Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection with Pre-Existing Tinnitus

[Terry23]

I had COVID-19 last December, and Long COVID-19 after. I was partially vaccinated, with mild symptoms. The Long COVID-19 involved palpitations, but nothing too bad. No serious heart complications or anything.

Symptoms started to clear in Spring, in May I got a spike in tinnitus that I have to this day. Just found out from a GP that it may be related to Long COVID-19, but he said no medical professional will ever be able to confirm this.

Very weird it could happen months after infection, and with Long COVID-19 on its way out.

@shrimp's story gives me hope, but at the 3 month mark I have to accept that this may be permanent. Really hoping it turns out to be a long spike.

Fully vaccinated now, doesn't seem to have affected the tinnitus.

 

[blamingeverything]

Day 5 and I'm basically recovered symptoms-wise. It was rough for a few days but I've definitely caught worse bugs than this.

The worst symptoms were the profound headache and aches. I've so far not lost taste/smell, only had a light cough one day, and no impact on tinnitus. Aside from the Satan-level spike a few nights ago anyway - lasted about an hour. Other than that, the worst part has been isolation in my own home, luckily no one else in the family caught it.

 

[Manex]

I wonder how many people are actually getting tinnitus from the treatment of COVID-19. It's very common to prescribe Azithromycin which is known to cause tinnitus (except for the doctor who prescribed it to me of course, but every doctor since has been in shock they gave it to someone with tinnitus.)

 

[blamingeverything]

I wonder how many people are actually getting tinnitus from the treatment of COVID-19. It's very common to prescribe Azithromycin which is known to cause tinnitus (except for the doctor who prescribed it to me of course, but every doctor since has been in shock they gave it to someone with tinnitus.)

I took one day of Paxlovid, then decided to stop due to uncertainty of its effects on the auditory system. Probably fine but I am also fine to not take it and just recover naturally.

 

[ZFire]

Day 5 and I'm basically recovered symptoms-wise. It was rough for a few days but I've definitely caught worse bugs than this.

The worst symptoms were the profound headache and aches. I've so far not lost taste/smell, only had a light cough one day, and no impact on tinnitus. Aside from the Satan-level spike a few nights ago anyway - lasted about an hour. Other than that, the worst part has been isolation in my own home, luckily no one else in the family caught it.

Good to hear everything turned out well for you in the end. Everyone is affected differently from COVID-19. Some people's tinnitus will spike temporary, others semi-permanent, and others don't spike at all. But I think temp spike and no effect on tinnitus are the likely scenarios for most. At some point, everyone's gonna catch COVID-19. It's here to stay.

 

[Gee82]

I caught COVID-19 recently and going through some nasty flu symptoms, including high body temperature oscillating between 37.5 and 39.

Shockingly, as soon as my temperature reaches 38.3-38.5, my tinnitus disappears completely: no more sounds, no reactivity, no electricity piercing my brain, just blissful silence. It doesn't last long unfortunately because when I take meds to bring the temperature down, the tinnitus comes back.

In the past few years I've tried all kind of meds and treatments but none has ever affected my tinnitus the slightest; and now I found out that body temperature does. It happened 3 times already so there must be a link.

I wish I knew why, I wish I could talk to a doctor or someone who could investigate more into this.

Give me flu all my life it it means silence.

Has anybody experienced anything similar?

 

[Joe Cuber]

Give me flu all my life it it means silence.

That's a pretty wild find @Gee82, I wonder what's the cause. I read that a fever causes your body to express certain proteins to enable an immunity response.

 

[blamingeverything]

I caught COVID-19 recently and going through some nasty flu symptoms, including high body temperature oscillating between 37.5 and 39.

Shockingly, as soon as my temperature reaches 38.3-38.5, my tinnitus disappears completely: no more sounds, no reactivity, no electricity piercing my brain, just blissful silence. It doesn't last long unfortunately because when I take meds to bring the temperature down, the tinnitus comes back.

In the past few years I've tried all kind of meds and treatments but none has ever affected my tinnitus the slightest; and now I found out that body temperature does. It happened 3 times already so there must be a link.

I wish I knew why, I wish I could talk to a doctor or someone who could investigate more into this.

Give me flu all my life it it means silence.

Has anybody experienced anything similar?

I was hesitant to mention it for fear of, I don't know, tinnitus, but my tinnitus has actually been much quieter since I got COVID-19 a week ago (aside from the spike mentioned above). I don't think I ever had a fever but I also only checked once. Just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I'm still feeling better but testing positive, and definitely not 100%.

 

[Johnny Karate]

My spike went down.

 

[blamingeverything]

My spike went down.

Fantastic news.

 

[blamingeverything]

2.5 weeks after my initial positive test it's safe to say COVID-19 had zero impact on my tinnitus. This has been one of my greatest fears since onset last December in the midst of the Omicron wave, so it's great to have this behind me.

