Hearing Loss Can be Caused by Some Common Medications

When you begin to use a new medication, it’s natural to look at the potential side effects. Will it cause you to get a dry mouth or make you feel nauseous? A more serious side effect that can potentially happen is hearing loss. It’s a condition medical specialists call ototoxicity. Broken down, ototoxic means ear poisoning.

It’s not completely clear how many drugs cause this problem, but there are at least 130 that are on record as being ototoxic. Which ones should you look out for and why?

Some Facts About Ototoxicity

How does a pill reap havoc on your ears after you swallow it? There are three different places these drugs can damage your hearing:

• The stria vascularis – Located in the cochlea, the stria vascularis generates endolymph, the fluid in the inner ear. Too much or too little endolymph has a significant impact on both hearing and balance.
• The cochlea – That’s the seashell-shaped element of the inner ear that takes sound and translates it into an electrical message the brain can understand. Damage to the cochlea impacts the range of sound you can hear, typically beginning with high frequencies then escalating to include lower ones.
• The vestibule of the ear – This is the area that sits in the middle of the labyrinth that comprises the cochlea. It helps manage balance. Vestibulotoxicity medications can make you dizzy or feel like the room is spinning.

Some drugs only cause tinnitus and others lead to loss of hearing. If you hear phantom sounds, that could possibly be tinnitus and it normally shows up as:

• Ringing
• Thumping
• A windy sound
• Popping

When you discontinue the medication, the tinnitus generally stops. Some ototoxic drugs, however, can lead to permanent loss of hearing.

What is The Risk Level For Each Drug?

Permanent hearing loss can be caused by a list of drugs that will probably surprise you. Many of them you probably have in your medicine cabinet right now, and chances are you take them before bed or when you are in pain.

Over the counter pain relievers are at the top of the list of ototoxic drugs:

• Ibuprofen
• Naproxen

Salicylates, better recognized as aspirin, are included on this list. The hearing problems induced by these medications are normally correctable when you stop taking them.

Ranking a close second for well known ototoxic drugs are antibiotics. Some antibiotics are ototoxic but many aren’t. Some that aren’t which you may have heard of include:

• Erythromycin
• Gentamycin
• Vancomycin

Once you quit taking the antibiotics the issue clears up like with painkillers. The common list of other drugs include:

• Chloroquine
• Quinidine
• Quinine

Substances That Cause Tinnitus

Some diuretics can cause tinnitus, including brand names Lasix, Bumex, and Diamox but the leading offenders in this category are things like:

• Tonic water
• Marijuana
• Nicotine
• Caffeine

When you wake up every morning and have your morning coffee you expose yourself to a substance that might cause tinnitus. The good news is it will go away once the drug is out of your system. Some drugs, ironically, which doctors give to treat tinnitus are actually on the list of culprits.

• Lidocaine
• Prednisone
• Amitriptyline

The prescribed dosage should be less than the amount triggers ringing, though.

What Are the Symptoms of Ototoxicity?

They vary based on the medication and your ear health. Normally, you can anticipate anything from moderately annoying to completely incapacitating.

Look for:

• Vomiting
• Poor balance
• Hearing loss on one or both sides
• Difficulty walking
• Blurring vision
• Tinnitus

If you have any of these symptoms after taking a medication even if it’s an over-the-counter herbal supplement, you should get in touch with your doctor.

Should you still take your medication even you notice the symptoms of ototoxicity. You should always take the medication your doctor prescribes. These symptoms are only temporary so keep that in mind. You should be secure asking your doctor if a medication is ototoxic though, and make sure you talk about the potential side effects of any drug you take, so you stay aware. Also, schedule a hearing test with a hearing care specialist.