It’s normal to want to understand the side effects of a medication when you begin using it. Can it upset your stomach? Will it cause dehydration? Make you drowsy? There could also be a more serious potential side effect that you may not be aware of – hearing loss. Ototoxicity is the medical name professionals have given this condition and there are many drugs that are known to cause it.
Exactly how many drugs are there that can cause this issue? The answer is uncertain, but there are plenty that are recognized to cause ototoxic symptoms. So, which ones do you need to watch out for and why?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How is it possible for your hearing to be impacted by medication? There are three distinct places specific drugs can harm your hearing:
- The stria vascularis: The stria vascularis is the part of the cochlea that generates fluid called endolymph. Too much or too little endolymph has a substantial effect on both hearing and balance.
- The cochlea: The cochlea is part of the inner ear, shaped like a seashell, that transforms sound waves into electrical signals which your brain translates into the perception of sound. When the cochlea is compromised, you will start to lose some frequencies of sound, particularly in the high-frequency range.
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the part of the ear situated in the middle of the labyrinth that composes the cochlea. Its main function is to manage balance. When a medication triggers an ototoxic response to the vestibule of the inner ear, you can experience balance issues and the feeling that the room is spinning.
Do different drugs have different risk levels?
The checklist of drugs that can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss may surprise you. Ototoxic medications are fairly common and most people have a few of them in their medicine cabinets right now.
At the top of the list of ototoxic medications are over-the-counter pain relievers including:
- Naproxen
- Ibuprofen
You can add salicylates to the list, which is aspirin. When you quit taking these drugs, your hearing will usually go back to normal.
Next on the list of common ototoxic medications would be specific antibiotics. You might have heard of some of these:
- Tobramycin
- Streptomycin
- Kanamycin
Tinnitus can also be induced by a number of common compounds
Some medications might cause tinnitus and others could result in loss of hearing. If you hear phantom noises, that may be tinnitus and it usually shows up as:
- Ringing
- A whooshing sound
- Thumping
- Popping
Various diuretics can also result in tinnitus, including brand names Lasix, Bumex, and Diamox but the leading offenders in this category are things like:
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Marijuana
- Tonic water
Each and every time you drink your coffee or black tea in the morning, you are subjecting your body to something that may make your ears ring. Here’s the good news, it should clear up after the chemical is out of your system. The following medications are prescribed to manage tinnitus but ironically, they are themselves diuretics:
- Lidocaine
- Prednisone
- Amitriptyline
Typically, the tinnitus will clear when you stop taking the medication but always consult your doctor, they will know what’s best for you.
There are very distinct symptoms with an ototoxic reaction
The signs or symptoms of tinnitus differ based on your ear health and which medication you get.
Here are some things to watch out for:
- Blurred vision
- Poor balance
- Difficulty walking
- Vomiting
- Tinnitus
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
Be certain that you consult your doctor about any side effects the medication they prescribed may have, including ototoxicity. Contact your doctor right away if you experience any tinnitus symptoms that might have been caused by an ototoxic reaction.
Also, call us today to set up a hearing test to establish a baseline of your hearing health.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331
