A worrying new study reveals that tinnitus – or ringing in the ears – and even hearing loss may be linked to some cases of long-term COVID-19.
The research found that 14.8 percent of people infected with the insect suffer from tinnitus, 7.6 percent suffered hearing loss and 7.2 percent developed vertigo, the sensation of rotation.
Professor Kevin Munro, audiologists at the University of Manchester, director of the Center for Audiology and Deafness in Manchester and doctoral researcher Ibrahim Almufarrij found 56 studies that identified a link between COVID-19 and hearing and vestibular problems, according to Sky News.
The vestibular sensory system includes parts of the inner ear and brain that process information involved in controlling spatial balance and orientation.
“If it’s true that something between 7 percent and 15 percent has these symptoms, it’s something we should take very seriously,” Munro, who gathered data from 24 of the studies, told the press.
“There are big implications for clinical services, if that means there could be a big increase in the number of people coming forward,” added Munro, whose findings were published in the International Journal of Audiology.
Hearing problems can be caused by several viruses, including measles, mumps and meningitis, which affect the sensory cells in the inner ear – but it is unclear why COVID-19 can also cause these problems.
“There are some people who say that the symptoms are continuous. There are others who say it seems to have settled down a bit, so there are a lot of strangers at the moment, “Munro told Sky News.
The recent suicide of Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor, whose person suffered from long-term COVID-19, has focused on hearing problems related to the deadly bug.
Paul Johnson, 53, who was hospitalized in December with COVID-19, has been suffering from tinnitus ever since.
“It’s a persistent, very loud whistle you hear,” he told Sky News.
“Something I could liken it to would be if you have water running through a pipe, going through a valve, but you turn it slightly so that you get a kind of ‘shh’ – a whistle, but it’s a much higher frequency than that, “he added.
Johnson said he first noticed the irritating sound two weeks before he was hospitalized and that it got worse.
“You notice it a lot at night, when there is no noise around you, there is no noise in the background, the TV is turned off and you have this constant whistling noise,” he told the outlet.
“I think at this point I would consider it manageable. I can’t say it keeps me awake, but I certainly hope it doesn’t get stronger or more visible, “Johnson added.
The researchers’ data mainly used self-reported questionnaires or medical records to obtain COVID-19-related symptoms, rather than more scientifically reliable hearing tests.
Munro suggested that tinnitus may also be caused by the actual ear damage from noise or infection, to psychological triggers such as stress and anxiety.
So while there may be reasonable assumptions to show how COVID-19 could directly affect a person’s hearing, he said the current evidence is not of sufficient quality to prove causation, according to the New Atlas.
“It is possible for the virus to attack and damage the hearing system,” he said. “On the other hand, the mental and emotional stress of the pandemic can be the trigger. But we must be careful when interpreting these findings, because it is not always clear whether studies report existing or new symptoms. What is missing are good quality studies comparing tinnitus in people with and without COVID-19. ”
He is now conducting a more detailed clinical study which he hopes will accurately estimate the number and severity of coronavirus-related hearing disorders in the UK.