One symptom recently reported more often than other times is ear pain. As infections with the Delta variant have increased, the question naturally arises: Is ear pain a symptom of Covid?

It certainly can be. Amesh A. Adalja, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Center for Health Safety, says he would not call ear pain a common symptom of Covid-19 — but it is not unheard of. "Many respiratory infections, especially those that cause sore throats, can sometimes cause earaches," he told Health.

According to Ellen Wald, an infectious disease doctor at UHealth in Wisconsin, ear pain occurs during respiratory infections due to the connection between the nasal passages and the ears. There is a passage called the eustachian tube that connects the ears and the back of the throat; normally, says Dr. Wald, the tube ventilates the ears and drains fluid from them.

When a person has an upper respiratory infection (which can be triggered by viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19), the nasal passages can drain mucus into the throat and the throat can send fluid up to tubin eustakian. The tube can then become blocked and interfere with the ear's ability to drain fluid - this eventually causes ear pain.

Are ear pains the most common for the Delta variant?

Not everyone who has Covid-19 will experience ear problems, but an earache may be more common now, as the Delta variant grows. "Delta seems to have more upper respiratory tract symptoms, so it makes sense for people with the Delta variant to experience more ear symptoms," Taylor Heald-Sargent, a professor of pediatrics specializing in infectious diseases, told Health. .

However there is still no official data suggesting that the Delta variant causes more ear pain or infections than previous types - or that ear pain is a common symptom of Covid-19 at all (you may have a cold).

However, if you experience ear pain associated with other respiratory symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose, headache, cough, or sore throat - along with any other possible symptoms of the virus - you should get tested.