Ototoxic Drugs: Drugs That Cause Tinnitus

These drugs are listed in the Physicians Daily Reference as causing tinnitus as a side effect. This information is provided as a service and you are advised to check the product literature supplied with the medications you are on.

Abelcet Injection (Liposome)
Accutane
Accutane Capsules
Aceon Tablets (2 mg, 4 mg, 8 mg)
Aciphex Tablets
Acromycin V
Actifed with Codiene Cough Syrup
Actiq (Anesta)
Actonel Tablets
Adalat CC
Aggrenox Capsules
Agrylin Capsules
Alferon N Injection (Interferon)
Alka-Seltzer Original Antacid and Pain Reliever Effervescent Tablets
Alka-Seltzer Cherry Antacid and Pain Reliever Effervescent Tablets
Alka-Seltzer Lemon Lime Antacid and Pain Reliever Effervescent Tablets
Alka-Seltzer Extra Strength Antacid and Pain Reliever Effervescent Tablets
Alka-Seltzer PM Effervescent Tablets
Alferon N
Alumadrine Tablets
Altace
Alumadrine Tablets
Ambien
Amerge Tablets
Amicar
Anatranil
Anaprox and Anaprox DS
Anestacon
Ansaid
Anzemet Injection
Anzemet Tablets
Aralen Injection
Aralen Tablets
Arithritis Strength BC Powder
Aricept Tablets
Aricept Tablets
Arthrotec Tablets
Asacol
Ascriptin A/D
Ascriptin
Asendin
Aspirin
Atacand HCT Tablets
Atretol
Atrofen
Atrovent Nasal Spray
Atrohist Plus
Avelox Tablets
Azactam Tablets
Azactam for Injection
Azo Gantanol
Azo Gantrisin
Azulfidine EN-tabs Tablet
BC Powder
Bactrim DS
Bactrim I.V.
Bactrim
Arthritis Strength BC Powder
Benadryl Parenteral
Betaxon Ophthalmic Suspension
Biaxin Filmtab Tablets
Biaxin for Oral Suspension
Biaxin XL Filmtab Tablets
Bicillin L-A Injection
Buprenex Injectable
Blocadren
BuSpar
Calan Tablets
Calan SR Caplets
Cama
Capastat Sulfate
Carbocaine Hydrochloride
Carbatrol Capsules
Cardene
Cardioquin
Cardizem
Cardura
Cartrol
Cataflam
Celebrex Capsules
Celebrex Capsules
Celexa Oral Suspension
Celexa Tablets
CellCept Capsules
CellCept Intravenous
CellCept Oral Suspension
CellCept Tablets
Cerebyx Injection
Chibroxin Sterile Ophthalmic Solution
Childrens Advil
Cibalith-S
Cinobac
Cipro I.V.
Cipro Tablets
Cipro Oral Suspension
Claritin Reditabs
Claritin Syrup
Claritin Tablets
Claritin-D 12 Hour Extended Release Tablets
Claritin-D 24 Hour Extended Release Tablets
Clinoril
Clomid Tablets
Cognex Capsules
Colazal Capsules
Copaxone for Injection
Coreg Tablets
Corgard
Corzide
Cosopt Sterile Ophthalmic Solution
Covera-HS Tablets
Cozaar Tablets
Cuprimine
Cytotec
Cytovene Capsules
Cytovene-IV
Dalgan
Dapsone USP
Daranide Tablets
DaunoXome Injection
Daypro
Dasprin
Deconamine
Demadex
Depacon Injection
Depakene Capsules
Depakene Syrup
Depakote Sprinkle Capsules
Depakote Tablets
Depakote ER Tablets
Depen Titratable Tablets
Desferal Vials
Desyrel & Desyrel Dividose
Diamox Intravenous
Diamox Sequels Sustained Release Capsules
Diamox Tablets
Diovan HCT Tablets
Dilacor XR
Dipentum Capsules
Diprivan
Disalcid Capsules
Disalcid Tablets
Dolobid Tablets
Doxil Injection
Duraclon Injection
Duranest Injections
Dynabac Tablets
Dyphenhydramine [Nytol, Benydrl, etc]
Dyclone
Easprin
Ecotrin
Edecrin
Effexor Tablets
Effexor XR Capsules
ELA-Max Cream
Elavil
Eldepryl
Emcyt
Emla cream
Empirin with Codiene
Erythromycin
Engerix-B
Equagesic
Esgic-plus
Eskalith
Ethmozine
EtrafonEvoxac Capsules
Excedrin Extra-Strength Tablets, Caplets, and Geltabs
Exelon Capsules
Exelon Oral Solution
