It’s natural to want to know about the side effects of a medication when you begin taking it. Can it cause digestive problems? Will it cause dry mouth? Make you drowsy? There may also be a more severe possible side effect that you may not be aware of – hearing loss. Lots of different drugs are known to cause this condition which medical professionals label as ototoxicity.
So can this issue be caused by a lot of medications? Well, there are numerous medications known to trigger an ototoxic reaction, but exactly how many is still somewhat unclear. So which medications do you personally need to be aware of?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How can a pill cause problems with your hearing after you take it? Your hearing can be harmed by medication in three different places:
- The cochlea: That’s the seashell-shaped part 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 start to lose some frequencies of sound, especially in the high-frequency range.
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the portion of the ear situated in the middle of the labyrinth that composes the cochlea. Its principal function is to manage balance. When a medication produces an ototoxic response to the vestibule of the inner ear, you can experience balance issues and the sensation that the room is spinning.
- The stria vascularis: The stria vascularis is the portion of the cochlea that produces fluid known as endolymph. Both balance and hearing are impacted by too much or too little endolymph.
What is the threat level for each drug?
The checklist of medications which can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss might surprise you. Many of them you probably have in your medicine cabinet even now, and chances are you take them before you go to bed or when you’re dealing with a headache.
At the top of the list of ototoxic medications are over-the-counter pain killers such as:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
You can add salicylates to the list, better known as aspirin. The hearing issues caused by these drugs are typically reversible when you quit using them.
Antibiotics come in as a close second for common ototoxic medications. You may have heard of some of these:
- Tobramycin
- Streptomycin
- Kanamycin
There are also numerous other compounds that can trigger tinnitus
Hearing loss can be the result of some medications and others may cause tinnitus. If you hear phantom sounds, that may be tinnitus and it typically shows up as:
- Ringing
- Thumping
- Popping
- A whooshing sound
Certain diuretics will also cause tinnitus, here are some of the primary offenders:
- Caffeine
- Nicotine
- Marijuana
- Tonic water
You might not be aware 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 recede. Ironically, some drugs doctors prescribe to manage tinnitus are also on the list of potential causes such as:
- Prednisone
- Lidocaine
- Amitriptyline
Once you discontinue the medication, the symptoms should clear up, and your doctor will be there to help you with anything you may need to know.
There are very specific symptoms with an ototoxic response
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:
- Blurred vision
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Difficulty walking
- Tinnitus
- Vomiting
- Poor balance
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 immediately contacting your doctor to talk about your symptoms, they will know the best course of action.
Also, call us today to schedule a hearing test to establish a baseline of your hearing health.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331