Tinnitus is experienced by millions of Americans, many to a crippling degree, making it one of the nation’s most common health problems. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that almost 15 percent of the general population has suffered some form of tinnitus — this translates to over 50 million Americans. About 20 million people deal with burdensome chronic tinnitus, while 2 million struggle with the most severe and disabling variants of the condition.
There is increasing evidence that COVID-19 could also lead to a rise in tinnitus. Before we look at how COVID-19 can affect tinnitus, let’s have a quick primer on tinnitus itself.
What is tinnitus?
The feeling of hearing ringing, humming, hissing, chirping, whistling, or other sounds is known as tinnitus. It can vary in volume and can be intermittent or constant. When it is quiet, the condition is always worse, so you might be more conscious of it at night when you are trying to fall asleep in a quiet room.
What causes tinnitus?
From loud noise to medicines that damage the nerves in the ear, there are many causes of tinnitus. Injury to the hair cells in the cochlea is one of the most common causes, however. These cells help translate sound waves into signals to be processed by the brain. If the brain’s auditory pathways or circuits do not receive the signals they are expecting from the cochlea, the brain ‘turns up the volume’ on those pathways in an attempt to locate the signal. If hearing loss occurs in the high-frequency range, this sound is high-pitched. It is low-pitched if the hearing loss is in the low-frequency range.
Recent studies find a link between tinnitus and COVID-19.
In the journal Frontiers in Public Health, a report called “Changes in Tinnitus Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic” was recently published. It analyzed data gathered from 3,103 individuals with tinnitus from 48 countries through an online survey. The respondents mainly came from North America (49 percent) and Europe (47 percent).
The study found that in 40 percent of the participants, COVID-19 symptoms exacerbated tinnitus for those already with the condition. In the study, pre-existing tinnitus was also significantly exacerbated when respondents reported feelings of self-isolation and depression, inadequate sleep, and reduced exercise levels.
A separate study from the UK found that eight weeks after being diagnosed, almost 1 in 10 coronavirus patients self-reported either hearing loss or tinnitus. As we start to see more long-term issues arise from those recovering from Covid-19, we are starting to find unexpected side effects. Is tinnitus exacerbated by having COVID-19, or is the ringing in the ear due to the increased stress and anxiety from living through a pandemic? More research on the long-term auditory implications of COVID-19 is vital to address this issue.
How you can reduce the effect of your tinnitus
It can help to be mindful that stress and anxiety are fundamental triggers of tinnitus. This is important because tinnitus itself can be intermittent – it can come and go depending on the individual’s stress levels.
A massive increase in anxiety has been triggered by the coronavirus globally. Life as we know it has changed in a matter of weeks. With the frequent shutdowns, cancellations, travel bans, and skyrocketing unemployment, it’s no wonder that your tinnitus stressors may also increase. That is why, right now, stress control strategies such as meditation, breathing exercises, and cognitive behavioral therapy are so vital.
Tinnitus Treatment
The next move is visit us at Hearing Wellness Solutions. Hearing loss is present in about 80% of individuals with tinnitus, which is why we will perform a test to assess your hearing ability’s baseline. Based on your hearing needs, we can review your options for tinnitus therapy.