Fansidar
Feldene Capsules
Fioricat with Codeine
Flexeril Tablets
Floxin
Flumadine Syrup
Flumadine Tablets
Fortovase Capsules
Foscavir
Furosemide Tablet
Fungijzone
Gabitril Filmtab Tablets
Ganite
Gantanol
Gantrisin
Garamycin
Gastrocrom Oral Concentrate
Gengraf Capsules
Geodon Capsule
Glauctabs
HIVID Tablets
Halcion Tablets
Hyperstat
Hytrin Capsules
Hytrin
Hyzaar 50-12.5 Tablets
Hyzaar 100-25 Tablets
Ibuprofen
Ilosone
Imitrex Nasal Spray
Imdur
Indocin Capsules
Indocin Oral Suspension
Indocin Suppositories
Intron A
Infergen
Invirase Capsules
Isoptin SR Tablets
Kerlone Tablets
Lariam
Lamictal Tablets
Lamictal Chewable
Lasix
Legatrin
Levaquin Injection
Levaquin Tablets
Lexxel Tablets
Lncocin
Lidoderm Patch
Lipitor Tablets
Lipitor Tablets
Lioresal
Lithane
Lithium Carbonate
Lithobid Slow-Release Tablets
Lithonate
Lodine Capsules
Lodine Tablets
Lodine XL Extended-Release Tablets
Lopressor Ampuis
Lopressor DCT
Lopressor
Lotensin HCT Tablets
Lotrel Capsules
Loreico
Lupron Depot
Luvox Tablets
Ludiomil
Magnevist
Marinol (Dronabinol)
Marcaine Hydrochloride
Marcaine Spinal
Maxalt Tablets
Maxalt-MLT Orally Disintegrating Tablets
Maxaquin Tablets
Mazicon
Meclomen
Marcaine Hydrochloride
Marcaine Spinal
Meridia Capsules
Mazicon
Meclomen
Methergine
Methotrexate
Mexitil Capsules
Miacalcin Nasal Spray
Micardis HCT Tablets
Micardis Tablets
Midamor Tablets
Migranal Nasal Spray
Minipress Capsules
Minizide Capsules
Mintezol Suspension
Mintezol Chewable Tablets
Mirapex Tablets
Mobic Tablets
Moduretic Tablets
Momentum Backache Relief Extra Strength Caplets
Monopril Tablets
Motrin Suspension, Oral Drops, Chewable Tablets
Mono-Cesac
Mustargen for Injection
Mykrox Tablets
MZM
Myobloc Injectable Solution
Nalfon Capsules
Nadolol Tablets
Naprelan Tablets
Naprosyn Suspension
Naprosyn Tablets
Naropin Injection
Nebcin Vials, Hyporets & ADD-Vantage
Neoral Soft Gelatin Capsules
Neoral Oral Solution
Neptazane Tablets
Nescaine Injection
Nesacaine-MPF Injection
Neurontin Capsules
Neurontin Oral Solution
Neurontin Tablets
Netromycin
Nexium Delayed-Release Capsules
Nicorette
Nipent for Injection
Nipride
Nipent for Injection
Noroxin Tablets
Norpramin Tablets
Norvasc Tablets
Norvir Capsules
Norvir Oral Solution
Omniscan [less than 1%]
Ornade Spansule Capsules
Orthoclone OOKT3 Sterile Solution
Orudis Capsules
Oruvail Capsules
OxyContin Tablets
P-A-C Analgesic
PBZ
Pamelor
Parnate Tablets
Paxil Oral Suspension
Paxil Tablets
Pedia-Profen
Pediazole Suspension
Penetrex Tablets
Pepcid Injection
Pepcid Injection Premixed
Pepcid for Oral Suspension
Pepcid RPD Orally Disintegrating Tablets Pepcid Tablets
Pepto-Bismol Maximum Strength Liquid
Pepto-Bismol Original Liquid, Original and Cherry Tablets and Easy-To-Swallow Caplets
Periactin Tablets
Permax Tablets
Phenergan Injection
Phenergan Suppositories
Phenergan Tablets
Phrenilin Forte Capsules
Phrenilin Tablets
Piroxicam [1-3%]
Plaquenil Tablets
Platinol-AQ Injection
Plendil
Pletal Tablets
Pletal Tablets
Polocaine Injection, USP
Polocaine-MPF Injection, USP
Pontocaine Hydrochloride
Ponstel Kapseals
Prilosec Delayed-Release Capsules
Primaxin I.M.
Primaxin I.V.
Prevacid Delayed-Release Capsules
Prevpak
Prinivil Tablets
Prinzide Tablets
Procardia Capsules
Procardia Tablets
Prograf
ProSom
Protonix Tablets
Proventil HFA Inhalation Aerosol
