Could a COVID-19 infection cause permanent hearing damage?

A recent study by the University of Manchester suggests that COVID-19 could cause permanent damage to hearing. Patients in this study were questioned about their hearing, eight weeks after being discharged from hospital for a COVID-19 infection. Of the one hundred and twenty patients involved in the study, 13.2% reported their hearing had become worse.

Of these patients, eight participants reported a decrease in hearing and another eight reported a new onset tinnitus, a buzzing or ringing noise in their ears. These results suggest that COVID-19 can have a permanent impact on hearing, however further research is required to understand exactly how the damage occurs.

Information about the study can be found at https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/hearing-deterioration-reported-by-discharged-covid-19-patients/