Long COVID-hearing loss and tinnitus

Cross-posting this to the long/post COVID group and the ENT group. This article tells more tho' not yet enough. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10072149/

-Had COVID in late March/early April 2023. Had immediate symptoms not related to ENT tho' those came within 1 month.
-Because I was dealing with more immediate health issues that came with COVID, I'd not seen an ENT until Oct. 2024.
-Never before had I had tinnitus - and it's worsened with, now, 'music' that I have read 'fills spaces' when there is hearing loss, can be "musical hallucinations" caused by an infection, stress, depression, and more.
-The music is NOT earworms - it is not music I'd choose. z
-The non-music tinnitus varies (children playing - we don't live near a playground or school, whooshing which I understand is common, birds, what sounds like a radio broadcast where I "hear" a voice but not words,) and a new one - a popping sound in my left ear has become particularly annoying. (It woke me up multiple times this past week thinking someone had broken in or the cat was doing something odd!) Of course it started after the ENT and full audiology work-up.
-My hearing, which was fine judging by the lack of need for captions on TV until I got COVID. Now, without captions on most shows, I can't hear. Headphones for Zoom work and I've no problem.
-Now significant hearing loss that I need to be fitted for hearing aids - tho' a colleague who works in disability issues and was part of a recent conference said they learned Apple AirPods Pro are considered a great less expensive alternative. Ordered and waiting to try.

It is annoying and clearly connected or the timing is just odd. Posting mainly to post the article. Also hoping to find others since the area's one long COVID specialist seems to have dismissed me after a diagnosis of one issue and no interest in investigating others. (I'd be such a good subject for research.)

Thanks.