It’s natural to want to know about the side effects of a medication when you start using it. Can it trigger digestive issues? Will it cause dehydration? Make you drowsy? There might also be a more severe possible side effect that you may not think of – hearing loss. Ototoxicity is the medical name professionals have given this condition and there are lots of drugs that are known to cause it.
Exactly how many drugs are there that can lead to this issue? The answer is uncertain, but there are lots that are known to cause ototoxic symptoms. So, which ones do you need to watch out for and why?
What to know about ototoxicity
How is it possible for your hearing to be affected by medication? There are three different places specific drugs can harm your hearing:
- The vestibule of the ear: The cochlea is like a labyrinth, and situated right in the middle is the vestibule of the ear. It helps manage balance. Vestibulotoxicity medications can cause you to get dizzy or feel like the room is spinning.
- The stria vascularis: Situated in the cochlea, the stria vascularis makes endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Both hearing and balance are affected by too much or too little endolymph.
- The cochlea: That’s the seashell-shaped part of the inner ear that takes sound and translates it into an electrical signal that the brain can understand. Damage to the cochlea affects the range of sound you can hear, typically starting with high frequencies then expanding to include lower ones.
What is the threat level for each drug?
The checklist of drugs which can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss might surprise you. Ototoxic medications are pretty common and most people have several of them in their medicine cabinets right now.
Topping the list of ototoxic medications are over-the-counter pain killers including:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
You can add salicylates to the list, which is aspirin. The hearing issues due to these drugs are generally correctable when you quit taking them.
Antibiotics are a close second for prevalent ototoxic drugs. You may have heard of some of these:
- Kanamycin
- Tobramycin
- Streptomycin
Tinnitus can also be induced by several common compounds
Some drugs might cause tinnitus and others could lead to loss of hearing. If you hear phantom noises, that could be tinnitus and it normally shows up as:
- Thumping
- A whooshing sound
- Ringing
- Popping
Some diuretics can also result in tinnitus, including brand names Lasix, Bumex, and Diamox but the leading offenders in this category are things like:
- Tonic water
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Marijuana
You might not be aware 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. The following medications are prescribed to manage tinnitus but ironically, they are themselves diuretics:
- Amitriptyline
- Prednisone
- Lidocaine
Normally, the tinnitus will end when you stop taking the medication but always talk to your doctor, they will know what’s best for you.
Ototoxicity has particular symptoms
Depending on what specific medications you’re using and your hearing health, your particular symptoms will differ.
Here are some things to check out for:
- Vomiting
- Difficulty walking
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Blurred vision
- Poor balance
- Tinnitus
Make sure you consult your doctor about any side effects the medication they prescribed might have, including ototoxicity. Get in touch with your doctor right away if you experience any tinnitus symptoms that may have been caused by an ototoxic response.
Also, schedule a hearing test 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
