Share Your Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccine Experience: Any Impact on Your Tinnitus or Hyperacusis?

[PugDog1]

I had my first shot of AstraZeneca on Monday, I have fever at 39c, nausea, shivers, aching and generally feeling unwell. Tinnitus does seem more prominent (not louder, just prominent) but not sure if that's just because I'm at home in bed and not at work so I'm listening to it more!

 

[Anthony S]

29 Male here. I've had mild tinnitus for as long as I can remember.

I received my Pfizer shot on March 21 and I'm scheduled for my second on April 11.

I felt fine other than some arm soreness and a mild headache but on day 7 (March 27/28) I was hit with a pretty strong dizzy spell that woke me up from sleeping. That next day I started to experience a much louder ringing in the left ear with slight hearing loss. I had that until yesterday the 30th.

It's still persistent but definitely getting back to normal levels but not quite there yet.

After reading all the posts here I am absolutely terrified of getting my second shot. I'm so unsure of what to do now that I keep going back and forth and the anxiety it's causing is awful.

 

[tpeters1]

29 Male here. I've had mild tinnitus for as long as I can remember.

I received my Pfizer shot on March 21 and I'm scheduled for my second on April 11.

I felt fine other than some arm soreness and a mild headache but on day 7 (March 27/28) I was hit with a pretty strong dizzy spell that woke me up from sleeping. That next day I started to experience a much louder ringing in the left ear with slight hearing loss. I had that until yesterday the 30th.

It's still persistent but definitely getting back to normal levels but not quite there yet.

After reading all the posts here I am absolutely terrified of getting my second shot. I'm so unsure of what to do now that I keep going back and forth and the anxiety it's causing is awful.

Hi Anthony. I totally understand where you're at and it's not an easy decision, but here's my take. First of all I'm 56 and in pretty good health and I too have always had a slight ringing, but barely noticeable. I didn't even know it had a name LOL!

Then came my first Moderna shot, and all heck broke loose and I learned real quick what tinnitus was. It's been 11 days and no change, so the decision to get the second shot is an easy NO for me. My second dose is April 17 and even if I get better I'm not doing it... it's just not worth the risk. Getting one dose is protecting us with 80% effectiveness according to the latest studies, which is good enough for me. Now for you... you're much younger so I think the risk of getting severe COVID-19 is much less, so at 80% I think you'd be in pretty good shape. I also think that the risk of you having a bad reaction to the second dose seems to be a much higher than getting COVID-19, mainly since you've already had a reaction.

Take that for what it's worth, but I'll tell you this, if you were my son, I'd say not to get it... at least not until there is more information on what's going on with these vaccines and our tinnitus.

 

[frischky]

I took the J&J vaccine today. I will report back if anything is out of the ordinary.

 

[george98034]

I received my 2nd dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine last Tuesday. On Wednesday I started having unilateral ear congestion which got worse over the next 2 days until I could barely hear out of it and had ringing. My GP diagnosed me with SSHL, an audiologist diagnosed 35-40 dB loss above 750 Hz, and a board certified ENT otolaryngologist confirmed diagnosis and likely cause as the vaccine. After a week on Prednisone I'm starting to regain lower frequencies and can hear phone calls again but high end hasn't changed. I just had my MRI yesterday and plan to start Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy next Monday.

I've researched the VAERS database and found 305 reports as of 2 weeks ago but that doesn't seem to be out of line with normal occurrence. My GP refused to report it and my brother who is a retired doctor also tried to overrule the doctor about the cause so I'm quite confident it's being under-reported. Hopefully these vaccine cases will go away on their own. The ENT said he hasn't seen any similar vaccine caused cases or increase in SSHL patients but it's only been a month since we have fully vaccinated people so he's going to keep an eye out for it.

 

[kingsfan]

I had the first dose of Pfizer yesterday, about 23 hours ago.

Tinnitus isn't worse, but it has been changing tones and doing strange things today. Seems a tiny bit softer than usual which is a plus. Hopefully I don't jinx anything saying that.

I'll report back in a week, or sooner if symptoms change.

 

[Alue]

It's been 48 hours since my first Moderna shot. No symptoms other than a sore shoulder which went away after a day.

