Link Between COVID-19, Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, and Vertigo

[Tinker Bell]

I've suffered from mild tinnitus for 30 years. I had COVID-19 in December and the tinnitus volume turned up.

I got the first Moderna shot in March and the volume increased even more. I am VERY concerned about getting the second shot.

Thoughts?

Have you had your hearing tested post-COVID-19?

I have heard that individuals with COVID-19 could wait six months before vaccination. Maybe talk to your doctor because between COVID-19 and the vaccine, you may have a low risk of catching COVID-19 in the immediate future. Maybe your immunity titers could be run, give you a better idea of your level of protection.

 

[Kriszti]

Tinnitus helpline reports a surge in calls since start of the coronavirus pandemic

"For those experiencing tinnitus, Beukes advised: "It's important to know that help is available and you're not alone. There's help from the British Tinnitus Association and online support groups. And yoga, CBT, and sound-based apps that provide nature sounds to distract from tinnitus can help."​

God, I want to scream.

 

[Tinker Bell]

Tinnitus helpline reports a surge in calls since start of the coronavirus pandemic

"For those experiencing tinnitus, Beukes advised: "It's important to know that help is available and you're not alone. There's help from the British Tinnitus Association and online support groups. And yoga, CBT, and sound-based apps that provide nature sounds to distract from tinnitus can help."​

God, I want to scream.

That is a significant increase in calls and I really hope they determine the cause. Interesting that the article mentioned medications used to treat COVID-19. I was reading material on an audiologist association website, and it was warning that many of the drugs used to treat COVID-19 have ototoxicity. That's a tough one, you really do not get a say when you're in the ICU and doctors are trying to keep you alive.

 

[DaveFromChicago]

Thanks ever so much for that Guardian Article, Kriszti.

Will such a resultant tinnitus epidemic from COVID-19 (with all of the attendant incidences of suicide, incapacitation, employment disability claims, hospitalized depression, domestic strife, etc.) be what is required to get Medical Science concentrated on a cure?

Tinker Bell's last point is especially apt. When you wake up from ICU, the doctors will say, "You survived COVID-19 but have this condition called tinnitus; it will not kill you but make you wish you were dead."

 

[Tinker Bell]

Thanks ever so much for that Guardian Article, Kriszti.

Will such a resultant tinnitus epidemic from COVID-19 (with all of the attendant incidences of suicide, incapacitation, employment disability claims, hospitalized depression, domestic strife, etc.) be what is required to get Medical Science concentrated on a cure?

Tinker Bell's last point is especially apt. When you wake up from ICU, the doctors will say, "You survived COVID-19 but have this condition called tinnitus; it will not kill you but make you wish you were dead."

Or even just think of the COVID-19 long haulers, tinnitus and hearing loss are frequently noted symptoms.

I read today that due to the rare blood clots linked to J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines, doctors worked quickly and found a treatment that will have positive implications for anyone who experiences the clots — even those not linked to vaccination.

Seems like now is also a good time to work quickly and find treatment solutions for hearing loss and tinnitus.

 

[antonio77]

14% can mean 100% of people with tinnitus. Is it known how much (in percentage) their tinnitus worsened after the vaccine if they already had obvious tinnitus beforehand?

 

[Frédéric]

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Tinnitus

What I found interesting is that idea:

"further research should be done to determine if it can be directly attributed to the virus or to other factors such as the impact of receiving critical care, ototoxic medications, and/ or the stress of being hospitalized.

 

[antonio77]

Absolutely. I sense that it is more a problem of antibiotics and various and strong medications, than the effect of the coronavirus.

As there is total apathy among doctors regarding tinnitus, ototoxic treatments are given without telling the patient.

In my country a famous person lost her hearing in one ear after being in the hospital for 3 months, she thought it was due to the infection but in reality it was due to antibiotics. No doctor told him it was because of the antibiotics, and that is because of the doctors' inaction about ototoxic drugs.

