Ototoxicity: tinnitus and hearing damage due to medication

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Some medicines can damage your ear, causing tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing loss or balance problems. We then speak of ototoxic medication. Early diagnosis and treatment of ototoxicity is essential to prevent the condition from progressing or becoming chronic.

Read also: What are the causes of tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and how can you treat it?

Ototoxic drugs

Ototoxic drugs are ‘poisonous’ to the sensory cells in the inner ear, leading to hearing and balance problems.

More than 200 medications have been found to cause tinnitus or hearing damage. Often it concerns medication to fight serious infections and diseases, such as cancer for example, but other medicines from the list are available over the counter. In some cases, the ototoxic side effect has only recently been identified and is not yet listed on the package insert.

To the drugs that permanente damage include certain aminoglycoside antibiotics, such as gentamicin (family history may increase sensitivity), and anticancer chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin and carboplatin.
Drugs known to temporary may cause harm are salicylate analgesics (aspirin, used for pain relief and to treat heart conditions), quinine (used to treat malaria) and running diuretics (used to treat certain heart and kidney conditions).

Read also: How do you know that you have hearing damage?

Prevent tinnitus and hearing damage

Whether you get ear damage and to what extent depends on the type of medicine, the dose and how long it is in your body. The risk of ototoxicity increases anyway if you use a combination of ototoxic drugs.

What Are the Symptoms of Ototoxicity?

The complaints can appear suddenly or develop slowly. Usually the first sign of ototoxicity is tinnitus: buzzing, hissing, or buzzing sounds in the ears. You may also experience hearing loss and dizziness. If both ears are affected, you will also experience headaches, balance disorders, oscillopsia (seeing a blurred or shocking image when moving your head) and lightheadedness. It is possible that with slow damage to one side you will not get any complaints until your ability to speak suffers. Rapid damage can cause dizziness, vomiting and eye twitching.

How is hearing damage caused by medication treated?

In principle, if a doctor prescribes you ototoxic drugs, he should study your hearing and vestibular system before and during treatment to see if the medication affects your hearing and to what extent. In case of significant damage, it is important to stop the medication that causes ototoxicity as soon as possible. In most cases, hearing will recover.

Is that not possible for medical reasons? Then discuss with your doctor whether the medication or dose can be adjusted. If necessary, you can go to an audiologist for additional treatments and follow-up.

Read also: Which medicines are hidden fatteners?

Last updated: March 2023

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Ototoxicity: tinnitus and hearing damage due to medication

Ototoxic drugs

Prevent tinnitus and hearing damage

What Are the Symptoms of Ototoxicity?

How is hearing damage caused by medication treated?

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