COVID-19 Vaccine and Tinnitus: What We Know

Studies investigating the association between tinnitus and the COVID-19 vaccine are limited, but a few reports suggest that a minority of vaccinated people develop tinnitus soon after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. I already know.

a report For example, published in March 2022, identified 12,247 cases of tinnitus reported after COVID-19 vaccination by September 2021.

another 2022 survey Tinnitus ranked as one of the top ENT side effects reported after COVID vaccination.

a Recent researchpublished in March 2023, found that cases of vaccine-related tinnitus were rare but occasionally severe.

lastly, report From April 2023, we found that 14.5% of participants had some form of ear symptom within 4 weeks of vaccination, with tinnitus being the second most commonly reported ear symptom.

According to Djalilian, approximately 10-15% of the population suffers from tinnitus, and it is estimated that 1% of the population may develop transient tinnitus in any given year.

As is the case with COVID, when large portions of the population are vaccinated, some of those people develop tinnitus. For example, if you vaccinate 70% of the population, 7% will get tinnitus that year, and 0.7% will get tinnitus, Jarilian says.

“This could be tinnitus and not necessarily from the vaccine,” Djalilian said.

It’s unclear if tinnitus is a side effect of the vaccine, but it’s not out of the question.

other shots flu vaccinehas a known side effect of tinnitus, says Djalilian.

“If the timing is right, it means that, among other factors, tinnitus can occur soon after vaccination. I try to pay more attention to the sounds I hear,” says Djalilian. .

Tinnitus is caused by loss of cells in the inner ear and can be worse in people with migraines.

“Migraine headaches can make the brain more sensitive (called central sensitivity disorder), making tinnitus more noticeable and louder for the patient,” Jarilian says.

However, it is unclear whether there is a causal link between the COVID vaccine and tinnitus.

The CDC is now investigating reports of vaccine-related tinnitus, Dr. Scott Robertsan infectious disease specialist at Yale Medicine.

“They don’t report any associations, but they maintain a robust database, so if there are any signals, we should know as soon as possible,” Roberts said.

Tinnitus and hearing loss may be related symptoms of COVIDthat too.

“Although much less common than loss of smell or taste, research shows that hearing problems and tinnitus have a much greater impact than loss of smell or taste. Constantina Stankovica board-certified, fellowship-trained otolaryngologist head and neck surgeon at Stanford Health Care, says.

Djalilian said during a viral infection, the body triggers a massive inflammatory response to fight the pathogen, and that inflammation can reach the lining behind the eardrum.

“If you have a cold and have inflammation or fluid buildup behind your eardrums that temporarily interferes with your hearing, your eardrums also stop vibrating, causing ringing in your ears,” Jarilian says.

Ruth RaismanAuD, a New York-based board-certified audiologist, suspects the pathophysiology may be similar to vaccines.

What’s more, Reisman believes that some people feel tired and sore after the vaccine, while others develop tinnitus.

“Every person’s systemic function and immunity is different, causing a range of sequelae, including risk of tinnitus and hearing loss,” she said.

More research is needed to understand whether and how COVID — and the vaccines used to prevent infection — cause tinnitus before any causal link can be determined.

“We need peer-reviewed, well-conducted research before we can conclude any correlation between the two,” says Djalilian.

Anecdotal reports revealed that some people developed tinnitus days after receiving one of the COVID vaccines. More research is needed to understand if and how COVID — and the vaccines used to prevent infection — cause tinnitus before determining causality.