A Frightening New Coronavirus Symptom Is Puzzling Doctors
- A bizarre new coronavirus symptom is puzzling doctors, who cant yet explain how or why the pathogen operates.
- Some patients who tested positive for coronavirus reported ringing in the ears, sometimes followed by hearing loss.
- Hearing may return after treatment with steroids, but the ringing might remain.
- Doctors think the virus impacts the ear via tiny blood vessels, as COVID-19 is known to cause blood clots in the body.
Some patients report ringing in their ears following the infection with the new pathogen, which can result in temporary or even permanent hearing loss. The first reports of this frightening symptom came during the summer, as researchers from the UK released the conclusions of their study detailing the condition.
Plenty of COVID-19 patients experienced ringing in the ears followed by hearing loss. CNN detailed two such cases over the weekend, including 42-year-old Meredith Harrell.
It was like someone flipped a switch, she told CNN about the sudden loss of hearing in her right ear in July, which started ringing before she realized she couldnt hear anything at all out of that ear. Her positive diagnosis came a week later when she took a COVID-19 test. She had no other symptoms indicative of infection with the novel coronavirus, but an otologist told her it was probably the virus to blame for the hearing problems.
Anxiety Loneliness Makes Things Worse
The findings highlight the complexities associated with experiencing tinnitus and how both internal factors, such as increased anxiety and feelings of loneliness, and external factors, such as changes to daily routines, can have a significant effect on the condition. Some of the changes brought about by COVID-19 appear to have had a negative impact on the lives of people with tinnitus and participants in this study reported that COVID-19 symptoms are worsening or, in some cases, even initiating tinnitus and hearing loss. This is something that needs to be closely examined by both clinical and support services, they noted.
Relationship Between Tinnitus And Covid
Covid-19 presents a wide range of symptoms among those affected, not only during the disease but also in the immediate following period. Several studies have shown the persistence of tinnitus and even the aggravation of the ringing in the ears caused by the Coronavirus.
A study published on the ‘Frontiers in Public Health’ portal indicated that Covid-19 can accentuate the symptoms of tinnitus. According to this research, conducted on a sample of 3,100 people from 48 countries, 40% of people affected by tinnitus noticed a worsening due to the Coronavirus. This research, mainly focused on the United States and the United Kingdom, focused on men and women with prior ringing in their ears aged 18 to 100.
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New Study Confirms Link Between Covid
- May 10, 2021
Now that we have been dealing with the global COVID-19 pandemic for over a year now, you have probably learned that symptoms of COVID can vary from person to person. Some people experience difficulty breathing, while others only suffer from a loss of taste or smell. Some people experience nausea or vomiting, while others have a fever and chills.
You may also know that certain viruses can lead to hearing difficulties, including measles, mumps, and meningitis. But what about the coronavirus? Could one of the varying symptoms of COVID-19 be an effect on your hearing? A new study found that yes, there is a link between COVID-19 and symptoms of hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo.
Tinnitus is the most common hearing symptom reported by those suffering from COVID-19. Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is a fairly common condition on its own, with nearly 15 percent of the population experiencing some form of tinnitus. Most people who experience tinnitus also have hearing loss, which suggests a close link between the two conditions. Researchers suspect that tinnitus is one of the first signs that the hearing system has been damaged by factors like excessive noise or ototoxic drugs.
Why Is Coronavirus Causing So Much Anxiety
Psychologist Justin Ross from UCHealth Integrative Medicine Center states that Coronavirus anxiety has three key factors:
Anxiety and stress are perceived in the limbic system, the emotional area of the brain that controls our mood, personality, and decision-making. While anxiety is a healthy, normal response from the changes in the world around us, it can also negatively impact our tinnitus and overall sense of well-being.
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What Can I Do To Relieve My Tinnitus Stress Around Coronavirus
Whether youve been a patient of ours for years or if youre new to tinnitus and our clinics, please reach out. Weve implemented new, HIPAA-compliant video appointments so we can stay in touch with you in a healthy and safe way. These appointments do not require you to download any programs or subscriptions.
Earache And Pain After Covid Vaccine
Earache is a rather common symptom and can have many different causes, which is why it is not easy to associate it as a direct side effect of the Covid vaccine, since its onset could be a coincidence.
