According to a study published in the British Medical Journal Case Reports, people who suffer from a mild COVID-19 infection are at increased risk of sudden deafness and hearing loss.

Ms. Kim Gibson, a fully immunized nursing lecturer at the University of South Australia and a registered nurse with experience in neonatal intensive care, noted that sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), commonly known as sudden deafness, is a little-known and poorly understood adverse effect of COVID-19.

She added that SSNHL is not even recognized as a typical symptom by clinicians. She revealed that she developed acute hearing loss in one ear along with vertigo and tinnitus five weeks after experiencing a mild COVID infection in 2022. Several studies have linked SSNHL with COVID-19, as well as a potential side effect of the COVID vaccination.

Ms. Gibson added that, despite working in health education, she was not aware of COVID-19 causing hearing loss. According to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, sudden sensorineural hearing loss occurs when an individual loses the ability to hear very quickly, typically only in one ear.

After experiencing the sudden hearing loss, she was referred to an otolaryngologist, who confirmed the diagnosis of SSNHL. She added that hearing loss and associated symptoms can have a significant impact on a person`s quality of life and can be closely related to anxiety and depression.

Lastly, another study on hearing loss during the pandemic showed that approximately one-third of patients with SSNHL tested positive for COVID-19 when they were referred to an audiologist. 

(Source: https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/health-and-fitness/article/mild-covid19-infection-too-can-cause-sudden-hearing-loss-study-23280979 )