It’s normal to want to know about the side effects of a medication when you start taking it. Can it give you a stomach ache? Will it dehydrate you? Make you drowsy? There may also be a more serious possible side effect that you may not think of – hearing loss. Many different medications are known to trigger this condition which medical professionals label as ototoxicity.
Specifically how many drugs are there that can cause this issue? The answer is unclear, but there are plenty that are recognized to cause ototoxic symptoms. So which medications do you personally need to be aware of?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How is it possible for your hearing to be impacted by medication? Your hearing can be damaged by medication in three different places:
- The stria vascularis: Situated in the cochlea, the stria vascularis produces endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Too much or too little endolymph has a substantial effect on both hearing and balance.
- The cochlea: That’s the seashell-shaped component of the inner ear that receives sound and converts it into an electrical signal that the brain can understand. Damage to the cochlea impacts the range of sound you can hear, typically beginning with high frequencies then expanding to include lower ones.
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the portion of the ear that sits in the middle of the labyrinth that makes up the cochlea. It helps manage balance. When a medication triggers an ototoxic reaction to the vestibule of the inner ear, you can experience balance issues and the sensation that the room is spinning.
Do different drugs have different risk levels?
You may be surprised by the list of medications that can result in an ototoxic response. Ototoxic medications are rather common and most people have a few of them in their medicine cabinets right now.
Topping the list of ototoxic medications are over-the-counter pain relievers including:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
Aspirin, also known as salicylates, is on this list too. The hearing issues due to these drugs are typically reversible when you stop taking them.
Next on the list of common ototoxic medications would be specific antibiotics. You might have heard of some of these:
- Kanamycin
- Streptomycin
- Tobramycin
Tinnitus can also be induced by a number of common compounds
Some medications might cause tinnitus and others could result in loss of hearing. If you hear phantom sounds, that may be tinnitus and it normally shows up as:
- Popping
- A whooshing sound
- Ringing
- Thumping
Specific diuretics will also trigger tinnitus, here are some of the primary offenders:
- Caffeine
- Marijuana
- Tonic water
- Nicotine
You may 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. Ironically, some medications doctors prescribe to manage tinnitus are also on the list of potential causes such as:
- Lidocaine
- Prednisone
- Amitriptyline
Typically, the tinnitus will clear when you stop taking the medication but always consult your doctor, they will know what’s best for you.
Ototoxicity has particular symptoms
Depending on what specific medications you’re taking and your hearing health, your particular symptoms will vary.
Be on guard for:
- Difficulty walking
- Tinnitus
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Blurred vision
- Vomiting
- Poor balance
Be sure you consult your doctor about any side effects the medication they prescribed may have, including ototoxicity. If you experience ototoxicity we suggest immediately contacting your doctor to report your symptoms, they will know the best course of action.
Also, contact us today to set up a hearing test to establish a baseline of your hearing health.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331
