As time goes by, more and more things are being known about Covid-19, something that has also been influenced by the arrival of the new variantswhose changes in the incubation times, symptoms or duration of the virus, have given a 180º turn to everything we already knew about the disease.
Although less present the virus is still there and there are still infections and hospital admissions. Until mid-July, the new BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Ómicron accounted for more than 75% of new infections, as reflected in the latest report on the epidemiological situation made public by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
new side effects
And what to do in the face of the permanent presence of a virus that is mutating and from which more variants arise? Getting vaccinated is still the best option to prevent both the disease and its severity in case of contagion.
The new knowledge of the virus that we mentioned earlier also applies to vaccines, since as time goes by and more and more of the population is inoculated, New side effects are being discovered. One of them is Tinnitus, an old acquaintance for many who have suffered from Covid-19.
Why? Because according to the last pharmacovigilance report on vaccines against Covid-19 published by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), new side effects of vaccines have been detected, both the most and the least used.
The dossier reveals that Moderna has identified the extreme swelling of the vaccinated limb; at AstraZeneca, the tinnitusthe paresthesia wave hypoesthesia; and in Nuvaxovid, the anaphylaxis, paresthesia and hypoesthesia. However, it is still being evaluated whether heavy menstrual bleeding are a possible side effect with Pfizer and Moderna.
What is Tinnitus?
According to the Mayo Clinic, Tinnitus is known as that sensation of ringing or other noises in one or both ears. It is not an external sound, so other people cannot hear it. It affects between 15% and 20% of the population, especially older adults.
This tinnitus is a very common health problem in our society and can significantly worsen the quality of life of those who suffer from it.
The viral infections can cause hearing-related symptoms. This is because the mucous membranes tend to congest and collect fluid behind the eardrums. Therefore, these viruses can damage the sensory cells of the inner ear. It is not surprising then that the infectious disease caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus is related to Tinnitus.
main symptoms
The specialist of the Central University Hospital of Asturias, Faustino Núñez Batalla, specifies that it is defined as ‘persistent’ tinnitus that lasts more than 6 monthswhile noting that it can occur on one or both sides of the head and be noticed as coming from inside or outside of it.
“More frequently it occurs on the side where it coexists with deafness, particularly in those patients who describe a more intense sensation”, appreciates the specialist.
On the other hand, he explains that it qualifies as ‘primary tinnitus’ that which has no clear cause (idiopathic) and may or may not be associated with deafness; while it is defined as ‘secondary tinnitus’ that which is associated with an underlying causewith an organic disease.
How to treat it?
In some cases, it may be treated if the cause is an underlying health condition. In this case, the doctor you can reduce symptoms by treating the cause. For example:
- Remove ear wax.
- Treatment of a blood vessel condition.
- Earphones.
- Medication changes.
As the Mayo Clinic explains, in many cases Tinnitus has no curebut treatments can be done to make the symptoms less noticeable, such as an electronic noise suppression device:
- White noise machines: they reproduce sounds similar to environmental ones such as the fall of rain or the waves of the sea. Also, fans, humidifiers, and air conditioning can help.
- Masking Devices: they are placed in the ear and are similar to hearing aids.
When none of this works, only the psychological counseling through conductive treatment to help the patient live with Tinnitus.