Is It Safe to Take Beta-Blockers with Hyperacusis?

I have mild essential tremor and am considering going on 20 mg of propranolol a day to reduce shaking. However, I also have noise-induced tinnitus and hyperacusis and am concerned that taking beta-blockers will make the hypersensitivity worse because it's an ototoxic drug. Anyone else on propranolol/primidone notice any negatives effects on their sound sensitivity or tinnitus?

The tremoring is annoying but not exactly urgent or nearly as debilitating as the hyperacusis, so I'm trying to weigh my options.

Maybe I should wait a year until my ears are more healed to consider medication?

 

I wouldn’t risk it. The scariest stories on here tend to come from people who were unlucky with medication.

 

@weab00

Follow the advice of your doctor not people on this forum that tell you not to take medication because they are not your doctor or medically qualified. I take a beta-blocker along with other medicine to control my blood pressure and it doesn't make my tinnitus worse. I prefer taking my medication rather than risk a: stroke, heart attack, kidney damage or an early demise off this mortal coil. You have noise induced tinnitus so medications are unlikely to make it worse. Consult with your doctor.

Before anyone says why do I give advice on tinnitus and hyperacusis and I'm not medically qualified. Please note, I only advise on Noise induced tinnitus because I live with it. I advise on hyperacusis because I once had it very severe and it was cured in two years with treatment. Many doctors including those that practice in ENT do not know much about noise induced tinnitus or hyperacusis as few of them have ever experienced them. Those that have tinnitus probably have it very mild. They are physicians that know how to treat the anatomy of the ear and underlying medical problems associated with it, they are not tinnitus or hyperacusis specialists.

 

I took beta blockers for around a year for generalized anxiety and stopped a few months after finishing exams because I felt like I could handle without them better at that point. I wouldn't say that it made tinnitus worse, but I did get temporary pulsatile tinnitus on a high dose of propranolol. It felt like i was having ear drum spasms, so it was a bit freaky but it pretty much went away when I lowered the dose. I'm pretty sure that was due to blood pressure because I get a similar feeling when I stand up too fast.

I can't say it did any permanent harm but your mileage may vary.

 

Like others in this thread, I occasionally take propranolol and it does affect my tinnitus, but only temporarily and while I am taking it. It always goes back to normal after not taking it. The change is a different sound in my tinnitus, which I assume is from a change in blood pressure in the inner ear.

Here is a study about beta blockers and hearing loss. Only one kind of beta blocker was linked to hearing loss called Carvedilol.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29172846/

In this link there is another list of beta blockers that may cause issues.

"7)Beta blockers
Beta blocker medications (those ending in -ol) are used for the treatment of high blood pressure in addition to being prescribed to folks with coronary artery disease to improve survival. Tinnitus is rare with beta blockers but appears to be more common with bisoprolol (Zebeta) and nebivolol (Bystolic), so discuss an alternative in the same class with your doctor if you notice tinnitus. "

https://www.goodrx.com/blog/these-11-prescriptions-may-cause-ringing-in-the-ears/.

 

Interesting. If I went on betablockers I'd be taking them for the tremor indefinitely. I don't need them anytime soon though assuming my tremor is stable, so maybe it'd be better to wait and see what FX-322/OTO-413 do to help before considering betablockers.

 

I also have an essential hand tremor. I only take beta blockers when in stressful or high pressure situations because it will make my hands shake more noticeable. I suggest you try one at a low dose and see what happens. I do not think they will cause permanent issues with your tinnitus with one dose. As always, discuss with your doctor.

 

I've been on Metoprolol (hope I spelled it right) 50mg to manage my elevated blood pressure. I started the treatment before I got tinnitus. Continued it afterwards. Even experimented taking breaks (doctors wouldn't agree, I think) but this medicine had no effect on my tinnitus or sound sensitivity.

 

I actually just read about a hyperacusis sufferer whose doctor gave them propranolol specifically for their hyperacusis, and it really helped them with their symptoms.

If you do decide to take it, I’d be interested to hear if it has any positive impact on your hyperacusis.