When you begin on a course of medication, it’s normal to want to be educated about any possible side effects. Can it cause digestive problems? Will it cause dehydration? Cause sleeplessness? There might also be a more serious possible side effect that you may not be aware of – hearing loss. Many different drugs are known to trigger this condition which medical professionals call ototoxicity.
So can this issue be triggered by a lot of drugs? The answer is not clear, but there are lots that are known to trigger ototoxic symptoms. So, which ones should you pay attention to and why?
What you need to know about ototoxicity
How can a medication wreak havoc on your hearing after you take it? There are three different places specific drugs can damage your hearing:
- The vestibule of the ear: The cochlea is like a labyrinth, and sitting right in the middle is the vestibule of the ear. It helps regulate balance. Vestibulotoxicity medications can cause you to get dizzy or feel as if the room is spinning.
- The stria vascularis: Situated in the cochlea, the stria vascularis generates endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Both balance and hearing are affected by too much or too little endolymph.
- 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, especially in the high-frequency range.
What is the risk level for each drug?
The checklist of drugs that can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss may surprise you. Ototoxic medications are rather common and the majority of individuals have a few of them in their medicine cabinets right now.
Over-the-counter pain medications including the following top the list:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
Aspirin, also known as salicylates, is on this list as well. The hearing issues caused by these drugs are generally reversible when you stop using them.
Next on the list of common ototoxic drugs would be specific antibiotics. Some of these might be familiar:
- Kanamycin
- Streptomycin
- Tobramycin
There are also several other compounds that can cause tinnitus
Hearing loss can be the outcome of some drugs and others may trigger tinnitus. Here are some ways tinnitus might present:
- A whooshing sound
- Thumping
- Ringing
- Popping
Certain diuretics will also cause tinnitus, here are some of the primary offenders:
- Nicotine
- Tonic water
- Marijuana
- Caffeine
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. Luckily, once the diuretic has cleared your system, the ringing should go away. The following drugs are prescribed to treat tinnitus but ironically, they are themselves diuretics:
- Lidocaine
- Prednisone
- Amitriptyline
Typically, the tinnitus will clear when you stop using the medication but always seek advice from your doctor, they will know what’s best for you.
There are very specific 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:
- Tinnitus
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Poor balance
- Difficulty walking
- Blurred vision
- Vomiting
Be certain that you consult your doctor about any possible side effects the medication they prescribed may have, including ototoxicity. Contact your doctor right away if you detect any tinnitus symptoms that might have been caused by an ototoxic reaction.
Also, call us today to schedule a hearing exam to establish a baseline of your hearing health.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331
