Is tinnitus a sequelae of COVID-19? The fluid in his middle ear turned out to be "nasopharyngeal cancer"! 3 major dangers of tinnitus to be careful about
Is tinnitus a sequelae of COVID-19? How long does it take for acute tinnitus to get better?
Sudden ringing in the ears, may it be a sequelae of infection with the new coronavirus? In an interview, Dr. Lai Renzong, Director of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck at Guangtian General Hospital, said that tinnitus can be roughly divided into “acute tinnitus” and “chronic tinnitus”. When foreign objects such as bacteria invade the body and cause an inflammatory reaction, it may indeed impact the inner ear and cause symptoms. Tinnitus symptoms.
Dr. Lai Rencong said that there are many causes of acute tinnitus. Infection with the new coronavirus may affect the respiratory tract and Eustachian tube, causing sinusitis and tinnitus symptoms. Before the local epidemic broke out, many patients sought medical treatment for tinnitus after being vaccinated. This was related to the immune response caused by the vaccine. The proportion was nearly 90% higher than those diagnosed with the new coronavirus.
“Tinnitus is protecting hearing, not the cause of hearing damage. This concept is the most important!” Dr. Lai Rencong pointed out that when the body’s inflammatory response subsides and the defense mechanism is activated, about 90% of acute tinnitus after virus infection or vaccination will disappear. It subsides within 3 months. As long as it is treated properly, the chance of permanent hearing loss is not high.
Be careful with unilateral tinnitus! The fluid in his middle ear turned out to be nasopharyngeal cancer
There are many causes of tinnitus. Under what circumstances should we be alert? Dr. Lai Rencong said that if you have unilateral tinnitus and persistent hearing loss, you must seek medical treatment in time. Especially when conductive middle ear hydrops or otitis media occurs in adults, it may be related to cancer. Recently, a young man in his 20s sought medical treatment for unilateral tinnitus and was found to have fluid in the middle ear. Further examination confirmed that he had nasopharyngeal cancer.
Dr. Lai Rencong pointed out that there are three main types of dangerous tinnitus. One is organic problems such as acoustic neuroma, which will gradually worsen hearing; the other is tinnitus caused by fluid accumulation in the middle ear, which may be related to nasopharyngeal cancer; The first type is tinnitus related to mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders and panic attacks. Patients may also experience symptoms such as trouble sleeping, anxiety, etc. Be careful of potential mental problems.
In addition, there are also a small number of patients who are troubled by “pulsatile tinnitus.” Dr. Lai Rencong explained that patients with pulsatile tinnitus will hear a “whirring” tinnitus sound that is synchronized with the heartbeat, which may be an aneurysm or related to venous sinus disease. Clinically, a pregnant patient had severe insomnia due to pulsatile tinnitus. After examination, it was discovered that the sigmoid sinus bone wall was defective due to hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy. The tinnitus was successfully improved after surgery.
What diseases are associated with chronic tinnitus? Doctor teaches 3 tips for self-rescue and improvement
The proportion of chronic tinnitus related to sleep and emotion is quite high. Dr. Lai Rensong pointed out that in addition to inner ear diseases such as Meniere’s disease, the most common causes of chronic tinnitus include: hormonal deficiency during menopause in men and women, obesity, and sleep apnea. , migraines, anxiety or depression, the causes are often varied.
Dr. Lai Rencong said that many patients in tinnitus clinics suffer from menopause, anxiety disorders, and sleep apnea. This type of troublesome “refractory tinnitus” usually lasts for a long time and is related to various comorbidities. It is necessary to find out the real cause and sort it out to help patients improve the problem.
Dr. Lai Rencong reminded that tinnitus is like pain, an alarm for the body. Its causes are complex and related to the auditory system and auditory center. It is greatly affected by emotions and sleep. You can spend more time in contact with the sounds of nature, relax your mood appropriately, and improve your sleep quality. In the acute stage, sedative and sleep-aid drugs can be given first to help the patient sleep better, and then the root cause can be found and dealt with appropriately.
The public is reminded that when signs of suspected dangerous tinnitus occur, or tinnitus prevents normal sleep, seriously affects daily life and work, they should seek help from a tinnitus clinic as soon as possible.
Further reading:
