Nonstop Ringing: Can COVID-19 Lead to Tinnitus?

Ringing in the ears is one symptom of exposure to the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2, the virus that triggers a COVID infection.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Tinnitus is a noise you hear in one or both ears triggered inside the auditory system; it is a symptom of an abnormality or injury and not a specific disease

• Tinnitus is one symptom of long COVID and from the COVID shot. How the symptom is triggered is still being studied; the virus can infect inner ear cells and the spike protein can di…