When you start on a course of medication, it’s normal to want to be educated about any possible side effects. Can it cause digestive issues? Will it cause your mouth to dry out? Make you drowsy? You might not even be aware of some of the more impactful side effects, such as hearing loss. Ototoxicity is the medical term professionals have given this condition and there are many drugs that are known to cause it.
So can this issue be triggered by a lot of drugs? The answer is not clear, but there are plenty that are known to cause ototoxic symptoms. So which drugs do you personally need to be aware of?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How can a medication cause problems with your hearing after you swallow it? Your hearing can be damaged by medication in three different places:
- The vestibule of the ear: The cochlea is like a labyrinth, and sitting right in the center is the vestibule of the ear. It helps regulate balance. Vestibulotoxicity drugs can cause you to get dizzy or feel as if the room is spinning.
- The cochlea: That’s the seashell-shaped part of the inner ear that receives sound and converts it into an electrical signal that the brain can understand. When the cochlea is compromised, you will start to lose some frequencies of sound, particularly in the high-frequency range.
- The stria vascularis: Located in the cochlea, the stria vascularis makes endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Both balance and hearing are affected by too much or too little endolymph.
What is the risk level for each drug?
You might be surprised by the list of medications that can cause an ototoxic response. 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:
- Naproxen
- Ibuprofen
Aspirin, also called salicylates, is on this list as well. When you quit using these drugs, your hearing will typically go back to normal.
Antibiotics are a close second for common ototoxic drugs. Some of these may be familiar:
- Kanamycin
- Streptomycin
- Tobramycin
There are also a number of other compounds that can cause tinnitus
Hearing loss can be the result of some drugs and others may cause tinnitus. Here are a few ways tinnitus might present:
- Ringing
- Thumping
- Popping
- A whooshing sound
Some diuretics can also cause tinnitus, including brand names Lasix, Bumex, and Diamox but the leading offenders in this category are things like:
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Tonic water
- Marijuana
You may not realize that the cup of coffee or black tea in the morning can trigger ringing in your ears. Fortunately, once the diuretic has cleared your system, the ringing should go away. Ironically, some medications doctors prescribe to treat tinnitus are also on the list of potential causes such as:
- Prednisone
- Amitriptyline
- Lidocaine
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
The signs or symptoms of tinnitus vary based on your ear health and which medication you get.
Be on guard for:
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty walking
- Tinnitus
- Poor balance
- Vomiting
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
Keep yourself informed by always consulting your doctor about the potential side effects of a medication, don’t hesitate to ask about ototoxicity. If you experience ototoxicity we suggest that you contact your doctor to talk about your symptoms, they will know the best course of action.
Also, schedule a hearing examination with us, a baseline hearing test is a practical measure that can help you preserve good hearing health throughout your life.
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References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331