 

[jjflyman]

I've been searching hard for a concrete answer if these tinnitus spikes after the vaccine are temporary and how long they lasts, but can't find an answer. I have seen a chart from AstraZeneca that shows that tinnitus is a very common side effect, but there is no info on how long it lasts. My gut feeling is it is not permanent.

I got tinnitus 4 years ago from an acoustic trauma, and it has faded about 95% since then, so I was back to normal and my tinnitus was no longer a problem.

I got Pfizer #1 on March 10, and it had no effect on my tinnitus, until about 2 weeks after the shot, my tinnitus started ramping up and seemed to "peak" around March 27. Since the peak, it has faded slightly, ringing is the worst at bedtime, and in the morning it is a loud hiss. It does seem to have times of somewhat quietness, and other times of high pitched ring and loud hiss. I also have some ear discomfort, like someone is squeezing my inner ears.

I have seen a few post of people reporting improvements after a few weeks, and others reporting not much change. I am due my second shot in 6 days and at this point I am getting it. My reason is simple: I believe these spikes are temporary, and will fade back to baseline in a few months. I also think getting the real COVID-19 virus will be a death sentence if it permanently spikes my tinnitus to unbearable levels, I don't think I could live that way.

This is a very cruel virus for us suffering from tinnitus, do we take a chance on the vaccine or take our chance's with the virus?

I will update as things change, I am hopeful in the next few days I will have a better understanding if my tinnitus is improving.

 

[Robstarr]

I received my first dose of AstraZeneca last Wednesday and my usual tinnitus has definitely been exacerbated.

I'm hoping that this spike will at some point ease off and return to previous levels that which I could much better cope with. Alongside the elevated tinnitus I have continued to experience some light headedness, headache and accompanying tension in my neck and shoulders

 

[davesez]

I have a moderate case of tinnitus that I've had for 13 years.

I got the Moderna shot.

1st shot 3:45 PM 3/2/21: no change in tinnitus.

2nd shot 3:45 PM 3/30/21: my tinnitus is definitely worse... not by much but certainly more noticeable and more annoying.

 

[The Bucket Woman]

It's now been a week since my first Pfizer dose and as of today my tinnitus has calmed down since the spike that started an hour or so after the shot. I am hopeful this improvement will continue between now and my second dose.

 

[kingsfan]

Day 3 after Pfizer vaccine. Head noise is definitely annoying today. It was already getting annoying after coming off Prednisone a couple weeks ago, so I don't know if it was going to ramp up regardless of getting the vaccine.

 

[jjflyman]

It's now been a week since my first Pfizer dose and as of today my tinnitus has calmed down since the spike that started an hour or so after the shot. I am hopeful this improvement will continue between now and my second dose.

I'm glad yours is improving. Mine started about 10 days after Pfizer #1. It has been about a week, and it seems to be getting a little better.

I go for my second shot next Thursday, and I'm hoping to see improvement so I have confidence that these spikes are just temporary.

Please keep us posted on your progress.

 

[jjflyman]

Day 3 after Pfizer vaccine. Head noise is definitely annoying today. It was already getting annoying after coming off Prednisone a couple weeks ago, so I don't know if it was going to ramp up regardless of getting the vaccine.

My tinnitus started about 10 days after Pfizer #1, and increased for about 5 days where it peaked, and now it seems to be getting a little (about 3 days since it peaked).

It is still way worse than it was pre-vaccination, but I'm hoping it continues to fade.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[conzar]

My first tinnitus was antibiotics induced. It was in 2014, I freaked out back then. I started seeing specialists and searched for cure. I started protecting my ears with earplugs in loud environments. My tinnitus faded after a year. I don t even remember when it faded exactly.

I took the Pfizer vaccine on 16th of January and the tinnitus came back gradually, mainly in left ear within a week. Now almost 2 months later it has improved a lot.

I'm not taking the risk of the second shot. I'd rather try another vaccine and only after this tinnitus spike fades away completely.

 

[JimR]

I had my second Pfizer vaccination a couple of weeks ago. I barely felt the needle, and just minor soreness in my arm. I have a friend who has been in and out of the hospital for several months with COVID-19, I sure think it is something to worry about.