 

[Mentos]

14% can mean 100% of people with tinnitus. Is it known how much (in percentage) their tinnitus worsened after the vaccine if they already had obvious tinnitus beforehand?

If the 15% statistic correct, considering 150 million people are infected so far, there are around 19.5 million new tinnitus sufferers post COVID-19 (I consider 85% are new sufferers and 15% pre-existing ones with worsening), which is around 0.25% of the global population.

It's still not a dramatic increase, if already 15% of the global population had tinnitus, and after COVID-19 it elevated to 15.25%, so I'm not sure if the increase is enough to gain extra attention.

 

[antonio77]

I think I have expressed myself wrong. That 14% includes people with tinnitus and those with no previous tinnitus. For example, of that 14%, 5% acquire tinnitus and the remaining 9% already had it, that 9% may be 100% of those who had tinnitus, that is, 100% of those who had tinnitus worsened. You have to see the data of people who already had tinnitus, otherwise the information is distorted.

 

[Brian Newman]

I've suffered from mild tinnitus for 30 years. I had COVID-19 in December and the tinnitus volume turned up.

I got the first Moderna shot in March and the volume increased even more. I am VERY concerned about getting the second shot.

Thoughts?

Very simple, don't get the vaccine. Especially if you already had COVID-19. And if your tinnitus got worse from having COVID-19, then that's even more of a reason not to get the shot. Unless you're ok with permanent worsening over a small chance of getting COVID-19 again.

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

If the 15% statistic correct, considering 150 million people are infected so far, there are around 19.5 million new tinnitus sufferers post COVID-19 (I consider 85% are new sufferers and 15% pre-existing ones with worsening), which is around 0.25% of the global population.

It's still not a dramatic increase, if already 15% of the global population had tinnitus, and after COVID-19 it elevated to 15.25%, so I'm not sure if the increase is enough to gain extra attention.

You're looking at it from the wrong POV. Yes, they are tinnitus sufferers, but they're also "COVID-19 Long-Haulers".

That is a population whose symptoms and conditions are going to be studied and dissected for years and years to come, pharma + medical science is going to focus on them like nothing that has been seen before.

 

[Gb3]

Very simple, don't get the vaccine. Especially if you already had COVID-19. And if your tinnitus got worse from having COVID-19, then that's even more of a reason not to get the shot. Unless you're ok with permanent worsening over a small chance of getting COVID-19 again.

Ya don't get the vaccine, so you can get COVID-19 again.

 

[Mentos]

You're looking at it from the wrong POV. Yes, they are tinnitus sufferers, but they're also "COVID-19 Long-Haulers".

That is a population whose symptoms and conditions are going to be studied and dissected for years and years to come, pharma + medical science is going to focus on them like nothing that has been seen before.

Yes and no. The risk is tinnitus again will not be taken seriously as non life threatening while respiratory and heart problems will be given priority. Let's hope I'm wrong.

 

[Brian Newman]

Ya don't get the vaccine, so you can get COVID-19 again.

Lol ok. You're probably one of those people who haven't left their house in a year because of COVID-19. Straight up COVID-19 can be deadly, or a little cold. For half of the people it's a little cold. The other half get really sick but only a small percentage of those people will actually die from it.

 

[Jrblovsky]

The risk is tinnitus again will not be taken seriously as non life threatening while respiratory and heart problems will be given priority. Let's hope I'm wrong.

You're not wrong.

 

[TinkleTinkleArgh]

For the poster that said tinnitus from COVID-19 is likely permanent, would that extend to tinnitus caused by the COVID-19 vaccine as well?

Also, I am 2.5 weeks out from onset of tinnitus and have a prescription for Prednisone. Would it be advantageous to try it? I am just afraid of making my existing tinnitus worse.

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

For the poster that said tinnitus from COVID-19 is likely permanent, would that extend to tinnitus caused by the COVID-19 vaccine as well?

Also, I am 2.5 weeks out from onset of tinnitus and have a prescription for Prednisone. Would it be advantageous to try it? I am just afraid of making my existing tinnitus worse.

