More virus complications: Patients reveal Covid-19 made their tinnitus worse

COVID-19 has brought a lot of changes in the healthcare system, especially that it is an entirely new form of illness that ravaged countries from around the world. Every now and then, new symptoms of the disease are discovered, as well as health complications. The latest health issue that doctors have discovered among coronavirus patients is the worsening of tinnitus.

A study published in the Frontiers in Public Health titled, "Changes in Tinnitus Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic" revealed that coronavirus is exacerbating tinnitus. Researchers from the Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), supported by both the American Tinnitus Association and the British Tinnitus Association, looked at 3,103 people who were experiencing tinnitus. The participants were from 48 countries, although most of them were from the US and the UK.

The researchers found that out of the total number of participants, 40 percent of those who were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms also noticed that their tinnitus worsened. The researchers underscored that some of the participants already had pre-existing tinnitus. However, there were some participants who revealed that they initially did not have tinnitus, but they first experienced COVID-19 symptoms before they felt the ear symptom. Their findings now suggest that tinnitus might be in some cases a "long COVID symptom."

The researchers revealed that a large portion of the respondents believe that social distancing measures imposed to help curb the spread of coronavirus have worsened their tinnitus. There were more respondents from the UK who found tinnitus as an issue as compared to those coming from other countries. There was 46 percent of UK respondents who attested to this but there was only 29 percent from the US.

Researchers also noted that the condition has also been linked with mental issues like anxiety and depression. It must also be understood that tinnitus is not an ailment or a condition but is actually a sign of an underlying condition.

The researchers found that 32 percent expressed that financial concerns amid the pandemic, fear of contracting COVID-19, difficulty sleeping, and loneliness have made tinnitus more bothersome for them. The respondents also pointed out homeschooling, noisier home environments, increased video calls, and increased alcohol and coffee consumption as possible causes. Between males and females, it is the latter who found tinnitus to affect them more.

What made things worse was that many patients found it difficult to access healthcare support due to the pandemic. The lack of healthcare access also increased stress levels, thereby worsening tinnitus symptoms.

Tinnitus And Coronavirus