 

[madeline S]

I developed tinnitus 4 days after taking the J & J vaccine.

 

[jjflyman]

I can report that my tinnitus from Pfizer #1 is definitely improving. It's been about 9 days since it started, and it has noticeably improved in the last couple days, not down to pre-vaccination levels yet, but it is now at least manageable. I am cautiously optimistic it is a temporary side effect. I will keep you updated.

I plan to get my second shot on Thursday, because I think (for me) it is the best choice. I don't want to risk getting COVID-19 and having my tinnitus spike permanently.

 

[MaryA]

My tinnitus began about 4 to 5 days out from 2nd dose of Moderna. I had slight fever and chills. I had taken Tylenol, Advil and Benadryl throughout the week. I had a reaction to the shot in my arm with swelling, redness and soreness. I woke up with neckache and loud ringing predominantly in left ear. First time having panic and anxiety attacks. Couldn't lie down or relax for at least 2 weeks.

I've had some improvements over time. But usually not at night. I had one day with 5 minutes of silence and the following day with normal hearing. That was last week.

I'm going into week 8 with this. MRI, hearing all normal. I had hyperacusis early on but now seeing some improvement.

Thanks. I'll keep you posted.

 

[rei]

I did ok with J&J. Fever for a few hours but no worsenening of tinnitus.

 

[GlennS]

I got the Moderna vaccine.

My first shot was February 5th and my second shot was March 4th. Both times I had side effects of flu-like symptoms but they were far worse from the second shot. Both times my tinnitus also spiked along with the symptoms but also went back to baseline as the other symptoms diminished. This was expected for me personally as every time I am sick with a cold or flu type of illness my tinnitus spikes temporarily.

I know everyone is different but go out and get vaccinated! Do not worry about your tinnitus. I really think a lot of people who are saying their tinnitus got worse from the vaccine are just so anxious and paranoid about it that they basically stress themselves into thinking it's louder. I used to do that all the time.

Coming off my second Moderna shot and I mirror these sentiments.

The 2nd shot was a kicker and I now still have a bruise-like bump at the injection site but I take that as a positive sign that my body is setting up protection for COVID-19.

Make sure when taking a second shot you plan on taking a day off or try to schedule the shot on a Friday so you can be out of commission over the weekend.

 

[Anna Lisa]

I have had very mild tinnitus as long as I can remember. Even as a child it would become more prominent with headaches or stress, but was only a little bit annoying. It has gotten a little more noticeable (2 or 3 out of 10) in the past few years (I'm 44) but still, not too bad.

I received Pfizer #1 on 3/20 and barely even felt the shot. There was a bit of fatigue, that was it at first. Over the next few days the ringing gradually rose to a 5/10, more in the right ear (opposite from the injection) and I began to hear my pulse in the ringing. This began to cause me a great deal of anxiety which of course aggravates the condition. My blood pressure is also elevated somewhat, not sure if that is a cause or an effect.

On 4/1, I was able to see the ENT who said that he hadn't seen a spike in tinnitus from the vaccine, but he sees quite a large number of patients for tinnitus so he couldn't be sure. He did notice some evidence of fluid in the ears, (allergies, or immune response?) so he suggested adding a nasal steroid to my routine to help with that. My hearing remains in the normal range, so that is reassuring, but I am also experiencing hyperacusis on and off.

My second dose was scheduled for 4/9, but I rescheduled it for 4/16 to give this some time to resolve. Whether or not to get the second dose at all is really weighing on me. I haven't seen my family in over a year because of COVID-19 and they are now fully vaccinated with no problems.

 

[The Bucket Woman]

I'm glad yours is improving. Mine started about 10 days after Pfizer #1. It has been about a week, and it seems to be getting a little better.

I go for my second shot next Thursday, and I'm hoping to see improvement so I have confidence that these spikes are just temporary.

Please keep us posted on your progress.

Unfortunately, it's louder than ever and has been since Saturday morning. However, I'm wondering if it can be related to allergies as the pollen count is very high right now? My ears have also been clicking. Seasonal allergies were never an issue for me until last fall and I've read that they can affect tinnitus.

