British physicians have documented a landmark case—the UK's first confirmed instance of sudden, potentially permanent hearing loss tied directly to COVID-19 infection.
Emerging evidence suggests SARS-CoV-2 may impair hearing, much like it affects smell. This finding, detailed in a BMJ Case Reports study published October 13, 2020, by researchers at University College London (UK), highlights Britain's inaugural case of sudden and permanent hearing loss attributable solely to the coronavirus. While COVID-19 symptoms are well-documented, its auditory effects remain underexplored. The authors advocate for routine hearing screenings in hospitals to enable prompt intervention with steroids, aiding potential hearing restoration.
Globally, isolated COVID-19-related hearing loss cases have surfaced, starting with one in Thailand in April 2020. Sudden hearing loss occurs at rates of 5 to 160 cases per 100,000 people annually, often due to vascular issues or viral triggers with unclear origins.
The case involved a 45-year-old man with asthma hospitalized for COVID-19. Initially in intensive care, he improved with remdesivir, intravenous steroids, and therapeutic plasma exchange. One week post-discharge, he experienced a strange ear sensation—tinnitus—followed by abrupt hearing loss.
Reevaluated in hospital, his ear canals showed no blockage or inflammation, and eardrums were intact. Audiometry confirmed left-ear hearing loss. Treatment with corticosteroids yielded partial recovery. After excluding alternatives like HIV or influenza, clinicians attributed the loss to COVID-19.
