COVID-19 has a few uncommon symptoms like dampening your sense of taste and smell. Indeed, loss of smell is often one of the initial symptoms of infection. But COVID-19 impacts more than just your sense of taste and smell. Sensorineural hearing loss is an unusual and permanent issue according to new findings.
How Can COVID-19 Result In Hearing Loss?
Scientists are discovering more about COVID-19 every single day. But we’re truly in the dark in a lot of ways. The virus itself was only first discovered in late 2019. New pathogens often take years or decades for scientists to identify. One thing we do know about COVID is that it affects different people in a lot of different ways (making it a particularly difficult and challenging nemesis).
There are numerous symptoms you can suffer from. And one of those symptoms is irreversible hearing loss. Why this occurs is still not known. It may be something called “cellular stress” caused by the virus. Some cells (such as the cells in your ear) will start to breakdown, according to this theory, because the virus places so much strain on the body. But this kind of hearing loss may also be the result of your body’s own immune response. Sometimes, your immune system can go into overdrive and winds up contributing to considerable damage to your body.
Also, when other COVID symptoms are almost gone, this hearing loss can still show up. The actual timing isn’t precisely known. Nor do we have a solid understanding of what type of underlying circumstances would cause COVID-related hearing loss to be more or less likely to happen.
Is There Any Treatment For This Type of Hearing Loss?
Irreversible sensorineural hearing loss is possible as a result of COVID-19. Of course, there are countless variables, and there are some treatments, also. It’s already been discovered that early steroid treatments appear to help protect your hearing from further damage. It’s essential to see a doctor as soon as possible if you experience sudden loss of hearing.
Having a hearing exam after your COVID has passed is always a smart idea.
But it’s worth mentioning that there are a few qualifiers to all of this. First and foremost, hearing loss does seem to be a relatively uncommon symptom of COVID. We don’t know yet how widespread this particular symptom is at this point. But it’s likely that the science on COVID will continue to update and change as scientists discover more.
Can You Avoid COVID-Related Hearing Loss?
If you have sudden changes in your hearing and you have COVID-19 contact your doctor and make an appointment for a hearing exam with us. An early response may help lessen lasting hearing loss.
Try to prevent getting sick: The best way to prevent COVID-related hearing loss is to do everything possible to steer clear of contracting COVID in the first place. This means following guidelines regarding social gatherings, physical distancing, and wearing a mask.
While this particular symptom isn’t common, it still occurs. And the more insight you have about COVID and hearing loss, the better. If you think you’ve already suffered hearing damage, it’s probably a good idea to come in and get tested.