It’s normal to want to know about the side effects of a medication when you begin taking it. Can it upset your stomach? Will it cause your mouth to dry out? Make you sleepy? You may not even be aware of some of the more impactful side effects, such as hearing loss. Many different medications are known to trigger this condition which medical professionals call ototoxicity.
So can this issue be triggered by a lot of drugs? Well, there are numerous medications recognized to cause an ototoxic reaction, but exactly how many is still rather unclear. So, which ones should you pay attention to and why?
What you need to know about ototoxicity
How is it possible for your hearing to be impacted by medication? There are three different places certain drugs can harm your hearing:
- 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 sense of sound. When the cochlea is damaged, you will start to lose some frequencies of sound, particularly in the high-frequency range.
- The vestibule of the ear: The cochlea is like a labyrinth, and sitting right in the middle is the vestibule of the ear. It helps manage balance. Vestibulotoxicity drugs can cause you to become dizzy or feel like the room is spinning.
- The stria vascularis: The stria vascularis is the part of the cochlea that generates fluid called endolymph. Too much or too little endolymph has a significant effect on both balance and hearing.
What is the risk level for each drug?
You may be surprised by the list of drugs that can cause an ototoxic response. Several of them you most likely 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.
Over-the-counter pain medication like the following top the list:
- Naproxen
- Ibuprofen
You can add salicylates to the list, better known as aspirin. The hearing issues due to these drugs are typically correctable when you quit taking them.
Antibiotics are a close second for prevalent ototoxic medications. You may have heard of some of these:
- Tobramycin
- Kanamycin
- Streptomycin
There are also numerous other compounds that can trigger tinnitus
Some drugs might cause tinnitus and others could lead to loss of hearing. If you hear phantom sounds, that might be tinnitus and it usually shows up as:
- Popping
- Thumping
- Ringing
- A whooshing sound
Certain diuretics will also trigger tinnitus, here are some of the primary offenders:
- Caffeine
- Nicotine
- Tonic water
- Marijuana
Each and every time you drink your coffee or black tea in the morning, you are exposing your body to something that might make your ears ring. Here’s the good news, it should clear up once the drug is out of your system. The following medications are prescribed to treat tinnitus but ironically, they are themselves diuretics:
- Lidocaine
- Amitriptyline
- Prednisone
Normally, the tinnitus will clear when you quit using the medication but always seek advice from your doctor, they will know what’s best for you.
There are very specific symptoms with an ototoxic response
Depending on what specific medications you’re taking and the health of your hearing, your particular symptoms will vary.
Be on guard for:
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Poor balance
- Vomiting
- Tinnitus
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty walking
Keep yourself informed by always asking your doctor about the potential side effects of a medication, don’t hesitate to ask about 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, give us a call today to schedule a hearing test to establish a baseline of your hearing health.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331
