Covid-19 and Hearing Loss

For many with hearing loss, Covid-19 and the use of masks have made communication a bit more difficult, as John Watter describes in his article. But is there more of a connection between Covid-19 and hearing loss than just masks?

In an article by Forbes, the author links several publications with preliminary research into the side effects of Covid-19. As the virus is new, these studies look at small groups of people that reported changes after recovery. 

Although these studies are only looking at small groups of people, they are from all over the world. Thailand, the United Kingdom, India, and globally as this pandemic has touched the world. Studies noted individuals with hearing loss in either one² or both^1,3 ears, increased Tinnitus (ringing in the ears), or Vertigo⁴. 

These first several studies have discussed two possible side effects with a positive Covid-19 diagnosis and how it relates to hearing…

Note: these things are possible as many people have recovered without these side-effects.

Covid-19 a Virus

Historically, other viruses have caused hearing loss in some individuals. This includes herpes, HIV, and measles⁵. Viruses can affect the hearing systems if the virus makes its way into the middle ear or other parts of the auditory pathway^{3, 5}. For some individuals with Covid-19, this might have occurred. 

Ototoxic Treatment

The other possibility is ototoxicity. Ototoxicity or ototoxic refers to medications that can be harmful to the organs of hearing or balance. As medical professionals are trying to find what will best treat Covid-19, several effective medications, unfortunately, are ototoxic. In some cases, individuals had no history of hearing loss^{2, 3}, while for others it worsened symptoms of hearing loss or Tinnitus⁴. After testing patients’ hearing, a study found that the differences were in high-frequency sounds (4kHz to 8kHz)². Meaning they would miss some speech sounds like f, s, and th.

Most side effects are based on the “ dose, the duration of the therapy, and other patient factors (i.e. medical history and use of other medications)⁴.” Meaning not everyone may experiences these side effects based on how long they are on the medications for and the dosage they need.

Additionally, the special cells in our ears responsible for sensing sounds are also very sensitive to levels of oxygen. So for a virus like Covid-19 that affects the respiratory system and then treated with oxygen via a ventilator, may contribute as well.⁴. 

Conclusion

We’ve been very lucky here in Peterborough with low numbers of confirmed Covid-19 cases, but we still need to be vigilant. Regardless, if you’re concerned about your hearing or having more difficulty with hearing, give us a call. We’ll be more than happy to test your hearing and discuss what is going on. 

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7132500/
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196070920301654?via%3Dihub
3. https://www.actaitalica.it/article/view/820
4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2058738420941754
5. https://medium.com/microbial-instincts/hearing-loss-an-odd-covid-19-symptom-we-overlooked-6cdf81a5e70