It’s normal to look at the side effects of a medication when you start taking it. You want to know if you can expect to get nauseous or if it will give you dry mouth. A more serious side effect that can potentially occur is hearing loss. Medical professionals call this condition ototoxicity. Ear poisoning is what ototoxicity breaks down to.
Exactly how many drugs that can cause this problem is unclear, but there are at least 130 ototoxic medications on record. Which ones should you look out for and why?
Some Facts About Ototoxicity
How can a pill reap havoc on your ears after you swallow it? There are three places these drugs can damage your hearing:
- The vestibule of the ear – This is the area that sits in the center of the labyrinth that makes up the cochlea. It helps manage balance. Vestibulotoxicity drugs can make you dizzy or feel like the room is spinning.
- 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 considerable impact on both hearing and balance.
- The cochlea – That’s the seashell-shaped component of the inner ear that takes sound and translates it into an electrical signal the brain can understand. Damage to the cochlea affects the range of sound you can hear, typically starting with high frequencies then expanding to include lower ones.
Some drugs only cause tinnitus and others lead to loss of hearing. If you hear phantom sounds, that could be tinnitus and it normally shows up as:
- Thumping
- A windy sound
- Ringing
- Popping
When you discontinue the medication, the tinnitus usually stops. However, permanent hearing loss can be caused by some of these drugs.
What Drugs Put You at Risk?
The checklist of drugs which can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss might shock you. Many of them you could have in your medicine cabinet right now, and chances are you take them before you go to bed or when you have a headache.
Over the counter pain relievers top the list of ototoxic medications:
- Naproxen
- Ibuprofen
Salicylates, better known as aspirin, are included on this list. The hearing problems induced by these drugs are usually correctable when you quit taking them.
Coming in a close second for well known ototoxic drugs are antibiotics. Some antibiotics are ototoxic but many aren’t. You may have heard of some of these that aren’t:
- Gentamycin
- Vancomycin
- Erythromycin
The problem goes away once you stop using the antibiotics just like with painkillers. The standard list of other drugs include:
- Quinidine
- Quinine
- Chloroquine
Diamox, Bumex, Lasix and Edecrin are diuretics which result in tinnitus but there are greater offenders in this category: When you wake up every morning and have your morning coffee you expose yourself to a substance that may cause tinnitus. The good news is it will pass once the drug leaves your system. Some drugs, ironically, that doctors give to treat tinnitus are actually on the list of culprits. The doctor will prescribe a lot less than the dose that will cause tinnitus. The signs or symptoms of tinnitus vary depending on your ear health and which medication you get. Typically, you can anticipate anything from mildly annoying to completely incapacitating. Be on guard for: Contact your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms after taking medication even over-the-counter drugs or herbal supplements. Should you still take your medication even you notice the symptoms of ototoxicity. You should never stop using what your doctor tells you to. These symptoms are only temporary so keep that in mind. Keep yourself informed by always asking your doctor about the potential side effects of a medication and don’t be reluctant to ask about ototoxicity. Also, get a hearing test with a hearing care specialist.
Ototoxicity Has Specific Symptoms