When you begin on a course of medication, it’s natural to want to be informed about any possible side effects. Can it cause digestive problems? Will it cause your mouth to dry out? Cause sleeplessness? You might not even know about some of the more impactful side effects, such as hearing loss. Ototoxicity is the medical name professionals have given this condition and there are many drugs that are known to cause it.
So can this problem be triggered by a lot of medications? Well, there are numerous medications recognized to trigger an ototoxic response, but exactly how many is still somewhat uncertain. So, which ones do you need to watch out for and why?
Ototoxicity – what you should know
How can a pill damage your hearing after you swallow it? Your hearing can be damaged by medication in three different places:
- The vestibule of the ear: This is the part of the ear that sits in the middle of the labyrinth that makes up the cochlea. Its principal function is to regulate balance. Vestibulotoxicity drugs can cause you to become dizzy or feel like the room is spinning.
- 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 sense of sound. When the cochlea is compromised, you will begin to lose some frequencies of sound, especially in the high-frequency range.
- The stria vascularis: Found in the cochlea, the stria vascularis produces endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Too much or too little endolymph has a significant effect on both hearing and balance.
Do different drugs have different threat levels?
The checklist of medications that can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss might surprise you. Several of them you probably have in your medicine cabinet even now, and it’s likely that you take them before you go to bed or when you’re dealing with a headache.
Over-the-counter pain medications like the following top the list:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
You can add salicylates to the list, which is aspirin. When you stop taking these medications, your hearing will usually go back to normal.
Next on the list of common ototoxic medications would be certain antibiotics. Some of these might be familiar:
- Tobramycin
- Streptomycin
- Kanamycin
There are also several other compounds that can cause tinnitus
Some drugs may cause tinnitus and others could lead to loss of hearing. If you hear phantom sounds, that could be tinnitus and it normally shows up as:
- Thumping
- A whooshing sound
- Popping
- Ringing
Specific diuretics will also trigger tinnitus, here are some of the main offenders:
- Caffeine
- Marijuana
- Tonic water
- Nicotine
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 recede. The following medications are prescribed to treat tinnitus but ironically, they are themselves diuretics:
- Amitriptyline
- Lidocaine
- Prednisone
Once you stop using the medication, the symptoms should improve, and your doctor will be there to help you with anything you may need to know.
There are very distinct symptoms with an ototoxic response
Depending on what specific medications you’re using and the health of your hearing, your particular symptoms will vary.
Be on guard for:
- Poor balance
- Hearing loss on one or both sides
- Vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty walking
- Tinnitus
Keep yourself informed by always consulting your doctor about the possible side effects of a medication, don’t hesitate to ask about ototoxicity. If you experience ototoxicity we recommend immediately contacting your doctor to report your symptoms, they will know the best course of action.
Also, give us a call today to set up a hearing test to establish a baseline of your hearing health.
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References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7985331