If your ears ring, Covid-19 can make things worse

Over 50 million Americans suffer from some form of tinnitus or ringing in the ear. Of these, nearly half describe tinnitus as “severe” and over 2 million people in the United States alone find it debilitating. Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no objective extrinsic sound is produced. It can be perceived as a rustle, a heartbeat, a high pitched or static tone. It can occur in one or both ears and can be associated with other ear problems, such as hearing loss, ear pain, or dizziness. It can occur during the day or (very commonly) only at night, while the tinnitus sufferer is trying to fall asleep. Although there is no cure, there are medical and surgical treatment options, the latter of which may impair hearing. Most people have had brief episodes of tinnitus at some point, after a flight, while recovering from a cold, or even just briefly while falling asleep. But long-term tinnitus is extremely disruptive and hardly has a pleasant sound.

Here are some examples of what people with tinnitus feel:

Covid-19, as is the case with many viruses, can affect peripheral nerves. One of the first findings in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections was anosmia, or loss of smell. This phenomenon is due, in part, to nasal swelling, but also to the virus that affects and damages the olfactory nerve, responsible for identifying the different smells between the nose and the brain.

As we are starting to see some long-term problems from those recovering from Covid-19, we are starting to notice that some problems are not solved. In fact, they could even get worse. A recent international study looked at over 3,000 people from 48 countries with a previous history of tinnitus. More than 40% of tinnitus sufferers who developed Covid-19 infections reported worsening of tinnitus symptoms after healing from acute viral illness. Individuals who described themselves as socially and emotionally isolated were more likely to describe their tinnitus as more annoying, even if the actual perception of sound was no worse.

In addition to tinnitus, another study evaluated the incidence and / or worsening of hearing loss associated with Covid-19 infections. A small UK based studio, published on International Journal of Audiology revealed that patients with hearing loss, tinnitus and dizziness (vertigo) reported worsening of symptoms even 8 weeks after healing from Covid-19 infections.

Just as viruses such as measles, mumps, chickenpox (chickenpox or shingles) can affect nerves temporarily or permanently, growing evidence of long-term neurological deficits due to Covid-19 infections is beginning to emerge.