After infection with COVID-19, how are your ears?

Recently, there have been many patients with ear symptoms after being infected with Omicron. The common symptoms are tinnitus, ear tightness, earache, acute hearing loss in the large vestibule, etc. Everyone knows that the common symptoms after being infected with COVID-19 are chills, fever, sore throat, headache, nasal congestion, etc.

So what are these ear problems after infection with COVID-19?

According to a doctor, the ear symptoms of recent patients are often caused by acute otitis media, and the nose symptoms after infection with COVID-19 can easily cause middle ear problems if unscientific treatment is adopted.

As we all know, the symptoms of acute otitis media are ear pain, stuffiness, or oppression. Listening to your voice will be amplified, and it feels like being stuck in a bucket. Listening to the outside sounds feels very far away and can't hear clearly.

Why is it easy to have acute otitis media after infection with COVID-19?

First of all, we need to understand the eustachian tube, which is the channel connecting the pharynx and the tympanum of the middle ear. The pharyngeal orifice of the eustachian tube sends air to the middle ear cavity through orderly opening to maintain the pressure balance of the middle ear cavity and normal hearing function.

After infection with COVID-19, the congestion and swelling of the mucosa of the nasopharynx caused the pharyngeal opening of the eustachian tube to be unable to open normally, and the negative pressure gradually formed in the middle ear cavity, which would cause secondary congestion of the mucosa of the middle ear cavity and the tympanic membrane, and may cause the symptoms of earache, the tympanic membrane would collapse, and even stick to the inner wall of the middle ear, which would lead to the symptoms of ear tightness, hearing loss and tinnitus.

If the negative pressure is not relieved continuously, then the negative pressure will lead to leakage, and then the exudate. The middle ear cavity will produce water, and then acute otitis media will become secretory otitis media.

What we should pay attention to protecting hearing after infection with COIVD-19?

01. Avoid sucking with force

After aspiration and regurgitation, bacteria and viruses can easily retrogradely infect the middle ear through the eustachian tube. This will induce otitis media and cause hearing loss. And when bacteria and viruses invade, they may cause ischemia and hypoxia in the inner ear, tinnitus in the mild and hearing loss in the severe.

02. Avoid blowing your nose vigorously

When you pinch both nostrils and blow your nose too hard, the air will flow to the middle ear through the eustachian tube, which will cause symptoms such as ear tightness and tinnitus, and may also cause purulent nasal mucus to flow to the middle ear through the eustachian tube, causing otitis media.

What should I do if my ears are uncomfortable after infection with COVID-19?

In fact, acute otitis media comes and goes in a hurry. Most of them can recover in a week or so. Only a few people, or they have eustachian tube dysfunction, may develop into chronic diseases, such as secretory otitis media. Therefore, there is no need to worry and panic about the ear symptoms. If the ear symptoms still do not subside after the "Yang" treatment, you need to see a doctor in time and follow up with medication as instructed by the doctor.

It is also necessary to remind friends with hearing loss that if hearing changes are found, they should not take chances to heal themselves or take drugs without authorization. They should contact the audiologist in time and go to the hospital or hearing center as soon as possible.