientists work for years, even decades, to fully describe a new pathogen. And COVIC-19 is particularly challenging because it impacts different individuals in different ways.
There are lots of symptoms you can experience. And irreversible hearing loss is sometimes one of them. Researchers still aren’t sure why that happens. It may be something called “cellular stress” caused by the virus. Some cells (like the cells in your ear) will begin to deteriorate, according to this hypothesis, because the virus puts so much stress on the body. But this kind of hearing loss might also be a result of your body’s own immune reaction. On occasion, your immune system can go into high gear and winds up causing significant damage to your body.
Additionally, when other COVID symptoms are almost gone, this hearing loss can still show up. The exact timing isn’t completely understood. We also don’t have a good grasp of what sort of underlying circumstances might cause COVID-related hearing loss to be more or less likely to happen.
Can This Hearing Loss be Managed?
Sensorineural hearing loss from COVID-19 can definitely be permanent. There may be a few treatment options depending on specific variables. It’s already been observed that early steroid treatments seem to help protect your hearing from additional damage. It’s essential to see a doctor as soon as possible if you experience sudden loss of hearing.
Either way, once you’ve fully recovered from your COVID-19 situation, it might be a smart plan to visit us and get a hearing screening.
But it’s worth noting 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 common this symptom is. But it’s likely that the science on COVID will continue to update and change as scientists discover more.
Can COVID Induced Hearing Loss be Prevented?
Presently, if you’re already suffering with COVID, you should let us or your doctor know right away if you have any sudden change to your hearing. An early response could help reduce lasting hearing loss.
Try to stay healthy: The best way to prevent COVID-related hearing loss is to do everything possible to steer clear of contracting COVID in the first place. So when it comes to things such as 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 had hearing damage, it’s definitely a good idea to come in and get examined.
