Did COVID Trigger This Agonizing Condition? (Study)

It’s a condition that affects nearly 50 MILLION Americans…

And nearly 30% of the WORLD population will experience some form of it during their lifetime.

If you deal with this condition, you already know that some days feel like a small annoyance… while other days it practically drives you INSANE!

There is a litany of proven causes… yet some suspect that the COVID-19 pandemic may also be a trigger.

One study has uncovered the truth about the suspected connection and what it means for your long-term health and well-being.

Tinnitus is the debilitating condition characterized by constant (and seemingly never-ending) ringing of the ears.

It’s generally caused by an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, an ear injury, or a problem with the circulatory system.

But there are other, lesser-known cause of tinnitus, like…

Stress, tension, anxiety, and depression.

Now, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many folks have expressed increased feelings of stress (and rightfully so).

But researchers from Florida Atlantic University aimed to find out whether this sharp increase in stress and anxiety fueled by COVID could have triggered tinnitus, or made the condition worse for folks that already had it.

Fortunately, there’s no clear evidence that COVID made tinnitus worse.

Through a series of tests on folks diagnosed with tinnitus before and during the pandemic, researchers found that effects of the pandemic did NOT lead to a worsening of tinnitus.

That’s certainly good news… especially considering how many studies are coming out these days about the lasting impact(s) of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But while there’s no evidence to support a direct link to COVID and tinnitus… it doesn’t mean that the pandemic didn’t have an effect on the hearing health of many Americans.

According to findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging, the majority of Americans over the age of 50 have NOT been checked for hearing loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And, a whopping 80% report having primary care physicians who have not questioned or checked their hearing capabilities!

This all means that more and more older Americans are putting their hearing health on the back burner… allowing conditions like tinnitus to go unnoticed.

If you haven’t had your hearing checked in a while, or if you already suffer from hearing loss, reach out to your doctor about conducting a simple hearing test or routine checkup. In-person ear exams can be done safely.

But if you’re worried about COVID, many doctors can conduct hearing tests virtually.

This will help identify if your hearing is up-to-par, or if a second look may be needed.

To crystal-clear hearing,
Sarah Reagan

Sources:

ScienceDaily. “Did COVID-19 make tinnitus, ‘ringing’ in the ears, worse?” 3/2/22. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220302092736.htm