Long Covid: Earache can follow an infection – when to see a doctor
Long Covid: Dr Sara Kayat discusses impact on children
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Age UK explains: “Many people with coronavirus make a full recovery within weeks. But others continue to feel the effects for some time after – this is known as ‘long Covid’.” It says a common symptom is earache or tinnitus, which is hearing noises that aren’t there.
The Mayo Clinic explains: “Tinnitus is when you experience ringing or other noises in one or both of your ears.
“The noise you hear when you have tinnitus isn’t caused by an external sound, and other people usually can’t hear it.”
It says tinnitus is a common problem. It notes that it affects about 15 to 20 percent of people, and is especially common in older adults.
The organisation says tinnitus is most often described as a ringing in the ears, even though no external sound is present.
Nonetheless, it says tinnitus can also cause other types of phantom noises in your ears, including:
- Buzzing
- Roaring
- Clicking
- Hissing
- Humming.
The Cleveland Clinic says: “Reports of people experiencing tinnitus, vertigo and other hearing problems after having COVID-19 started emerging earlier in the pandemic.”
It adds: “The main thing to keep in mind with tinnitus is that no matter how frustrating it can be, there is help.”
The Mayo Clinic says you should see your doctor as soon as possible if:
- You have hearing loss or dizziness with the tinnitus.
- You are experiencing anxiety or depression as a result of your tinnitus.
The British Tinnitus Association says a study looking at the experiences of people with tinnitus worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic has found that nearly half of UK sufferers report that their tinnitus has been made worse due to the impact of lockdown and lifestyle changes.
It also notes a study by audiologists at the University of Manchester, supported by the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), found that a significant number of patients reported a deterioration in their hearing when questioned eight weeks after discharge from a hospital admission for COVID-19.
The NHS notes that how long it takes to recover from COVID-19 is different for everybody, but many people feel better in a few days or weeks.
The health body explains that the chances of having long-term symptoms does not seem to be linked to how ill you are when you first get COVID-19, as “people who had mild symptoms at first can still have long-term problems”.
The NHS says there are lots of symptoms you can have after a COVID-19 infection, and one common long Covid symptom is extreme tiredness, also known as fatigue.
It notes that many people will be familiar with the feeling of fatigue after exercise or a long period of concentration.
The NHS says there are lots of other symptoms you can have after a COVID-19 infection, which include the following:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain or tightness
- Problems with memory and concentration (“brain fog”)
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Pins and needles
- Joint pain
- Depression and anxiety
- Feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
- A high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
- Rashes.
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