One of the most uncommon symptoms of COVID-19 is that it can temporarily dampen your senses of taste and smell. We know that one of the first symptoms is loss of the sense of smell. But your sense of smell and taste aren’t the only sense impacted by COVID-19. Sensorineural hearing loss is an uncommon and lasting issue according to new studies.
How is Hearing Loss Triggered by COVID-19?
Scientists are learning more about COVID-19 each day. But there’s still a great deal we don’t know. The virus itself was only first discovered in late 2019. Normally, scientists work for years, even decades, to fully describe a new pathogen. And COVIC-19 is particularly challenging because it impacts different people in different ways.
You might experience a wide range of symptoms. And permanent hearing loss can be one of them. Why this occurs is still unknown. It might be something known as “cellular stress” caused by the virus. Based on this theory, COVID places so much stress on your body that certain cells (such as those responsible for hearing) start to break down. But your body’s own immune response may also be responsible for this kind of hearing loss. Sometimes, your immune system can go into high gear and ends up causing significant damage to your body.
Also, when other COVID symptoms are almost gone, this hearing loss can still become apparent. The actual timing isn’t really known. We are also clueless why it’s more or less likely to happen.
Can This Hearing Loss be Managed?
Irreversible sensorineural hearing loss is possible as a result of COVID-19. Naturally, there are a lot of variables, and there are some treatments, also. It’s already been observed that early steroid treatments appear to help protect your hearing from additional damage. It’s essential to see a doctor right away if you experience sudden loss of hearing.
In either case, once you’ve totally recovered from your COVID-19 situation, it may be a smart move to visit us and get a hearing screening.
But it’s worth mentioning that there are a few qualifiers to all of this. First of all, hearing loss does appear to be a fairly uncommon symptom of COVID. Right now, we’re not sure how common this symptom is. But it’s likely that the science on COVID will continue to update and change as scientists learn more.
Can COVID Related Hearing Loss be Prevented?
If you have sudden changes in your hearing and you have COVID-19 get in touch with your doctor and schedule a hearing test with us. An early response could help lessen lasting hearing loss.
Try to stay healthy: Safeguarding yourself from contracting COVID-19 is the best way to avoid this type of hearing loss. This means sticking with guidelines when it comes to social gatherings, physical distancing, and wearing a mask.
This symptom does occur though it’s rare. And the more information you have concerning COVID and hearing loss, the better. If you think you’ve already had hearing damage, it’s definitely a wise decision to come in and get examined.