 

[cfpitts]

Thank you for this thread. 31-year-old woman here. I've had bilateral tinnitus since I had mumps when I was a kid. It was a mild 2/10, never bothered me. I'm generally healthy.

I received Pfizer #1 on 3/22. For the first few days, the only side effect was a sore arm around the site of the injection, and a mild headache. Then,
- On 3/25 I started feeling pins-and-needles in my left arm (where I got the shot), with my pinky and ring fingers partially numb. This had never happened to me, so I assumed that my nervous system was reacting to the vaccine.
- On 3/28, the arm got better, but my tinnitus started increasing.
- By 04/01, it was really loud for my baseline, maybe a 6-7/10. I couldn't work or sleep, and my anxiety was over the roof, which probably made the issue worse. I also had slightly muffled hearing at times, and my inner ears were feeling weirdly warm. I've seen an ENT, checked my hearing and it was all OK, but he couldn't tell me much about any connections between the tinnitus and the vaccine. I do believe there must be a connection -- my tinnitus never flared up like this.
- Finally, on 04/03 the tinnitus started to gradually decrease. I've taken plenty of time to rest over the weekend. Today it's way better, not back to my old baseline quite yet, but maybe a 3/10. It still bothers me a little bit at night, but I hope this trend of improvement continues in the next few days.

One possible explanation I'm thinking of is that since the first shot my blood pressure has been higher than normal, with my heart rate going crazy high for no reason, at random times of the day. This might have had an impact on the tinnitus.

As many others have mentioned, going for the second shot or not is a difficult decision. The ENT doctor mentioned that the latest studies show an average of 80% protection after 14 days from Pfizer #1, but it is possible that it's a shorter-term coverage than with 2 shots. I'm very very undecided.

If you have experienced any impact of the vaccine on your tinnitus, please do file a VAERS: https://vaers.hhs.gov/

 

[generalfuzz]

I got J&J vaccine 3 days ago. I had a serious spike yesterday (one those times when one ear goes deaf for a few seconds and then comes back online), and tinnitus remains elevated.

At least I have a lot of practice coping and moving forward with my life. I will update in a week.

 

[PegTar]

I have had tinnitus for several years. I have learned to live with it.

However, after my 1st Pfizer shot on March 18 at 1030 am, I woke up at 0300 the next morning with a loud sound, like a jet engine, in my right ear. Fortunately it subsided after about 3 hours.

My tinnitus continues. No more, no less. I am undecided whether to get the 2nd shot.

I have an ENT appt tomorrow. I did have COVID-19 in November.

 

[Ryan Jones]

I got my first dose of Pfizer on Thursday March 25th. The following Monday (3/29) I got a moderate tinnitus spike that has lasted about a week. The past 3 days things seem to be improving, similar to @jjflyman.

If things continue to fade back down to baseline, I still plan to get the second dose.

It's also worth mentioning that I was just coming off a dose of antibiotics, so I'm not positive it was the vaccine that caused the spike.

 

[PeteM2001]

I had my first AstraZeneca shot 8 days ago on Monday (it's pretty much all that they're giving for a first jab in the UK at the moment). I felt fine at first.

I woke up 2 days later and after an hour of feeling fine whilst lying in bed, felt a very extreme sensation of vertigo, which scared the hell out of me, never having had it before. This continued on an intense level all day and evening, leading me to violently vomit from the nausea that night.

The vertigo subsided the next day in the early afternoon - however, my tinnitus, already considerable but something I had previously habituated to, had increased dramatically, with it being particularly loud in my right ear. My auditory perception has also changed, with low frequencies being lost and everything sounding more centrally based in front of me.

My hyperacusis has returned with a vengeance too.

A GP prescribed Prochlorperazine Maleate which I've taken for 2 days now - interestingly, it dulls the tinnitus for a few hours, but overall, the tinnitus levels are the same with mild vertigo kicking in from time to time.

My GP refutes there being a link between the jab and these side effects which is quite frankly total bollocks.

 

[vttbx]

I received the Moderna vaccine last week and have had no changes in my tinnitus, and no other side effects.

 

[Keith Handy]

For the record keepers:

I had both Moderna shots. Shot #1 was followed by a temporary quietening, if anything. I couldn't detect any effect from shot #2.