Texas Roadhouse founder Kent Taylor died by suicide earlier this week after dealing with an “unbearable” struggle with his COVID-19 symptoms, including tinnitus, the Deseret News reports.
- Since the announcement of his death, questions have been raised about tinnitus and how it might impact people across the country.
What we know
Per Veterans Affairs, “Tinnitus is ringing, buzzing, whistling or other sounds in the ears without an external source. The condition can disrupt sleep, affect a person’s work and social life, and sharply increase the risk of depression or anxiety.”
- Data from the VA suggests about 2 million veterans have been diagnosed with the issue, which is related to patients’ time spent in the military.
Does COVID-19 cause tinnitus?
A 2020 study found that 40% of people who had tinnitus said COVID-19 symptoms increased the discomfort with tinnitus.
But tinnitus can seemingly come out of nowhere, ldré Beukes, an audiologist and research fellow at Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, told The Washington Post.
- “Some people do just get tinnitus that’s seemingly out of the blue.”
Beukes said more research is being done to see the link between COVID-19 and tinnitus.
Dr. Omid Mehdizadeh, an otolaryngologist and laryngologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California, told Health.com: “It’s entirely possible that COVID-19 can cause tinnitus.”
Why would COVID-19 cause tinnitus?
Per The Washington Post, viral inflammation can impact the inner ear and cause tinnitus. At the same time, respiratory infections — like the cold — can cause ear infections, which would lead to tinnitus.
But the research still remains unclear.