We will therefore report the results of the Covid-19 vaccine adverse reactions report, that states that in UK out of 77.4 million doses administered, the episodes of earache reported after to the administration of the Covid 19 vaccine were:
- Vaxzevria : 1924
- Moderna: 49
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Symptoms Of Tinnitus Can Cause Great Distress
While tinnitus can be caused by conditions that require medical attention, it is often a condition that is not medically serious. However, the distress and anxiety it produces can often disrupt peoples lives. Because of the negative impact tinnitus can have on people, it may be helpful to learn more information on what symptoms are common and benign , and those that require medical attention and interventions.
Covid May Cause Tinnitus
By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Nov. 6, 2020 — Tinnitus, a common hearing problem, may be worsened by COVID-19 or possibly even triggered by the new coronavirus, new research indicates.
Moreover, people with tinnitus are further struggling because of lifestyle changes forced by the pandemic, the study found.
Tinnitus includes the perception of noise, like ringing, in the ears and head. It’s associated with reduced emotional well-being, depression and anxiety.
“The findings of this study highlight the complexities associated with experiencing tinnitus and how both internal factors, such as increased anxiety and feelings of loneliness, and external factors, such as changes to daily routines, can have a significant effect on the condition,” study author Eldre Beukes said in a news release from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England. She is a research fellow at Anglia Ruskin and Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
The researchers studied more than 3,100 people from 48 countries, most from the United States and United Kingdom. They found that 40% of those who had COVID-19 symptoms experienced a worsening of their existing tinnitus. Some participants reported their tinnitus was initially triggered by developing coronavirus symptoms.
This could mean that tinnitus could be a “long COVID” symptom for some, the study said.
The pandemic has also made it more difficult for patients to access health care support for their condition, according to the study.
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A study published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Public Health found that 40 percent of people who had symptoms of Covid-19 reported a worsening of their tinnitus. The research included more than 3,000 participants who self-reported whether they had experienced changes in their hearing since the pandemic started. Around 250 participants reported Covid-19 symptoms, although only 26 had tested positive for the virus.
In the roughly one-third of study participants who had tinnitus before the pandemic, “a combination of lifestyle, social and emotional factors during the pandemic” appears to have made it worse, said the study’s lead author, Eldre Beukes, a research fellow at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England.
Women More Prone To This Side
UK respondents reported this to be a greater issue compared to people from other countries, with 46 per cent of UK respondents saying that lifestyle changes had negatively impacted their tinnitus compared to 29 per cent in North America. Females and the under-50s found tinnitus significantly more bothersome during the pandemic. The study noted that as well as increasing the severity of tinnitus symptoms, the COVID-19 pandemic has also made it more difficult for people to access healthcare support for the condition. This could further increase emotional distress and worsen tinnitus symptoms, creating a vicious cycle.
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A New Study Says That Tinnitus A Common Condition That Causes The Perception Of Noise In The Ear And Head Is Being Exacerbated By Covid
Written by Jahnavi Sarma | Published : November 7, 2020 4:11 PM IST
COVID-19 infection can affect a person in many different ways. Sometimes, a person may also experience symptoms after recovering from this infectious disease. Though respiratory distress is the most common symptom and many experts say that permanent lung damage may be seen in people who have recovered from this viral infection, there are many other complications as well. Organ damage is also common and seen often in post-recovery patients. But now researchers of a new study say that some people may also face hearing issues.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University in the UK have revealed that tinnitus, a common condition that causes the perception of noise in the ear and head, is being exacerbated by COVID-19 — as well as the measures taken to stop its spread. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, involved 3,103 participants from 48 countries, with the vast majority coming from the UK and the US.
Tinnitus And Ringing In Ears After Covid Vaccine
A small but growing number of people are reporting tinnitus after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the aforementioned Covid-19 vaccine adverse reactions report, in UK out of 77.4 million doses administered as of June, 30 2021, the episodes of tinnitus and ringing in ears related to the administration of the Covid 19 vaccine were:
- Vaxzevria : 3556
- Moderna: 87
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How Does Tinnitus Affect Mental Health
When Marlene Suarez contracted Covid-19 during the second week of January, her symptoms of fever, cough and difficulty breathing werent so severe that she needed to be hospitalized, but they were bad enough to warrant treatment with monoclonal antibodies to reduce her risk of serious complications. About a week after her diagnosis, while watching TV, she noticed a ringing in her left ear, and that she couldnt hear anything in her right.
