Can Covid-19 Cause Hearing Loss and Tinnitus?

Over the course of the past 18 months, we have been flooded with a host of information related to COVID-19 and it can often be difficult to discern between fact, fiction and what information is most vital in keeping ourselves and our families safe and healthy. Perhaps one of the more enigmatic topics surrounding the virus has been long-haul COVID symptoms and those who struggle with residual side-effects long after battling the infection.

While the research surrounding COVID-19 is still very much in its infancy, recent studies have shown a notable number of individuals have struggled with hearing loss, tinnitus or vertigo as a long-haul COVID symptom, presenting days or even weeks later. Additionally, there are increasing anecdotal reports that the rapidly spreading Delta variant is more likely to cause earaches than other mutations of the virus, as the variant causes more upper respiratory symptoms, putting more pressure on the ears and potentially causing ear infections, which can lead to further complications if left untreated.

More research on the long-term auditory consequences of COVID-19 is needed, however there is significant evidence that hearing loss is an often a camouflaged symptom of COVID-19 infection. An early study, conducted in July 2020 by the International Journal of Audiology, found that nearly 15% of 138 hospitalized COVID-19 patients experienced hearing loss eight weeks after being discharged. In a more recent study, 100 individuals under the age of 60 who contracted COVID-19 were examined in May 2021 by doctors affiliated with JSS Medical College in Mysore, India. They found a total of 49 patients showed damage or death to the high frequency hair cells in the inner ear. This results in a majority of the patients experiencing high frequency hearing loss, with many consonant sounds considered high frequency (s, h and f, for example). With these sounds damaged, the brain has to work harder to understand speech, especially in noisy environments.

It is widely known that one of the symptoms of COVID-19 is the loss of smell, but what most may not realize is that the same mechanism that causes that symptom can also result in hearing loss or tinnitus. COVID-19 infections cause blood to get flooded with platelet-making cells which are much bigger than most blood cells. These bigger platelet cells get stuck and clog up tiny blood vessels in the nose and ear, which can lead to a loss of nerve function, eventually resulting in hearing loss. Additionally, it was reported that auditory complications including tinnitus and vertigo can result as a complication from COVID-19.

Researchers would agree that hearing loss as it relates to COVID-19 is one of the emerging areas of concern and calls for further research. But early identification of any kind of hearing impairment or symptom requires timely intervention in an effort to effectively preserve and enhance the ability to hear the sounds that surround us.

Dr. Lori Halvorson, Audiologist, and the team at Lake Forest Hearing Professionals, have made it their mission to make hearing and cognitive health a priority, regardless of age or level of impairment. For those who find themselves struggling following a bout with COVID-19, Dr. Lori approaches hearing health comprehensively. Following a hearing and auditory processing test battery to evaluate the integrity of the entire auditory system, Dr. Lori will determine a diagnosis and treatment plan that first works to stabilize or regain any hearing loss or tinnitus, followed by hearing enhancement of damaged hearing and brain retraining to learn to process sound thru a damaged system. These include:

• Cognitive screening
• Hearing Aid Fittings centered around brain processing
• Speech in Noise Evaluations
• Tinnitus Evaluation
• Hearing Preservation treatment
• Hearing Nutrition & Exercise
• Music Brain Training

When hearing and auditory processing are both normal, they contribute to an individual’s awareness of their surroundings, putting them in a safer, less stressful situation. Compromised hearing impacts immediate well-being and cognitive health. Studies have shown hearing loss, left untreated, can affect cognitive function. Best results are experienced with early treatment. Regardless of whether hearing difficulties are experienced following an illness or preventative hearing health care is required, Lake Forest Hearing Professionals is a movement committed to protecting the future of your hearing and cognition. By routinely testing people of all ages, like a preventative dental exam, Dr. Lori's goal is to improve quality of life with healthy hearing, two ears at a time. The sounds of nature, a favorite song, or the voice of a loved one are all equally important components that comprise life’s incomparable soundtrack. And in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more vital time for Dr. Lori’s intel, commitment and activism for hearing health. When is the last time you had your hearing tested?

Lake Forest Hearing Professionals is following CDC safety protocols to keep patients and staff safe, and Dr. Lori and the Lake Forest Hearing Professionals team are fully vaccinated.

Dr. Lori Halvorson, AuD, FAAA Board Certified Doctor of Audiology Lake Forest Hearing Professionals & Sounhaus (847) 295-1185