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Hearing Loss : The New Symptom of COVID-19

June 06, 2021

While loss of taste and smell have been frequently reported, hearing loss (despite being common) seems to have gone unnoticed. Thankfully, this hearing loss in most cases is temporary. In a vast majority of patients, hearing is slowly restored to normal as they recover from the infection.

Why does hearing loss happen?

Doctors are still trying to identify and pinpoint the exact relationship between COVID-19 and hearing loss. It is believed that COVID-19 impairs the ability of the blood to carry oxygen to the other organs. The ear, which consists of a complex network of nerves and blood vessels, needs oxygenated blood to function normally, and stops functioning like normal when it does not receive adequate oxygen.

What should you do if you experience hearing loss?

If you are suffering from COVID-19 and experience acute hearing loss, do not be alarmed. Kindly talk to your doctor or healthcare provider and work towards being infection free. If you suffer from blood clotting issues or hypertension, keep your doctor informed of the same.

As the infection, and the symptoms of COVID subside, the oxygen levels will return to normal, and your hearing will be restored. However, in the case your ability to hear does not return within three or four weeks, contact an ENT specialist at the earliest to assess and rule out irreversible ear damage.