I also think it's telling that people aren't flooding this forum with reports of adverse effects. Yes there are some, but given how widespread COVID-19 is, we might estimate that in total the adverse effect is uncommon.

 

[Sointu]

I caught COVID-19 two weeks ago. I have had noise-induced tinnitus for over a year.
I got tinnitus while tapering benzos which probably played a part too.

My COVID-19 symptoms have been worse than "regular flu". My symptoms were fever for many days, absolutely terrible headache (worse than my regular migraines), pains in my muscles and neck, dry cough, sore throat, losing sense of smell and taste, some of my senses were more sensitive like I experienced increased sensitivity to light and sound. And fatigue and brain fog. I still haven't recovered from fatigue and brain fog even though I have made progress with many of my other COVID-19 symptoms.

I also started to experience a sensation like I have liquid in my ears and my ears have felt a bit clogged during COVID-19. A bit pain every now and then. There definitely has been something going on in my ears during COVID-19.

My tinnitus has been bad and I have experienced a spike that worries me a lot.

I have even thought if I have lost a bit hearing during COVID-19 or my ears just feel otherwise a bit clogged.

I did an online hearing test which I have done regularly multiple times. Usually results are the same. This time it showed my hearing was a bit worse than normal. 5-10 dB drops in multiple frequencies that usually are normal. But yeah, online hearing tests aren't really reliable. But still, a bit worrying.

I have got some of my sense of taste and smell back. Luckily. They still are not the same though as before COVID-19. I hope I notice improvement with my tinnitus too.

 

[Tweaker]

I tested positive just over a couple of weeks ago. Had high fever etc. Tinnitus in my right ear went to insane levels. Ear felt weird, slightly blocked but could have been congestion at the time.

The congestion is clearing up but the tinnitus still the same.

Hoping it will settle with time like it has done for some of you good folks. Current level is causing anxiety, insomnia and dark thoughts.

 

[LisaW1]

I suffered acoustic trauma that started my tinnitus. I went to an ENT 2 weeks after and the hearing test said my hearing is normal. The ringing had started to get less and less everyday. It was actually almost close to zero for 10 days.

Then I tested positive for COVID-19. I had fever, sore throat, coughing. I still have a lingering cough and have trouble speaking longer than a sentence without coughing. The tinnitus started again 2 days after testing positive. It is not as loud as it was prior to COVID-19, but it's still annoying nonetheless. I hope it will decrease in severity as my cough improves.

Best of luck to everyone in their recovery.

 

[SamRosemary]

At around a week and a half since testing positive, probably caught it almost 2 weeks ago, and I'm in a pretty bad spike. Super high pitched fluctuating squeal in left ear. I did have a low rumble that sounded like I was next to an airplane engine that seemed to vibrate my head. But thankfully that has left for now.

I will report back in a few weeks. I hope I go back to normal. I was doing okay before this.

 

[Robster]

10 days after getting COVID-19 in early September, the tinnitus in my left ear, which is a lot quieter than that in my right ear, went insane. It's gone from a steady, quiet eeeeee sound to an oscillating, electronic whistling that changes constantly in volume and pitch.

It's been like this for over a week now and I'm beginning to get quite worried.

 

[spedgas]

10 days after getting COVID-19 in early September, the tinnitus in my left ear, which is a lot quieter than that in my right ear, went insane. It's gone from a steady, quiet eeeeee sound to an oscillating, electronic whistling that changes constantly in volume and pitch.

It's been like this for over a week now and I'm beginning to get quite worried.

This is exactly my story. I got COVID-19 for the first time in early August. Then 11 days after positive test I had my excellent habituation disappear. Back to loud un-ignorable ringing. It's been almost 6 weeks and nothing has improved.

 

[GregCA]

I was down with COVID-19 for a couple of weeks. I started Paxlovid almost immediately (on day 2) and turned negative pretty quickly (within a couple of days), but then I got the famous "rebound" and became positive and ill again within a few days.

My tinnitus did not change during this whole time, but that is not too surprising to me as my tinnitus is extremely consistent. It was crazy going in, and it's the same crazy coming out. No changes over that period.

 

[kingsfan]

10 days after getting COVID-19 in early September, the tinnitus in my left ear, which is a lot quieter than that in my right ear, went insane. It's gone from a steady, quiet eeeeee sound to an oscillating, electronic whistling that changes constantly in volume and pitch.

It's been like this for over a week now and I'm beginning to get quite worried.

Yep, mine has been crazy ever since COVID-19 nearly 2 years ago. Same crazy electric hissing/ringing that oscillates. Sometimes it will go away for a few days and then come back.