Proventil Repetabs Tablets
Proventil Tablets
Prozac Pulvules & Liquid, Oral Solution
Prozac Pulvules, Liquid, and Weekly Capsules
Questran
Quinaglute Dura-Tabs Tablets
Quinamm
Quinidex Extentabs
Quinidine Gluconate Injection, USP
Q-vel Muscle Relaxant Pain Reliever
Rapamune Oral Solution and Tablets
Recombivax HB
Relafen Tablets
Rheumatrex Methotrexate
Requip Tablets
Rescriptor Tablet
ReVia Tablets
Rifater
Risperdal Oral Solution
Risperdal Tablets
Romazicon Injection
Ru-Tuss
Rynatan Tablets
Rythmol Tablets
Salflex
Salagen Tablets
Sandimmune I.V. Ampuls for Infusion
Sandimmune Oral Solution
Sandimmune Soft Gelatin Capsules
Sandostatin LAR Depot
Sarafem Pulvules
Sedapap Tablets
Sensorcaine Injection
Sensorcaine with Epinephrine Injection
Sensorcaine-MPF Injection
Sensorcaine-MPF with Epinephrine Injection
Septra I.V. Infusion
Septra Suspension
Septra Grape Suspension
Septra Tablets
Septra DS Tablets
Seroquel Tablets
Serzone Tablets
Sinequan Capsules
Sinequan Oral
Soma Compound Tablets
Soma Compound w/Codeine Tablets
Sonata Capsules
Soriatane Capsules
Sporanox Capsules
Sporanox Oral Solution
Sporanox Oral Solution
Stadol NS Nasal Spray
Streptomycin Sulfate
Sular Tablets
Sulfadiazine
Surmontil Capsules
Sustiva Capsules
Talacen Caplets
Talwin Compound Caplets
Talwin Nx Tablet
Tambocor Tablets
Tarka Tablets
Tasmar Tablets
Tavist and Tavist-D
Tegretol Chewable Tablets
Tegretol Suspension
Tegretol Tablets
Tegretol-XR Tablets
Tenex Tablets
Temaril
Tenex
Teveten Tablets
Tequin Injection
Tequin Tablets
Thalomid Capsules
Thera-Besic
Thiosulfil Forte
Tiazac Capsules
Ticlid Tablets
Timolide Tablets
Timoptic in Ocudose
Timoptic Sterile Ophthalmic Solution
Timoptic-XE Sterile Ophthalmic Gel Forming Solution
TOBI Solution for Inhalation
Tobramycin
Tofranil
Tolectin 200 Tablets
Tolectin 600 Tablets
Tolectin DS Capsules
Tonocard Tablets
Topamax Sprinkle Capsules
Topamax Tablets
Toprol XL Tablets
Toradol IM Injection, IV Injection
Toradol Tablets
Torecan
Trexan
Triaminic
Tricor Capsules, Micronized
Triavil
Trileptal Tablets
Trilisate Liquid
Trilisate Tablets
Trinalin Repetabs
Trisenox Injection
Trovan I.V.
Trovan Tablets
Tussend Syrup
Tussend Tablets
Tympagesic Ear Drops
Ursinus
Ultram Tablets
Uniretic Tablets
Univasc Tablets
Vancocin HCI
Vancenase AQ Double Strength Nasal Spray 0.084%
Vancocin HCl Capsules & Pulvules
Vancocin HCl Oral Solution
Vancocin HCl, Vials & ADD-Vantage
Vantin Tablets and Oral Suspension
Vascor Tablets
Vaseretic Tablets
Vasotec I.V. Injection
Vasotec Tablets
Verelan Capsules
Verelan PM Capsules
Viagra Tablets
Vicoprofen Tablets
Vioxx Oral Suspension
Vioxx Tablets
Vistide Injection
Vivactil Tablets
Voltaren Tablets
Voltaren-XR Tablets
Wellbutrin Tablets
Wellbutrin SR Sustained-Release Tablet
Xanax Tablets
Xylocaine Injection
Xylocaine with Epinephrine Injection
Zagam Tablets
Zanaflex Tablets
Zebeta Tablets
Zestoretic Tablet
Zestril Tablets
Zestoretic [0.3-1%]
Ziac Tablets
Zithromax Capsules, 250 mg
Zithromax for IV Infusion
Zithromax for Oral Suspension, 300 mg, 600 mg, 900 mg, 1200 mg
Zithromax Tablets, 250 mg
Zoloft Oral Concentrate
Zoloft Tablets
Zomig Tablets
Zomig-ZMT Tablets
Zonegran Capsules
Zoleft
Zosyn
Zyloprim
Zyban Sustained-Release Tablets
Zyprexa Tablets
Zyprexa ZYDIS Orally Disintegrating Tablets
Zyrtec Syrup
Zyrtec Tablet

