{"id":2752,"date":"2022-03-11T17:36:52","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T22:36:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/augustaent.com\/?p=2752"},"modified":"2022-03-11T17:36:54","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T22:36:54","slug":"study-finds-covid-19-can-directly-affect-the-inner-ear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/augustaent.com\/study-finds-covid-19-can-directly-affect-the-inner-ear\/","title":{"rendered":"Study Finds COVID-19 Can Directly Affect the Inner Ear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While the world may be opening back up and we can once again attend birthday parties at Urban Air Adventure Park<\/a>, that doesn\u2019t mean the pandemic is over. In fact, some people who were infected with COVID-19 weeks or months ago are still affected by symptoms. These people are known as COVID \u2018long-haulers.\u2019 Long-haulers may experience symptoms such as fatigue, memory problems, joint problems and even inner ear problems. We review how COVID-19 affects the inner ear below.<\/p>\n\n\n

Overview of the Inner Ear<\/h2>\n\n\n
\"Man<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The inner ear contains both the cochlea, which helps us hear, and the semicircular canals, which help us balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cochlea is filled with fluid and lined with tiny hair cells called stereocilia. As soundwaves pass through the ear, these cells convert them into electrical impulses that travel via the auditory nerve to the brain to be interpreted as sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The semicircular canals are also filled with fluid and lined with hair cells that tell your brain about your body\u2019s movements. There are three sets of semicircular canals: one detects up\/down movements, one detects side-to-side movements and one detects tilting movements.<\/p>\n\n\n

How COVID-19 Affects the Inner Ear<\/h2>\n\n\n

Konstantina Stankovic, M.D., Ph.D., an inner ear researcher and otolaryngologist, published a study<\/a> that appeared in the journal Communications Medicine <\/em>in October 2021 about the link between COVID-19 and inner ear problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Stankovic, the COVID-19 virus likely travels to the inner ear via the nose. She thinks it\u2019s unlikely that it gets there by passing through the outer ears.<\/p>\n\n\n