It’s natural to want to learn about the side effects of a medication when you start taking it. Can it give you a stomach ache? Will it cause dehydration? Cause sleeplessness? You may not even know about some of the more impactful side effects, like hearing loss. Lots of different medications are known to trigger this condition which medical professionals label as ototoxicity.
Specifically how many drugs are there that can cause this problem? The answer is unclear, but there are plenty that are known to trigger ototoxic symptoms. So which medications do you personally need to be aware of?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How can a pill damage your hearing after you swallow it? There are three distinct places specific drugs can harm your hearing:
- The vestibule of the ear: The cochlea is like a labyrinth, and situated right in the center is the vestibule of the ear. It helps manage balance. When a medication produces an ototoxic response to the vestibule of the inner ear, you can experience balance problems and the feeling that the room is spinning.
- The stria vascularis: Situated in the cochlea, the stria vascularis produces endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Both hearing and balance are impacted by too much or too little endolymph.
- The cochlea: The cochlea is part of the inner ear, shaped like a seashell, that converts sound waves into electrical signals which your brain translates into the perception of sound. When the cochlea is damaged, you will begin to lose some frequencies of sound, especially in the high-frequency range.
What is the threat level for each drug?
The checklist of medications that can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss may 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 relievers such as:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
You can add salicylates to the list, better known as aspirin. The hearing problems caused by these drugs are typically correctable when you quit taking them.
Next on the list of common ototoxic medications would be specific antibiotics. You may have heard of some of these:
- Kanamycin
- Tobramycin
- Streptomycin
There are also a number of other compounds that can induce tinnitus
Some drugs might cause tinnitus and others could result in loss of hearing. If you hear phantom noises, that may be tinnitus and it typically shows up as:
- Thumping
- A whooshing sound
- Popping
- Ringing
Certain diuretics will also cause tinnitus, here are some of the main offenders:
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Tonic water
- Marijuana
Every single time you drink your coffee or black tea in the morning, you are subjecting your body to something that could make your ears ring. Luckily, once the diuretic has cleared your system, the ringing should recede. The following medications are prescribed to treat tinnitus but ironically, they are themselves diuretics:
- Lidocaine
- Amitriptyline
- Prednisone
After 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.
Ototoxicity has particular symptoms
Depending on what specific medications you’re using and the health of your hearing, your particular symptoms will vary.
Here are some things to check out for:
- Difficulty walking
- Poor balance
- Tinnitus
- Vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
Keep yourself informed by always consulting your physician about the possible side effects of a medication, don’t hesitate to ask about ototoxicity. If you experience ototoxicity we suggest immediately contacting your doctor to report your symptoms, they will know what’s best.
Also, schedule a hearing examination with us, a baseline hearing test is a proactive 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