MRI revealed middle ear effusion (glue ear) persisting for 8 weeks. Treatment with standard antibiotics failed (virus, not bacteria). She required a course of intranasal corticosteroids and auto-insufflation (the Valsalva maneuver) to reopen the tube. At 12 weeks, the fluid finally resolved.
| Feature | COVID Ear Congestion | Bacterial Otitis Media | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Mild pressure; rarely sharp | Severe, throbbing pain | | Discharge | None | Possible yellow/green pus | | Fever | Uncommon (without systemic COVID) | Common in children | | Response to blowing nose | Temporarily improves (pops open) | Worsens pain | | Primary cause | Swollen tube (negative pressure) | Fluid/pus buildup (positive pressure) | 5. Case Study: The Long-Haul Phenomenon Patient "A," 34, female. Contracted mild COVID (Omicron variant) in 2023. Acute symptoms resolved in 5 days, but she reported a persistent "sloshing" sound in her left ear when nodding her head. ear congestion covid
If your ears remain "stuffed" three weeks after a negative COVID test, do not assume it is allergies. See an otolaryngologist (ENT) for tympanometry—a pressure test that reveals exactly how stuck your Eustachian tube really is. End of Report MRI revealed middle ear effusion (glue ear) persisting