Can Covid-19 cause ringing in your ears? Know all about this rare symptom

Apart from the common symptoms like cough, cold, fatigue and sore throat, some Covid-19 patients are also reporting ringing in ears or hearing loss while battling the disease or weeks after it.

According to experts, the condition is known as Covid ear and people suffering from it suffer from symptoms like earache, vertigo, ringing or tinnitus and also hearing loss.

The studies conducted in 2021 at University of Buffalo at New York and Eye and Ear Institute of the Harvard Medical School in Boston documented and shed enough light to proof the effect of the virus on the middle and inner ear cells.

“Although there is no literature yet to prove the incidence and prevalence of ‘Covid ear’ in patients suffering from the Omicron variant, but it is estimated that the incidence can range from 8% to 15% in adults with Covid-19 test positive,” says Dr Charu Dutt Arora Consultant Physician and Infectious Disease Specialist Head, Ameri Health, Asian Hospital, Faridabad.

The ringing, buzzing or choking sensation in the ear could be due to tinnitus, a common problem in older adults, which is generally caused by age-related hearing loss, an ear injury or a problem with the circulatory system. The ringing in the ear could be present all the time, or it may come and go. It can be really distressing and can cause anxiety, hypertension, vertigo, insomnia and hearing impairment.

“After the second wave of Covid-19, there was an increased incidence of such complaints in approximately 6% of the OPD patients post recovery, predominantly in the age group of 40 years and above,” says the doctor.

The link between this symptom and the virus is still unknown, however, studies have shown that the cochlear cells, hair cells and the Schwann cells of the ear express the similar receptors that get attached to the binding proteins of the Covid-19 virus.

“Since the virus is known to cause inflammation and damage to the vascular system and anatomical structures, a similar mechanism plays a major role in the middle and inner ear that results in this constant buzzing sounds,” says the expert.

“One must consult their Covid care doctor or ENT specialist to discuss about this problem. Multiple modalities such as counselling, deep breathing exercises, vasodilation and steroid therapy can be of help in such patients,” he adds.