Hearing loss is an incredibly complex condition, and there are many factors that can influence hearing health or cause hearing loss. While some of them are well-known—aging and exposure to loud noise, for example—others may surprise you, such as viruses and viral infections.
How the Ear Works
In order for us to hear, sound waves pass through a bit of an obstacle course inside our ears. First, they are funneled into the outer ear, then amplified into the middle ear, and transmitted from the inner ear to the brain, where they are, at last, perceived as sound.
Hearing loss can occur when any part of this obstacle course is damaged or dysfunctional. For example, an obstruction in the outer ear means sound waves can’t reach the inner ear, or damage to the cells of the inner ear means sound can’t be transmitted to the brain.
How Viruses Impact the Ear
The connection between viruses and hearing loss is still being studied; there are millions of virus types, and they all do slightly different things inside our bodies. But there are some effects of viruses that are known to be connected to hearing loss. Some of these include:
- Middle ear infection, or otitis media, which causes the middle ear to fill with fluid and inhibit sound waves from reaching the inner ear.
- Upper respiratory infection, which can cause inflammation in the sinuses or throat. This inflammation can cause fluid and mucus to build up behind the eardrum.
- Autoimmune disorders, in which your immune system attacks healthy body tissue, such as the cells in the ear, instead of the foreign invaders.
- Direct damage to the auditory nerve, which can happen if the infection reaches the nervous system.
- Ototoxic medications. This method is less direct, but some medications—both over-the-counter and prescription—that are effective in treating viruses and viral infections are known to be toxic to the tissues and cells of the ear.
Viruses That Can Cause Hearing Loss
Viruses can cause acquired hearing loss, or hearing loss that develops in adulthood, or congenital hearing loss, meaning acquired in utero when the pregnant parent contracts the virus. Some of these viruses are listed below.
Acquired
- The common cold
- Influenza
- COVID-19, including “long COVID”
- Measles
- Mumps
- Shingles
- Meningitis
- Herpes
- Syphilis
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Lyme disease
- ZIKA virus
- Streptococcus
Congenital
- Rubella
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- HSV Types 1 & 2
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV)
What to Do if Your Hearing Changes After Having a Virus
This information is not to make you feel undue stress or worry, but to equip you with knowledge so you can act upon it if you get sick and notice a change in your hearing. If you do notice a change in your hearing, you should seek medical attention immediately. A primary care provider can help determine what kind of virus made you sick, and a hearing test can help determine what type of hearing loss you have and its severity. More importantly, consulting medical professionals will give you a clear path forward for treatment of both the virus and the hearing loss.
In some cases, hearing may return to normal after the virus clears up or after you cease taking ototoxic medications. In other cases, the damage may be permanent, in which case our experts at SH Audiology are here to help you build a hearing loss treatment plan. Call today to learn more.