Age: 71.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Deafness neurosensory, Magnetic resonance imaging, Tinnitus
Clinical narrative: diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL); tinnitus; This is a spontaneous report from a contactable consumer (patient). A 71-year-old female patient received first dose of bnt162b2 (PFIZER-BIONTECH COVID-19 VACCINE, solution for injection, lot number: EN6205), via an unspecified route of administration, in right arm, on 02Mar2021 (at the age of 71 years old) at a single dose for covid-19 immunisation. Medical history included fibromyalgia, blood pressure (abnormal), blood cholesterol (abnormal). Concomitant medications included duloxetine hydrochloride (CYMBALTA) for fibromyalgia, metoprolol for blood pressure; atorvastatin calcium (LIPITOR) for cholesterol; vitamin d3 for vitamin; ubidecarenone (COQ10) for vitamin; aspirin [acetylsalicylic acid]; and calcium carbonate (CALTRATE). The patient had no history of previous immunizations and no additional vaccines administered on the same date. The patient had no prior vaccinations within four weeks. The patient developed an adverse event from the vaccine, in which her doctor prescribed her to receive steroid injections in her ear drum to help with tinnitus and hearing loss experienced from the vaccine on 22Mar2021. The patient is two weeks post second vaccine administration and asked if she can take a steroid orally rather than having to get it injected into her ear drum. The patient stated that she can't be absolutely sure that this adverse event was from the vaccine. She further reported that she had the first dose of the vaccine on 02Mar2021. On 22Mar2021, she woke up completely deaf in one ear and it was diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). Stated that along with that, she had had severe ringing in the ear, like tinnitus type of condition. Stated that she went to the doctor on 22Mar2021 to the ear, nose, throat (ENT) doctor and stated that he was not absolutely sure. Stated that in the ENT industry is looking at the fact that they are having many patients coming in with this condition. They don't know if this is because of the vaccine or the fact that so many people are getting the vaccine. They are seeing an up rise in this condition and are dealing with it.  Stated that the doctor didn't want to give oral steroids, which is the recommendation because, she was having the second dose of vaccine on 23Mar2021. Decided to inject steroid into ear drum instead of doing it orally because he didn't want to kind of cancel out the vaccine. States that she still does not know if the ringing, tinnitus is from the vaccine or not. Stated that she has now had 3 injections of this steroid directly into her ear. Further, ringing in ear started as mild ringing and she woke up completely deaf in that ear. The patient got the third injection on 02Apr2021. After the first injection, started getting some hearing back, not much, but is a little improved. Stated that it is slightly improved. She does not know the name of the injected steroid. States that currently, as recommended by her doctor, is undergoing HBOT therapy, which is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Stated that it is known to be helpful in this SSHL condition. Stated that she has had 5 treatments and is going to continue until 20 treatments. The event required a visit at physician office. The patient underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on unspecified date to make sure, there are two things in the brain that could cause loss of hearing; 1 is a tumor and one is something else and the patient don't have either. Therapeutic measures were taken as a result of the event. Outcome of the event was recovering.