We all know that tinnitus is a "ringing in the ears" and that it can be annoying to live with, but were you aware that tinnitus can signal deafness and also be permanent hearing damage? A little known fact about tinnitus is that taking certain drugs ( or medications ) can cause tinnitus. Depending on the drug, the tinnitus may or may not become a permanent problem for you.
When a drug causes tinnitus it is called an ototoxic drug. Ototoxic drugs are those that cause damage to the cochlea and balance structure in the ear ( s ), this is then what causes tinnitus as a side effect. Tinnitus is usually reversible, but can infrequently become permanent- this depends upon the medication that was taken, dosage of medication, and how long you were taking the medication.
There are 6 main types of medication that could most likely cause tinnitus as an unwanted effect, they are :
Aspirin and products that incorporate aspirin can cause tinnitus. Tinnitus and other ototoxic complications are typically seen after one has been taking 6-9 pills daily. The tinnitus will typically reverse itself just after you stop taking the medication.
NSAIDS ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ) like Advil, Motrin, Naproxin and Voltarin may also cause tinnitus. Again, tinnitus and other ototoxic side-effects are customarily seen after one is taking 6-8 pills daily. As is the case with aspirin or aspirin containing products, the tinnitus sometimes reverses itself straight after you stop taking the medicine.
Antibiotics can also cause tinnitus and other ototoxic effects. They are especially likely to cause these sorts of side effects if you are given them thru an IV during a potentially terminal situation in which giant doses are needed. Topical doses and ear drops have not been demonstrated to cause tinnitus or any other ototoxic complications.
There are several diuretics out there- Lasix, Endecrin, and Bumex, to name a few- which will cause tinnitus if taken in very massive dosages, for extended periods of time or when given thru an IV when kidney failure or hypertension are imminent.
A note about chemotherapy medications- when being treated for cancer using these medicines, tinnitus is extremely commonplace, and although it's usually temporary, it's a good idea to make certain you are working alongside your consultant to make sure to minimize the effects of tinnitus or ototoxicity.
If you're taking ANY drugs which have been seen to cause tinnitus as a side-effect, or you suspect the drug ( s ) you are taking may be causing tinnitus, it is important to finish taking the drug right away ( under the observation of your physician ) and to report any tinnitus symptoms to your consultant so you may have your hearing checked with an audiologist.
If your doctor decides that continuing to take the drugs with tinnitus as an unexpected effect is really worth the risk, it's important to be certain you have your hearing checked intermittently with an audiologist.
Tinnitus is annoying and can be a pain to live with, but often it is reversible. Talk to your doctor straight away if you have difficulty with tinnitus and think it could be caused by drugs you are taking.