It’s normal to want to learn about the side effects of a medication when you begin taking it. Can it trigger digestive issues? Will it cause dehydration? Make you sleepy? There could also be a more serious possible side effect that you might not think of – hearing loss. Many different medications are known to trigger this condition which medical professionals label as ototoxicity.
So can this issue be caused by a lot of medications? The answer is unclear, but there are lots that are recognized to cause ototoxic symptoms. So, which ones do you need to pay attention to and why?
What you need to know about ototoxicity
How is it possible for your hearing to be impacted by medication? There are three distinct places certain drugs can damage your hearing:
- The cochlea: The cochlea is part of the inner ear, shaped like a seashell, that converts sound waves into electrical signals which your brain translates into the perception of sound. When the cochlea is compromised, you will begin to lose some frequencies of sound, particularly in the high-frequency range.
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the portion of the ear that sits in the middle of the labyrinth that makes up the cochlea. It helps manage balance. Vestibulotoxicity medications can cause you to become dizzy or feel as if the room is spinning.
- The stria vascularis: The stria vascularis is the part of the cochlea that produces fluid known as endolymph. Both hearing and balance are affected by too much or too little endolymph.
What is the threat level for each drug?
The checklist of drugs that can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss might surprise you. Ototoxic medications are fairly common and most people have several of them in their medicine cabinets right now.
At the top of the list of ototoxic medications are over-the-counter pain killers such as:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
You can add salicylates to the list, which is aspirin. When you stop taking these medications, your hearing will typically go back to normal.
Next on the list of common ototoxic medications would be certain antibiotics. You may have heard of some of these:
- Kanamycin
- Tobramycin
- Streptomycin
There are also several other compounds that can induce tinnitus
Hearing loss can be the outcome of some medications and others may trigger tinnitus. If you hear phantom noises, that could be tinnitus and it typically shows up as:
- Ringing
- Thumping
- Popping
- A whooshing sound
Certain diuretics will also cause tinnitus, here are a few of the main offenders:
- Tonic water
- Marijuana
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
Every single 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 once the drug is out of your system. The following medications are prescribed to manage tinnitus but ironically, they are themselves diuretics:
- Lidocaine
- Prednisone
- Amitriptyline
Once you stop using 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
Depending on what specific medications you’re taking and your hearing health, your particular symptoms will vary.
Be on guard for:
- Vomiting
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Poor balance
- Blurred vision
- Tinnitus
- Difficulty walking
Keep yourself informed by always asking your doctor about the potential side effects of a medication, don’t hesitate to ask about ototoxicity. Contact your doctor right away if you detect any tinnitus symptoms that might have been caused by an ototoxic response.
Also, schedule a hearing exam with us, a baseline hearing test is a practical step that can help you maintain good hearing health throughout your life.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331
