When you begin on a course of medication, it’s normal to want to be educated about any potential side effects. Can it give you a stomach ache? Will it cause dehydration? Cause sleeplessness? You might not even know about some of the more impactful side effects, including hearing loss. Lots of different drugs are known to cause this condition which medical professionals call ototoxicity.
So can this issue be triggered by a lot of drugs? Well, there are a number of medications known to cause an ototoxic response, but exactly how many is still rather uncertain. So, which ones do you need to watch out for and why?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How can a pill wreak havoc on your hearing after you swallow it? Your hearing can be harmed by medication in three distinct places:
- The stria vascularis: Located in the cochlea, the stria vascularis makes endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Both balance and hearing are impacted by too much or too little endolymph.
- The cochlea: The cochlea is part of the inner ear, shaped like a seashell, that transforms sound waves into electrical signals which your brain translates into the perception of sound. When the cochlea is compromised, you will start to lose some frequencies of sound, particularly in the high-frequency range.
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the portion of the ear that sits in the middle of the labyrinth that composes the cochlea. It helps regulate balance. Vestibulotoxicity drugs can cause you to become dizzy or feel as if 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 might surprise you. Ototoxic medications are pretty 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 called salicylates, is on this list too. The hearing issues due to these drugs are generally reversible when you quit using them.
Next on the list of common ototoxic drugs would be specific antibiotics. Some of these may be familiar:
- Tobramycin
- Kanamycin
- Streptomycin
There are also several other compounds that can cause tinnitus
Hearing loss can be the outcome of some drugs and others might trigger tinnitus. Here are a few ways tinnitus may present:
- A whooshing sound
- Ringing
- Popping
- Thumping
Various diuretics can also result in tinnitus, including brand names Lasix, Bumex, and Diamox but the primary offenders in this category are things like:
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Marijuana
- Tonic water
You might not realize that the cup of coffee or black tea in the morning can trigger ringing in your ears. 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:
- Prednisone
- Amitriptyline
- Lidocaine
After you discontinue the medication, the symptoms should go away, and your doctor will be there to help you with whatever you may need to know.
Ototoxicity has particular symptoms
The signs or symptoms of tinnitus vary depending on your ear health and which medication you get.
Here are some things to watch out for:
- Poor balance
- Tinnitus
- Vomiting
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Difficulty walking
- Blurred vision
Keep yourself informed by always consulting your doctor about the possible 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 might have been caused by an ototoxic reaction.
Also, schedule a hearing exam 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