When you start on a course of medication, it’s natural to want to be informed about any potential side effects. Can it trigger digestive problems? Will it cause your mouth to dry out? Cause insomnia? There could also be a more severe potential side effect that you may not think of – hearing loss. Ototoxicity is the medical term professionals have given this condition and there are many drugs that are known to cause it.
Specifically how many medications are there that can lead to this issue? The answer is not clear, but there are lots that are known to cause ototoxic symptoms. So which medications do you personally need to know about?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How is it possible for your hearing to be impacted by medication? Your hearing can be harmed by medication in three distinct places:
- The cochlea: That’s the seashell-shaped component of the inner ear that takes sound and converts it into an electrical signal that the brain can comprehend. Damage to the cochlea affects the range of sound you can hear, typically starting with high frequencies then extending to include lower ones.
- The stria vascularis: Found in the cochlea, the stria vascularis generates endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Both hearing and balance are impacted by too much or too little endolymph.
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the portion of the ear that sits in the middle of the labyrinth that composes the cochlea. Its principal function is to manage balance. Vestibulotoxicity medications can cause you to become dizzy or feel like the room is spinning.
Do different drugs have different risk levels?
You may be surprised by the list of drugs that can cause an ototoxic reaction. Ototoxic medications are fairly common and the majority of people have several of them in their medicine cabinets right now.
Over-the-counter pain medications like the following top the list:
- Naproxen
- Ibuprofen
Aspirin, also called salicylates, is on this list too. When you stop using these drugs, your hearing will typically go back to normal.
Next on the list of common ototoxic medications would be specific antibiotics. You might have heard of some of these:
- Kanamycin
- Streptomycin
- Tobramycin
There are also several other compounds that can trigger tinnitus
Some drugs might cause tinnitus and others could result in loss of hearing. Here are a few ways tinnitus may present:
- Ringing
- A whooshing sound
- Popping
- Thumping
Some diuretics can also cause tinnitus, including brand names Lasix, Bumex, and Diamox but the leading offenders in this category are things like:
- Nicotine
- Tonic water
- Marijuana
- Caffeine
Each and every time you drink your coffee or black tea in the morning, you are exposing your body to something that may make your ears ring. Here’s the good news, it should clear up after the drug is out of your system. Ironically, some medications doctors prescribe to treat tinnitus are also on the list of possible causes such as:
- Lidocaine
- Amitriptyline
- Prednisone
After you discontinue the medication, the symptoms should go away, and your doctor will be there to help you with whatever you may need to know.
There are very distinct symptoms with an ototoxic response
The signs or symptoms of tinnitus differ depending on your hearing health and which medication you get.
Here are a few things to check out for:
- Difficulty walking
- Blurred vision
- Tinnitus
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Vomiting
- Poor balance
Keep yourself informed by always asking your physician about the possible side effects of a medication, don’t hesitate to ask about ototoxicity. If you experience ototoxicity we recommend immediately contacting your doctor to talk about your symptoms, they will know the best course of action.
Also, schedule a hearing test with us, a baseline hearing test is a proactive measure that can help you maintain good hearing health throughout your life.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331