It’s normal to want to know about the side effects of a medication when you start using it. Can it give you a stomach ache? Will it cause dry mouth? Cause insomnia? There could also be a more severe potential side effect that you might not be aware of – hearing loss. Ototoxicity is the medical term professionals have given this condition and there are lots of drugs that are known to cause it.
So can this issue be caused by a lot of medications? Well, there are a number of medications recognized to trigger an ototoxic response, but just how many is still somewhat unclear. So which drugs do you personally need to know about?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How is it possible for your hearing to be impacted by medication? There are three different places certain drugs can damage your hearing:
- The cochlea: That’s the seashell-shaped component of the inner ear that receives sound and translates it into an electrical signal that the brain can comprehend. When the cochlea is compromised, you will start to lose some frequencies of sound, particularly in the high-frequency range.
- 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 significant effect on both hearing and balance.
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the portion of the ear situated in the middle of the labyrinth that composes the cochlea. It helps regulate balance. When a medication produces an ototoxic response to the vestibule of the inner ear, you can experience balance problems and the sensation that the room is spinning.
What is the threat level for each drug?
The checklist of drugs which can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss may surprise you. Ototoxic medications are pretty common and most people have a few of them in their medicine cabinets right now.
Over-the-counter pain medications like the following top the list:
- Naproxen
- Ibuprofen
You can add salicylates to the list, which is aspirin. The hearing issues caused by these drugs are generally correctable when you quit taking them.
Next on the list of common ototoxic medications would be certain antibiotics. You might have heard of some of these:
- Kanamycin
- Tobramycin
- Streptomycin
Tinnitus can also be triggered by several common compounds
Hearing loss can be the outcome of some medications and others might trigger tinnitus. Here are some ways tinnitus may present:
- Thumping
- A whooshing sound
- Popping
- Ringing
Some diuretics can also cause tinnitus, including brand names Lasix, Bumex, and Diamox but the primary offenders in this category are things like:
- Tonic water
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Marijuana
You may not be aware that the cup of coffee or black tea in the morning can cause ringing in your ears. Fortunately, once the diuretic has cleared your system, the ringing should go away. The following drugs are prescribed to manage tinnitus but ironically, they are themselves diuretics:
- Amitriptyline
- Lidocaine
- Prednisone
Typically, the tinnitus will clear when you quit taking the medication but always seek advice from your doctor, they will know what’s best for you.
Ototoxicity has particular symptoms
Depending on what specific medications you’re taking and your hearing health, your particular symptoms will differ.
Here are some things to check out for:
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Difficulty walking
- Blurred vision
- Poor balance
- Tinnitus
- Vomiting
Keep yourself informed by always consulting your physician about the potential side effects of a medication, don’t hesitate to ask about ototoxicity. Get in touch with your doctor right away if you experience any tinnitus symptoms that may have been caused by an ototoxic reaction.
Also, give us a call today to set up a hearing exam to establish a baseline of your hearing health.
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References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331