I went to the emergency room, where the E.N.T. on call said it was probably from Covid-19, said Ms. Suarez, 62, an attorney in Collinsville, Ill. The ringing continued for weeks. I was so depressed and scared Id never get better, Ms. Suarez said. I speak and talk for a living how was I going to be able to have a conversation with a client or present in court if it constantly sounded like bells were exploding on my left side?
Ms. Suarez was given oral corticosteroids for several weeks, and now, more than two months later, her tinnitus and hearing loss have mostly resolved. But for many with more chronic ringing in the ears, the result can be devastating.
For most people with tinnitus, the worst time is the first six to nine months after it begins, Dr. Tyler said. After that, most people adjust and learn to live with it, especially if theyre given the right treatments.
Coronavirus In The Middle Ear
Stewart, who was part of a study published in JAMA Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, conducted autopsies on three people who died of COVID, finding novel coronavirus in the middle ear and mastoid bone in the skull, which is located just behind the ear.
He told CNN that he is “suspicious that has the potential to be worse” than other viruses in terms of hearing damage, due to its blood clotting abilities in other parts of the body and possibly in the “extremely small blood vessels” in the inner ear.
“The capillaries in the inner ear are the smallest in the human body, so it wouldn’t take much to block them,” adds Kevin Munro, an audiological scientist who co-authored the IJA study. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
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Covid Symptoms No One Talks About But Should
Eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic, we know the common symptoms to look out for: Fever, dry cough, fatigue. But as a virus that attacks the entire body, the coronavirus is producing a host of surprisingly widespreadand just plain surprisingsymptoms that aren’t getting as much publicity. These are 11 coronavirus symptoms that people haven’t been talking about. Read on, and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss theseSure Signs You’ve Already Had Coronavirus.
They’re not pleasant to contemplate, much less talk about. But gastrointestinal symptoms are a common sign of COVID-19. In fact, it may be the initial or only signal that you’re infected, as was the case for an Australian nurse whose recent diagnosis after reporting abdominal pain caused the government to urge citizens to be aware of the potential red flag. Research from Wuhan, China, found that 50% of COVID-19 patients reported gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting or stomachache.
A new study in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine reported that a 37-year-old man in San Antonio, Texas, developed testicular pain and swelling three days after being diagnosed with coronavirus. The researchers wrote that “several genitourinary complications have been reported” with COVID-19, including blood clotting issues that can cause a prolonged, painful erection.
International Journal Of Audiology
Another study, published in July in the International Journal of Audiologyfound that 15% of 138 hospitalized COVID-19 patients reported hearing impairment eight weeks after being discharged. Most of these patients did not have hearing problems before their COVID diagnosis.
This finding aligns with a case report published in The BMJabout a British man who lost his hearing when he was hospitalized with a severe case of COVID-19.
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First What Are The Official Symptoms Of Covid
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the most common signs of the novel coronavirus include:
- Fever or chills
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
However, the agency does note that this list doesnt cover all possible symptoms. For instance, skin rashes and pink eye have also been linked to COVID-19, but more research is needed to understand how these side effects are linked to the virus.
Start Of Our Understanding
Given the importance of providing timely evidence to inform health services, the information from this new systematic review is to be welcomed, but so far, the evidence is based on surveys and case reports. It is important not to diagnose audio-vestibular symptoms where they do not exist or where they are coincidental, given the high rates of COVID-19 in the population. However, the findings of the review might simply reflect the start of our understanding of this emergent health condition.
What is lacking are carefully conducted clinical and diagnostic studies that compare a sample of people who tested positive for COVID-19 and a sample of non-COVID controls. To that end, we are leading a year-long study to investigate the long-term effect of COVID-19 on the audio-vestibular system among people who have been previously in hospital with the virus.
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Should I Be Concerned About Tinnitus
Even though tinnitus is often benign, there are some specific symptoms that should alert people to seek medical evaluation:
- pulsatile tinnitus of any kind
- tinnitus in one ear only
- bothersome tinnitus that cannot be ignored
- tinnitus associated with room-spinning sensations
- tinnitus associated with sudden changes or fluctuations in hearing status.
If you experience tinnitus with any of the symptoms above, it is important to discuss them with your doctor or an otolaryngologist, who is a specialist in diagnosing, managing, and treating medical conditions of the head and neck, including the ears.