Is there a link between COVID-19 vaccines and hearing problems?

The World Health Organization (WHO) is investigating hearing problems as a result of COVID-19 vaccines. The organization announced in a recent newsletter posted on their website that they were looking into the problem.

According to the newsletter, the organization has learned about a variety of hearing problems that people around the world have been reporting following their COVID-19 vaccinations. These problems include tinnitus, hearing loss or sudden changes in people’s hearing habits.

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Photo by Mufid Majnun via Unsplash

So far, according to the figures reported by the WHO, cases of hearing problems are quite rare. The organization reported 367 cases of tinnitus and 167 cases of hearing loss from people around the world.

The data suggests that those affected were between the ages of 19 and 91 and were mostly women. Over a third of the people reporting these symptoms worked in healthcare, which may indicate that the problem is more pervasive and that these people are able to recognize new patterns in their hearing because of their medical training and exposure. According to WHO: “As there is still limited data in the literature supporting this association, further surveillance is needed.”

While some patients have recovered, others claim the ringing in their ears has disrupted their lives. NBC spoke to some patients who said they had been experiencing loud phantom noises for over a year. “It scared me,” said a 66-year-old patient. “I thought it was a dog whistle going off right next to me.”

Tinnitus can be described as any number of tones and noises that people hear without others being able to hear them. Noises can range from buzzing, ringing, vibration, and more, with symptoms ranging from manageable to highly annoying. While some people notice these symptoms, others don’t and go on with their lives normally.

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While the WHO will investigate this issue more closely, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found no link between the COVID-19 vaccine and hearing loss. These findings were gathered through the analysis of a range of vaccine side effects and detailed studies of over two dozen patients seeking medical help for hearing loss following their COVID-19 vaccination.

According to the researchers, those treated did not have a higher risk of developing a hearing loss problem. These problems are relatively common, with the CDC reporting that about 10% of Americans have experienced some form of tinnitus.