COVID-19 and Its Vaccines Linked to Sudden Hearing Loss, Considered an ‘Emergency’: Doctor
Some studies suggest an autoimmune reaction induced by the spike protein may be to blame.
Dr. Clarice Saba, an otorhinolaryngologist in Brazil, developed sudden hearing loss in her right ear a week after receiving her first dose of the COVID-19 adenovirus vaccine.
“I did all the exams and could not find any other reason other than because of the shots,” she told The Epoch Times.
“[Sudden sensorineural hearing loss] after COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are very rare adverse events,” the French authors concluded, adding that these rare adverse events “do not call into question the benefits of mRNA vaccines but deserve to be known given the potentially disabling impact of sudden deafness.”
Accumulated Damage
While the cause of hearing loss is unknown, it is usually assumed to be induced by damage to the cochlear, a fluid-filled, spiral cavity in the inner ear that helps process sounds into electrical signals in the brain.
This assumption is based on the fact that cochlear implants, which mimic the work of a natural cochlear, are highly successful in treating hearing loss.
The cochlear is a highly sensitive part of the ear and can accumulate damage from aging, loud sounds, viral infections, and certain chemicals and medications.
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These exposures may restrict oxygen to the blood supply of the cochlear, reduce blood flow, increase oxidative damage, or form lesions in the cochlear tissue.
Tinnitus and Hearing Loss
Since the pandemic, Dr. Saba has seen a rise in hearing loss and tinnitus.
Tinnitus is also strongly linked to hearing loss.
Due to the link between tinnitus and hearing loss, she sometimes prescribes the same treatment for both conditions.
Treatments for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
There is currently no known cure for hearing loss or tinnitus. Internal medicine physician Dr. Keith Berkowitz said that tinnitus arising post-vaccination has been challenging to treat. This observation has been echoed by other clinicians, including Dr. Pierre Kory and nurse practitioner Scott Marsland of the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC).
Still, some patients have reported benefits or hearing recovery in response to certain therapeutics.
“Sudden hearing loss is an emergency,” Dr. Saba said. Treatment must be deployed as early as possible to recover hearing.
Dr. Saba’s treatment for sudden hearing loss involves a combination of oral vasodilator drugs and injected steroids.
Vasodilators increase blood flow to the cochlear and are believed to help with its function, though studies have shown conflicting evidence on the benefits of vasodilators in hearing loss.
Dr. Joseph Varon, a pulmonary critical care specialist and professor of medicine at the University of Houston, said that many of his patients found success with tinnitus by wearing red-light therapy earplugs.
Mr. Marsland said that he has been trialing transcranial brain stimulation. This treatment, however, is inaccessible for many patients with insurance, as the stimulation device is currently only approved for depression.
He became interested in the device when one of his patients, with both hearing loss and depression, saw an improvement in hearing while receiving mental health treatment.
Mr. Marsland has also seen mild tinnitus improvement in patients who have been dripping two drops of glutathione and one drop of caster oil in their ears.
This article has been archived for your research. The original version from Epoch Times can be found here.