 

Good list although it is missing drugs such as the Benzos: Valium, Ativan, etc and some of the Antihistamines like Citrizine in which all the H1 Blocker over the counter 3rd Gen drugs are Ototoxic. Even things like Vicks vapor rub with camphor is ototoxic and most cortisone creams.

 

Yea... my beta blockers which I don't take any more are under Lopressor - not metaprolol...

Thanks erik!

 

calin, i've been reading all your blogs and find all your info. really helpful. i just started my journey with this illness all i'm taking is ring stop and it's helping. i 'm making an appt. with an ear throat doc . this next week!

 

Hi dawne'ne! Nice to meet you!

What is in ring stop? Can you give a bit more on how it has helped you? Lower T sound?

And, do you have pulsing tinnitus or regular (haha - whatever that means!)

 

There are about a thousand drugs/products that are Oto-Toxic (oto means hearing). Any or a combination could have caused your tinnitus.

Here is a short list...


Ototoxic Drugs

The following list contains drugs that can have a temporary or permanent effect on hearing such as hearing loss or tinnitus.
They were identified through the reading of Dr. Susan Kunkel from the Poison Center at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy where she is a Toxicology Fellow.

Please note that this is not an all-inclusive list of every ototoxic drug nor an exhaustive list of all drugs in each category.

The few that are especially important are displayed in bold.

Some drugs have more than one use and/or may fit into more than one category.
Certain non-drug substances (e.g., various metals, chemicals and asphyxiant gases) as well as noise have been associated with hearing loss.

In some cases, the medications listed can cause hearing changes even at regular doses.
Nonetheless higher-than-recommended doses are never a good idea and this practice would certainly increase risk of changes in hearing.
Users of these (or any other drugs) are advised to not exceed recommended dosages and to ask your doctor or pharmacist specifically if there are any potential ototoxic effects associated with any new drug or over-the-counter medication you are told to take.

NOTE: Anyone reviewing this list of ototoxic drugs is strongly advised NOT to discontinue taking any prescribed medication without first contacting the prescribing physician.

Ototoxic Drugs by Category, with Examples

Anti-infectives

Aminoglycosides (amikacin, gentamicin, tobramycin…)
Amphotericin B
Ampicillin
Antihelminthics (Praziquantel, thiabendazole)
Chloramphenicol
Chlorhexidine (for topical use)
Chloroquine
Colistin
Griseofulvin (antifungal)
Macrolides (azithromycin, erythromycin)
Metronidazole
Nalidixic acid
Sulfonamides
Tetracyclines (Minocycline, tetracycline)
Thiabenzazole (antihelmintic)
Vancomycin


Anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs, salicylates)

Aspirin (salicylic acid)
Ibuprofen
Naproxen
Fenoprofen
Indomethacin
Ketoprofen
Piroxicam
Sulindac


Antineoplastic agents

Bleomycin
Cisplatin
Cytarabine
Mechlorethamine
Methotrexate (also for RA)
Nitrogen mustard
Vinblastine
Vincristine


