A good year after the outbreak of the pandemic, some long-term consequences of corona disease are known.
Now researchers may have identified a previously unknown symptom.
Munich - Anyone who suffers from tinnitus knows how stressful a noise, humming or beeping in the ear can be.
The psychological burden for those affected is immense.
The causes of tinnitus have not been clarified in medicine.
The ringing in the ears often occurs after a sudden hearing loss, which in turn can be triggered by stress.
Whatever the cause of tinnitus, at least one thing has not been the case so far: Covid-19.
In Germany, it is not listed as a corona symptom or long-term consequence.
Researchers identified a total of 55 typical long-term effects related to Covid-19.
Those affected report ringing in the ears after corona infection
British researchers are now reporting a possible connection between the annoying noise in the ear and corona disease.
University of Manchester audiologist Kevin Munro conducted an overview study with colleague Ibrahim Almufarrij.
The results have now been published in the
Journal of International Audiology
.
The two scientists examined 56 cross-sectional studies and case reports and found that around 15 percent of patients reported ringing in the ears, which either occurred after their infection with the coronavirus or was aggravated by it.
7.6 percent of those affected suffered a sudden hearing loss, 7.2 percent suffered from vertigo.
New study: does the coronavirus cause tinnitus?
Munro told the
New York Times
that shortly after the study was published, he received a lot of feedback: "In the first 24 hours after that, I received around a hundred emails from people who said, 'I'm so happy to read this, my doctor declared me crazy when I named tinnitus as one of the symptoms.
Now I know that I'm not alone with this. '"
According to the researchers, the results suggest that the coronavirus can also affect the ears or the hearing system.
But what exactly is the cause needs to be researched further, even if the results are "alarming", as Munro says.
It is not clear whether the virus itself causes the tinnitus.
Long-Covid: Study from 2020 comes to a similar result
The audiologist Eldre Beukes from Anglia Ruskin University in England also carried out a study in 2020 that produced similar results.
She examined 3,100 people with tinnitus, 237 of whom were infected with the coronavirus.
The
New York Times
said Beukes that 40 percent of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 study participants indicated is that their condition had "significantly deteriorated".
For Beukes, it is also not certain that the tinnitus is triggered by the disease itself.
Side effects of medication could also be the cause.
In addition, the corona pandemic is causing an increased level of stress for many people.
Therefore, the ringing in the ears could intensify regardless of a corona infection.
A British research team has investigated the question of how long-term corona consequences are indicated.
(mt)
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