 

[AvidReader]

After 3+ years of managing to avoid it, finally tested positive for COVID-19 23rd December after feeling unwell from the day before. Let down by a momentary lapse of vigilance by a family member.

It has been fairly mild as yet: chills, cough, not really congested apart from right hand side of sinuses, fatigue. The worst symptom is that my tinnitus is now at even worse (almost unbearable) levels & my hyperacusis is reacting to every little thing again. I'm hoping it's temporary due to inflammation from COVID-19 infection but you just never know with this.

I'm torn between being angry with the person who gave it me & not wanting them to feel guilty all the time. I stressed it so many times that I dreaded my tinnitus & hyperacusis being made worse. Nightmare scenario is here.

Just needed to vent frustration I guess.

 

[MindOverMatter]

After 3+ years of managing to avoid it, finally tested positive for COVID-19 23rd December after feeling unwell from the day before. Let down by a momentary lapse of vigilance by a family member.

It has been fairly mild as yet: chills, cough, not really congested apart from right hand side of sinuses, fatigue. The worst symptom is that my tinnitus is now at even worse (almost unbearable) levels & my hyperacusis is reacting to every little thing again. I'm hoping it's temporary due to inflammation from COVID-19 infection but you just never know with this.

I'm torn between being angry with the person who gave it me & not wanting them to feel guilty all the time. I stressed it so many times that I dreaded my tinnitus & hyperacusis being made worse. Nightmare scenario is here.

Just needed to vent frustration I guess.

My tinnitus was "through the roof" for me too for a few days, and then calmed down again when the COVID-19 infection wore off.

Most likely/hopefully this will happen to you too. Try not to stress too much about it.

 

[AvidReader]

My tinnitus was "through the roof" for me too for a few days, and then calmed down again when the COVID-19 infection wore off.

Most likely/hopefully this will happen to you too. Try not to stress too much about it.

I hope so @MindOverMatter as my tinnitus was already at severe levels. The thought of basically having to relive the last two years of pain hyperacusis to every little noise just makes me want to pull the covers over my head & give up.

 

[ErikaS]

I recently caught COVID-19 for the 3rd time, tested positive Monday the 8th of January. I hadn't had it since Omicron 2 years ago, so this hit kind of hard with bad congestion in sinuses and Eustachian tubes, sore throat, and fever and chills days 3 & 4.

I have autoimmune issues so in the past before I had tinnitus, a steroid really helped get over the hump. I started taking a low dose of Methylprednisolone on day 3 (4 mg 2x/day), and by day 5 my tinnitus was spiked. I decreased to 4 mg for 2 days, then stopped.

Now day 10 from symptom onset, I have some slight congestion left from the COVID-19, but definite continued tinnitus spike.

A part of me wishes I never took the steroid, but it was such a low dose that it could have happened naturally anyway from the illness. I am SO hoping this spike will calm down over the next few weeks. I had my best 5-6 weeks since tinnitus onset (September 2022) right before this, I would hate to have this as a permanent spike or one that lasts months

 

[sspencermo]

Hi all, I've introduced myself before. My tinnitus started shortly after my last COVID-19 booster in the fall of 2023. It's intermittent: two relatively quiet days followed by one very loud (8/10) day. It started to improve this spring—the loud day was down to about a 4 or 5/10, and sometimes, I had more than two quiet days in a row.

Then, I got COVID-19 for the first time in May. Now my bad days are right back to where they were last fall: 8/10 constant ringing, waking me up at 2:30 am. Fortunately (and weirdly), my quiet days have stayed pretty quiet.

Has anyone had a similar spike after COVID-19? Is there any chance it will die down in the future? I guess I can wait another eight months to find out...

 

[sspencermo]

I had my best 5-6 weeks since tinnitus onset (September 2022) right before this, I would hate to have this as a permanent spike or one that lasts months

This was me, too. My tinnitus had calmed down some, then spiked when I caught COVID-19. Has yours improved any since?

 

[Eric N]

After successfully avoiding coronavirus since the beginning, I finally caught it. So far, the symptoms have been the standard: fever, headache, sore throat, and dry cough. I haven't noticed any changes in my tinnitus.

I'm not vaccinated, so I'm slightly concerned that it might develop into something worse over the next few days. Fingers crossed!

 

[Eric N]

After successfully avoiding coronavirus since the beginning, I finally caught it. So far, the symptoms have been the standard: fever, headache, sore throat, and dry cough. I haven't noticed any changes in my tinnitus.

I'm not vaccinated, so I'm slightly concerned that it might develop into something worse over the next few days. Fingers crossed!

I've lost my sense of smell for the last three days, and I'm very worried. I can't smell anything, and I really hope the chances of getting it back are high. I don't think I can handle both tinnitus and the loss of smell—it's just too much for one person to bear.