Cardiovascular agents

Enalapril
Captopril
Digitalis
Guanethidine
Guanfacine
Metroprolol
Minoxidil (also for alopecia)
Quinidine
Tocainide


Diuretics

Acetazolamide
Bumetanide
Ethacrynic acid
Furosemide
Mannitol


Tricyclic antidepressants

Amitriptyline
Amoxapine
Desipramine
Doxepin
Imipramine
Nortriptyline


Substances with abuse potential

Alcohol
Caffeine
Cocaine
Nicotine
Phencyclidine (PCP)



Miscellaneous agents

Albuterol
Antihistamines
Atropine
Bromates
Carbamazepine (anticonvulsant)
Haloperidol
Hydroquinone (antipigmentation agent)
Lithium
Local anesthetics (Bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine)
Metal chelators (Deferoxamine, penicillamine)
Methylphenidate
Oral contraceptives
Pentobarbital
Quinine
Theophylline



_________________________________________________________________________________
Added by Tinnitus Talk's administrative team:
Please register to Tinnitus Talk. It is free. We are a nice group of knowledgeable individuals and you will certainly benefit becoming one of us.

 

calin, thanks for the list

yep its very important that people be aware and check to see if drugs...medications ...pose a significant risk of tinnitus

i would almost be willing to venture a guess that more drugs are ototoxic, than not !

(sure feels that way)

best wishes
mt

 

This is only a partial list. I cannot find it anymore but there was an article on American Tinnitus Association website about ototoxic drugs and there have been really many of them!

Among the ototoxic drugs I used are:

possibly ototoxic:

- ibuprofen
- H2 blocker
- pantoprazole ("proton pump inhibiotor" type of drugs)

highly ototoxic and neurotoxic:

- ciprofloxacin ("fluoroquinolone" type antibiotic)

This has taught me a lesson to be very careful and never take any drugs unless my life would depend on it!

 

Pretty much everything can be ototoxic, even things like Vicks Vapor Rub which has camphor in it which is also on the ototoxic list. 84 of the top 100 prescribed medications are thought be ototoxic in some capacity. But we have to keep in mind that most of the ototoxic effects are dose related. Ototoxicity with NSaids for example are almost dose related and almost always reversible once stopped. If you need Tylenol or Ibuproferin, just don't max out on dosage for a long period of time.

 

How about water?

I think there should be a new classification of drugs that excite the auditory nerves as opposed to killing the cochlear hair cells. For too long, people have been mixing up drugs that make their tinnitus seem louder and drugs that actually cause serious damage.

Coffee can excite the nervous system, making tinnitus louder. Some people say Zoloft can be make it louder, but that's temporary. Asprin can cause tinnitus, but that's temporary. The nervous system can get excited, making tinnitus seem louder.

Certain antibiotics truly do damage to the cochlear hair cells - that's ototocity.

 

thank you so much....that is the most logical explanation i have heard....things like antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs are designed with the intent to kill and therefore, it seems logical that they would destroy cochlear hair cells, but you're right it wouldn't make sense that they would cause hearing loss...but how do you feel about the stories regarding hearing loss after taking Amitriptyline? i also find it funny that people say that aspirin is ototoxic...aspirin is broken down in the body into salicylic acid which is nature's anti-inflammatory...if you drink enough orange juice you can achieve the same effect

 

I have been on Zoloft for over 3 years but only just started getting Tinnitus a few weeks ago. My doctor seems to think that the side effect could have just appeared after all this time (I am not convinced), so she has asked me to come off them. I was on 50mg and for the last week have been on 25mg. And now she wants me to go to 25mg ever other day before coming off them completely. Do you think she could be right?

 

Hi Sybs,

It's a tough one to answer. Although, no offence to doctors, I don't think they know anything about tinnitus and virtually nothing about tapering the drugs they freely prescribe.

Zoloft has been implicated with tinnitus, the same as Prozac has, and a myriad of other drugs. But, 3 years with no problems seems to suggest it's not the culprit? Is there anything else that could be the cause?

When drugs are reported as ototoxic the question is; is it temporary tinnitus, (and so it will go away if you come of the drug), or has the drug damaged the hearing system. Have you had a hearing test?

About the tapering - I'd do your own on-line research if I were you. With some drugs, although I'm thinking Benzos here, if you taper too quickly it can actually cause tinnitus.

All the best,
Louise.

