One of the most uncommon symptoms of COVID-19 is that it can temporarily deaden your senses of taste and smell. Indeed, loss of smell is often one of the initial symptoms of infection. But your sense of smell and taste aren’t the only sense affected by COVID-19. Sensorineural hearing loss is an uncommon and lasting problem according to new studies.
How is Hearing Loss Brought on by COVID-19?
Every day scientists are learning more about COVID-19. But we’re truly in the dark in a lot of ways. The virus itself was only first discovered in late 2019. Usually, scientists work for years, even decades, to completely describe a new pathogen. And COVIC-19 can be particularly challenging because it impacts different people in different ways.
You may experience a wide range of symptoms. And irreversible hearing loss is sometimes one of them. Scientists still aren’t certain why that happens. It could be something called “cellular stress” caused by the virus. Some cells (like the cells in your ear) will start to deteriorate, according to this hypothesis, because the virus places so much strain on the body. But your body’s own immune response might also be responsible for this type of hearing loss. On occasion, your immune system can go into high gear and ends up causing significant damage to your body.
Also, when other COVID symptoms are going away, this hearing loss can still show up. The actual timing isn’t precisely understood. Nor do we have a solid grasp of what kind of underlying circumstances might cause COVID-related hearing loss to be more or less likely to happen.
Is There Any Treatment For This Sort of Hearing Loss?
Sensorineural hearing loss caused by COVID-19 can certainly be permanent. There might be a few treatment options depending on specific variables. It’s already been observed that early steroid treatments seem to help protect your hearing from added damage. It’s important to see a doctor right away if you experience sudden hearing loss.
Having a hearing test after your COVID has passed is always a good idea.
There are a few qualifiers to all of this that are worth pointing out. Hearing loss, first off, is not a very common COVID symptom. At the moment, we’re not certain how common this symptom is. But as scientists discover more about COVID-19 the science will change.
Can COVID Related Hearing Loss be Avoided?
If you have sudden changes in your hearing and you have COVID-19 contact your doctor and make an appointment for a hearing examination with us. Lasting hearing loss can be lessened by rapid response.
Try to prevent getting sick: The best way to prevent COVID-related hearing loss is to do everything possible to avoid contracting COVID in the first place. So when it comes to things like social distancing, social gatherings, and wearing a mask, stick to the guidelines.
This symptom does occur though it’s rare. And you will be that much better off with more knowledge about hearing loss and COIVID. It’s a good choice to come in for an assessment if you think you have suffered hearing damage.