When you start on a course of medication, it’s normal to want to be informed about any possible side effects. Can it give you a stomach ache? Will it cause dehydration? Cause insomnia? There might also be a more serious possible side effect that you might not be aware of – hearing loss. Many different medications are known to cause this condition which medical professionals call ototoxicity.
So can this problem be caused by a lot of medications? The answer is unclear, but there are plenty that are recognized 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? There are three different places specific drugs can harm your hearing:
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the part of the ear that sits in the middle of the labyrinth that makes up the cochlea. Its principal function is to manage balance. Vestibulotoxicity medications can cause you to get dizzy or feel as if the room is spinning.
- The stria vascularis: The stria vascularis is the part of the cochlea that generates fluid called endolymph. Both hearing and balance are affected by too much or too little endolymph.
- 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. When the cochlea is compromised, you will begin to lose some frequencies of sound, especially in the high-frequency range.
Do different drugs have different risk levels?
You may be surprised by the list of drugs that can result in an ototoxic response. Several of them you likely have in your medicine cabinet even now, and it’s likely that you take them before you go to bed or when you have a headache.
Over-the-counter pain medications like the following top the list:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
You can add salicylates to the list, better known as aspirin. The hearing problems caused by these drugs are normally correctable when you quit using them.
Next on the list of common ototoxic medications would be certain antibiotics. You might have heard of some of these:
- Tobramycin
- Kanamycin
- Streptomycin
There are also several other compounds that can cause tinnitus
Hearing loss can be the result of some medications and others may trigger tinnitus. Here are some ways tinnitus might present:
- Thumping
- Ringing
- A whooshing sound
- Popping
Specific diuretics will also cause tinnitus, here are a few of the primary offenders:
- Caffeine
- Tonic water
- Marijuana
- Nicotine
Every time you drink your coffee or black tea in the morning, you are subjecting your body to something that could make your ears ring. The good news is it should clear up once 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
- Prednisone
- Amitriptyline
Normally, the tinnitus will end when you stop taking the medication but always consult your doctor, they will know what’s best for you.
Ototoxicity has particular symptoms
The signs or symptoms of tinnitus vary based on your hearing health and which medication you get.
Be on guard for:
- Vomiting
- Poor balance
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Blurred vision
- Tinnitus
- Difficulty walking
Make sure you consult your doctor about any possible side effects the medication they prescribed might have, including ototoxicity. If you experience ototoxicity we suggest that you contact your doctor to report your symptoms, they will know what’s best.
Also, schedule a hearing test with us, a baseline hearing test is a proactive step that can help you maintain good hearing health throughout your life.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331