 

A few comments based on my reading on the subject over the years:

1. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) does indeed cause tinnitus at high doses and all evidence indicates that it is reversible and not cumulative. In days of old, arthritis pain was treated by increasing the patient's aspirin dose until their ears began to ring, then the dose was cut back slowly until the ringing stopped. That dose was then the treatment dose for arthritis pain. Whether other NSAIDs like ibuproferen cause reversible or permanant T is debatable. One thing that sets aspirin apart from other NSAIDs is that its effect on platelets is not reversible whereas other NASIDs (with perhaps the exception of naproxen) is reversible. That is why aspirin is safer to take if you are subject to blood clots - platelets exposed to aspirin lose their blood clotting ability for the remainder of their lives while other NSAIDs only temporatily reduce the platelet's ability blood clotting ability. With other NSAIDs there is a rebound effect after the drug's impact on platelet's wears off making the subject more vulnerable to blood clots. Good advice for anyone who has antherosclerosis or who is otherwise predisposed to blood clots is to take aspirin for mild pain relief rather than other NSAIDs. Just pointing out that there is something different about what aspirin does in the body vs other NSAIDs. That something different might explain why aspirin induced T is reversible while that of other NSAIDs may not be.

2. Based on the theory about excitotoxicity causing T, there is likely a cumulative component to ototoxicity. Excitotoxicity is cumulative and not reversible, thus it is entirely possible that Zoloft could cause T after 3 years of usage. I'm not saying this is what caused Sybs T, only that it is indeed a possibility that should not be shrugged off in any thorough analysis of possible T triggering vectors.

3. Withdrawal from any drug that impacts brain chemistry seems likely to me to be able to cause T - again because of the possibility of causing excitotoxicity.

 

Thanks Mick.

Point 2. is not good news at all. It seems to me that once excitotoxicity gets started there's no stopping it. I mean - when does it stop once its rolling?

Point 3. Yep that's why a gradual taper is safest. But again, even if you dropped it suddenly and got rebound disinhibition and hence excitotoxicity would this then stop? And, if it stops, is it the cell death from the excitotoxicity that actually causes the damage and the T?

Ps. I took Zoloft for about 4 months years ago after a bereavement and suddenly stopped it - no T.
PPs. I took Prozac for 3 years after a relationship break-up and tapered it very fast - no T.
PPPs. I stuck my stupid ear in front of a speaker blaring out rock music for 1.5 hours - T.

 

What about antihistamines? I'm wondering about Allegra as opposed to Zyrtec or Claritin? If this is already posted somewhere else and I missed it, I apologise. My T has worsened since a dental cleaning and it was the first time I stupidly allowed the girl to use the high pressure water instead of just scraping the old fashioned way. My regular hygienist was gone and this girl didn't want to be bothered doing things the old way. Why was I so stupid!! Makes me never want to get my teeth cleaned again!

 

I don't think your decision to have the high pressure water cleaning was stupid. It was a reasonable decision, and I would venture to guess there are many other decisions you could have made during that time period that could have worsened your T, or that you made earlier in your life that made you more vulnerable to worsened T at that time. Clearly, we can't be expected to make the right choice when we really don't know for sure all the things that can cause T. Don't be quite so hard on yourself or on the hygienist for that matter. Even if the cleaning did worsen you T, I don't think its reasonable, unless you've seen a lot of evidence to the contrary, to expect yourself or the hygienist to know that it would cause you any problems. It's not as if you decided to take up smoking in the face of all the evidence that smoking causes cancer. That kind of choice does warrant the "Why was I so stupid!" treatment.

 

Have or are you taking any?


To answer your question,
Yes, in the past and yes, now.
Even my medicine is on the list, - Amitriptyline

I'm been having electric-pulsing-ears all day.
Quinine? I use to drink gin and tonix.
Having my wine now, ooohhh

Anyway, thanks for the lists-
of things to avoid.

 

I should add to my comment above: I'm not a doctor, and you would be wise to investigate things to your own satisfaction before relying on my advice. That may mean consulting your doctor depending on how much you trust him/her.

Like all medications, even aspirin has dangerous side effect, some which may be result from cumulative effects. Increased risk of macular degeneration is one recently identified hazard of taking aspirin. I don't think taking an aspirin every now and then is going to significantly increase your risk of AMD, but ... In the end, knowing what is the right thing to do when making decisions about medications (and even how to have your teeth cleaned) is rarely cut and dried. Unfortunately, there's always a lot of ifs and unknowns. Medicine is a complicated world.