I think tinnitus from the vaccine is a very very tiny chance, it's most likely coincidental, in my opinion.

Also, I think the window for Prednisone is 72 hours...

 

[FGG]

For the poster that said tinnitus from COVID-19 is likely permanent, would that extend to tinnitus caused by the COVID-19 vaccine as well?

Also, I am 2.5 weeks out from onset of tinnitus and have a prescription for Prednisone. Would it be advantageous to try it? I am just afraid of making my existing tinnitus worse.

Past the acute stage, viral mediated hearing loss is usually permanent but the tinnitus from it can fade over time.

I would think inflammation from the vaccine would have a better prognosis since it should be more transient.

2.5 weeks out is about the limit of where steroids might help so it might be worth trying but he chances of seeing results are less than if you took them immediately.

NAC, Magnesium and Astaxanthin might be worth taking too.

 

[TinkleTinkleArgh]

2.5 weeks out is about the limit of where steroids might help so it might be worth trying but he chances of seeing results are less than if you took them immediately.

NAC, Magnesium and Astaxanthin might be worth taking too.

Thank you. I have no hearing loss (my hearing was actually really good according to the audiogram). It's just this damn ringing/hissing/ear pain.

I have been taking Turmeric/Ginkgo/Magnesium/Zinc/Vitamin Bs, but am getting NAC today.

I'll give the steroids a try. Can't hurt.

 

[ZaneBerry]

I read today that due to the rare blood clots linked to J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines, doctors worked quickly and found a treatment that will have positive implications for anyone who experiences the clots — even those not linked to vaccination.

They already had that treatment before. They just had to find the source for the side effects so they knew which treatment was the correct one but the treatment is in no way new.

 

[Óscar PP]

I myself got tinnitus two months after I got COVID-19, and I can tell you there are many more like me affected. It's one more symptom of what they call "Long COVID-19".

 

[Óscar PP]

Me too, I got my tinnitus in September 2020 after COVID-19...

Same here, although I got COVID-19 in September and the tinnitus only came two months later.

 

[HeavyMantra]

Lol ok. You're probably one of those people who haven't left their house in a year because of COVID-19. Straight up COVID-19 can be deadly, or a little cold. For half of the people it's a little cold. The other half get really sick but only a small percentage of those people will actually die from it.

Uh yeah, but it causes permanent tinnitus, permanent altering of smell and taste. Who the fuck cares if death is a risk or not?

 

[twa]

For the poster that said tinnitus from COVID-19 is likely permanent, would that extend to tinnitus caused by the COVID-19 vaccine as well?

Also, I am 2.5 weeks out from onset of tinnitus and have a prescription for Prednisone. Would it be advantageous to try it? I am just afraid of making my existing tinnitus worse.

I'm sorry you are going through this after the vaccine.

 

[Nate]

I think the best bet would be the antibiotics caused the tinnitus, not the virus.

 

[Hamsti]

I think the best bet would be the antibiotics caused the tinnitus, not the virus.

I don't think so. Also mild cases of COVID-19 can cause tinnitus etc.

 

[Tinker Bell]

I don't think so. Also mild cases of COVID-19 can cause tinnitus etc.

Yes, many cold viruses can cause hearing loss and tinnitus so it's entirely possible that COVID-19 can cause it too.

 

[Gb3]

Yes, many cold viruses can cause hearing loss and tinnitus so it's entirely possible that COVID-19 can cause it too.

The hearing loss causes tinnitus.

 

[RAA]

For the poster that said tinnitus from COVID-19 is likely permanent, would that extend to tinnitus caused by the COVID-19 vaccine as well?

This story came out today, no information if it applies to tinnitus though...

"Covid-19 vaccines tend to alleviate the symptoms of long Covid, according to a large survey of more than 800 people that suggests mRNA vaccines, in particular, are beneficial"

Long Covid symptoms ease after vaccination, survey finds​