- Researchers have discovered another symptom of coronavirus that may appear after the survival of COVID-19.
- Some patients who have experienced severe cases of COVID-19 complain of hearing loss and ringing in their ears (tinnitus).
- It is unclear whether the virus directly infected the ear, affected the hearing, or whether other factors caused the hearing problems.
Just when we thought we knew all about the way COVID-19 affects the human body, a new study reveals another surprising symptom that may affect patients who are infected with the new coronavirus. And, like most COVID-19 symptoms, this one would not be strong enough for doctors to diagnose the disease without a test. That is one of the strengths of this contagion. It has no specific signs that enable doctors and patients to diagnose the disease without a PCR test. What’s less is that symptoms can take up to two weeks to develop, and some people do not develop symptoms at all.
Of all the COVID-19 signs reported so far, there is one that tells nicely, and that is the sudden loss of smell followed by the loss of taste. However, not all infected people experience them. The new symptom that scientists have discovered takes on a different meaning, as it turns out that the virus can also affect hearing. But in contrast to the loss of taste and smell, hearing functions appear after recovery of COVID-19.
British researchers published a study in the International Journal of Audiology last month, explaining that some patients after COVID-19 may experience two risks from two different listener-related problems. Some people report hearing loss, while others suffer from tinnitus, which runs in the ears.
The scientists observed 121 adults who experienced severe symptoms of coronavirus, of which 13% reported eight weeks after discharge.
However, the researchers could not say for sure that the virus infected the ears of these patients. Hearing loss and tinnitus may result from other activities, including therapies used for COVID-19.
“We already know that viruses such as measles, mumps, and meningitis can cause hearing loss, and coronaviruses can damage the nerves that carry information to and from the brain,” said Kevin Munro, professor of audiology at the University of Manchester. Best life about the study. “It is, in theory, possible that COVID-19 could cause problems with parts of the audio system, including the middle ear or cochlea.”
The report cites another study of JAMA Otolaryngology last month said the virus was discovered in the inner ear. But that is not enough to prove SARS-CoV-2-induced hearing loss as tinnitus.
Other factors “may include stress and anxiety, including the use of face masks that make communication more difficult, medications used to treat COVID-19 that can damage the ear, or other factors related to critical illness,” according to Munro.
Some medications cause hearing-related complications, and COVID-19’s most controversial therapy would qualify. Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have side effects that include hearing loss and tinnitus, Best life explains, detailed a documented case from 2018, where a woman manifested these symptoms three years after regular use of hydroxychloroquine. That’s just an example of a medicine that can have hearing. Hydroxychloroquine use did not occur in the UK study.
The researchers say more research is needed to investigate all the direct effects of COVID-19 on the ear.
Chris Smith began writing about gadgets as a hobby, and before he knew it, he was sharing his views on tech things with readers all over the world. Every time he does not write about gadgets, he manages to get away with it, even though he tries desperately. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
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