Coronavirus Cases in India: At a time when the number of Covid-19 infections is once again on the rise, a study has found that people who suffer from mild infection of coronavirus could be at risk of sudden deafness and hearing loss.
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss or SSNHL is a little-known side effect of the coronavirus infection. It is also known as sudden deafness and is not even listed as a common symptom by doctors. According to Kim Gibson, a fully vaccinated nursing lecturer at the University of South Australia, she developed acute hearing loss in one ear five weeks after experiencing mild symptoms of Covid-19 infection last year.
Gibson also developed vertigo and tinnitus
Gibson, a registered nurse with a clinical background in neonatal intensive care, also developed vertigo and tinnitus five weeks after experiencing a mild Covid infection in 2022.
Her experience has now been published in the British Medical Journal Case Reports.
“In my experience, people even with a minor Covid-19 infection could be at risk of potentially permanent and debilitating long-term effects. High quality, person-centred care is so critical,” she said.
According to Gibson, previous studies have linked sudden sensorineural hearing loss with Covid-19. This could even be a potential side effect of Covid vaccination, but the evidence is still limited, Gibson said.
Gibson said that despite the fact she was working in health education, she didn’t know that Covid-19 can cause hearing loss.
“This was a shocking experience for me. It had a very significant impact on my quality of life for several months. I had never had any problem related to hearing; not even an ear infection,” she said.
According to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a situation where a person loses his or her hearing very quickly, typically only in one ear. When Gibson experienced the sudden hearing loss, she visited a doctor and was referred to an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat doctor, or an ENT) who confirmed SSNHL.
