Tinnitus after Covid-19, thought after Covid-19 to go to another dangerous disease

Mr. Nguyen Quoc H. (43 years old, Thuong Tin, Hanoi) came to the doctor because of symptoms of fatigue, ringing in one ear, the feeling of hearing a buzzing sound in the ear. At first, he thought that because he had just been infected with Covid-19, he had post-Covid-19 symptoms, Mr. H, was afraid to go to the hospital to check.

On April 2, Mr. H. went to the hospital for a checkup because of tinnitus in one ear. The doctor examined and found that tinnitus symptoms were a sign of nasopharyngeal cancer.

Mr. H. said that at first, he heard the sound of rice milling in his ear. His wife also said that it must be a post-Covid-19 symptom, not thinking about throat cancer.

Historically, Mr. H. smoked for nearly 20 years. Doctors believe that this is also the cause of nasopharyngeal cancer.

In the period after recovering from Covid-19, the symptoms of the disease were more widespread, so the patient mistook for the post-Covid-19 symptoms, thinking it was caused by Covid-19, and subjectively did not go to the doctor early.

Another case is Ms. NTTN (34 years old, Hoang Mai, Hanoi) after contracting Covid-19 since February, Ms. N. often had tinnitus in one ear, hearing worse. When she went to endoscopy, the doctor discovered that she had an inflammation in the cochlea.

According to Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Hoai An – Director of An Viet General Hospital, Hanoi He said that many patients have signs of ENT but mistaken for the post-Covid-19 signs when they go to the doctor, it is a manifestation of another disease.

Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Hoai An examines a patient.

With cases of tinnitus and hearing loss after infection with SARS-CoV-2, it is often due to the stimulation of the body’s protective cells to produce inflammatory factors (cytokines) that cause autoimmune reactions that damage the organs. endolymph of the cochlea and semicircular canals.

At the same time, the virus directly affects the vestibular and auditory nerves through the receptors directly attached, disrupting the transmission from the periphery to the center, causing inflammation.

‘However, these symptoms can be stopped if the patient takes measures such as breathing exercises, meditation, yoga. And after 2-3 weeks of tinnitus with a humming sound in the ear, the patient should be very careful because it is a sign of another disease’ – Dr. An said.

According to Dr. An, currently, up to 80% of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer have a dull headache, often on one side of the head, tinnitus accounts for 70% of cases, most of them tinnitus in one ear. In some cases, one side of the nose is stuffy.

Therefore, in order to rule out cancer and not a manifestation of post-Covid-19 disease, patients should listen to and monitor the body’s symptoms.

As for F0, Dr An said that after recovering from the disease, it is still necessary to continue monitoring and actively self-improving comprehensive health.

Here are some measures to help patients with rehabilitation, physical therapy, adequate nutrition, mental care, and sleep improvement:

Breathing exercises every day will help restore the respiratory function of the lungs. In particular, the patient can perform meditation, yoga therapy, warm bath, aromatherapy.

Practice deep breathing: Several times a day, for 2-5 minutes each time.

Breathing exercises in each nostril: An exercise to relax, practice when hungry. You close each nostril with your index finger, then exhale, then inhale through the other nostril. The movement repeats, rotates each nose and lasts 15 minutes. This exercise lowers the heart rate while also reducing tinnitus.

Walk: Walking 30 minutes a day after recovering from illness will also help increase lung recovery. Some other exercises that also help increase recovery for the lungs are push-ups, swimming, rowing, cycling,…

Adequate nutrition: Adding vitamins, minerals and protein to the menu at each meal will help the body recover quickly.

Take care of mental health: Get enough sleep, listen to music, relax and chat with people around to return to normal.

Dangerous sequelae from Covid-19 can appear from the time the patient recovers and last for 4 – 12 weeks, especially in people with underlying diseases who have not been vaccinated.

Doctor An recommends that patients can go to a medical facility as a general health check-up process.

Khanh Chi