 

I had a recent discussion with a healthcare professional regarding ototoxic drugs.. She explained to me that there are many as we have seen the list at ATA.org, some well known to cause T, some in large doses. She said that any drug that has had even 1 person that got T while using that drug would have to be mentioned as ototoxic. So how does one determine the toxicity of any one drug? And how do we determine the level of danger for using such a drug and at what dose and length of use and how many users actually got T for sure (no other possible factors) from that drug? Do the studies go that in depth?

 

At least they do to that extent that in the side effects of a drug is mentioned, if a side effect is common, rare, very rare. A common side effect for example is experienced by between 1 out of 10 and 1 out of 100. I guess the side effects are list according to the experience from clinical trials. Some side effects might be added later.

So it makes a difference, if tinnitus is a common or a very rare side effect for a drug. If it is very rare, you might think it is more probable that the tinnitus might not be related to taking the drug. Maybe that 1 person out of 100000 that got tinnitus from the drug also listened to loud music? They probably aren't able to exclude all factors that are also influencing the occurrence of a negative health symptom.

The information included in a drug package doesn't though mention anything about how the dosage effects the occurrence of a side effect. I would guess a larger dosage has always more risks than a smaller one. Some side effects may though only be temporary and pass after for example a couple of weeks. Can anyone explain this?

 

Dr. Oz had a report on Tylenol (acetaminophen) ototoxicity last year. He said that over time, Tylenol can strip away the protection from your ears and damage them in the long run.

The last time I took a Tylenol, my right ear shorted out briefly (like a bad speaker connection). No more Tylenol for me, course, your experience may differ.

 

There is a lot of nonsense on the Internet about drugs and tinnitus. Most so-called side-effects get on the FDA list simply because they are reported. In most cases, there is no direct evidence that the drug caused tinnitus. In my case, the tinnitus suddenly came on one day and I suppose every medication I was taking could be 'the cause' alth0ugh none of them were. There are clearly drugs that a can cause tinnitus but most of the time the tinnitus will go away as the drug level dissapates. Other drugs, especially some antibiotics and anticancer agents, are truly ototoxic and will cause irreversible damage - fortunately, those drugs are uncommon.

 

Believe it or not, Glipizide (diabetes drug) caused my initial tinnitus. I only took five pills, but I remember a distinct high-pitched ring, and some dizziness, while on the drug. A short time later, I developed a bi-lateral inner ear infection that resulted in tinnitus.

 

Why do you assume it was the Glipizide? The initial sympotms could have been the earliest signs of the infection. Diabetes is also a disease of small blood vessels and the blood supply to the inner ear is not immune.

 

I am reposting this as a new thread as there are so many T sufferers who get into a panic over this issue. Only a few drugs are really ototoxic. Most of the other drugs cause a temporary change, if anything. Remember tinnitus is a symptom, a result of pathology in the brain, so anything that can affect brain chemistry can affect the perception of tinnitus. Many tinnitus sufferers will avoid pharmaceuticals unnecessarily and then expose themselves to over-the-counter 'natural' remedies that have far less quality control and even less safety data. An example of this would be Gingko Biloba which may increase blood flow to the inner ear (in high enough doses) - for many T sufferers this will result in increased tinnitus. The same is true for Flavinoids. However, forum watchers will know that from time to time, someone will post a remedy that worked for them. This might simply be coincidence but sometimes it is a genuine effect. The problem, once again, is that tinnitus is symptom - so it is like treating a cough, and a cough might be TB or terminal lung cancer or it might simply be a time-limited cold or allergy. We also need to differentiate those T sufferers who are young and likely have a treatable cause from those, like myself, who have age-related or trauma-induced bilateral tinnitus related to hearing loss and for whom there will be no 'cure'. However, there are effective management strategies.

 

I'm currently taking flavanoids ... Do you have any links about these?

(Note - I'm taking flavanoids for sinus issues not T)

 

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the anesthetic than ents use to numb your eardrum with a myringotomy. I had a myringotomy a month ago and my ear immeditely started ringing right there in the exam room right after procedure. The drug is phenol. I believe it is some type of benzene. I read information that if it gets into your inner ear it damages the cochlea. I'm just wondering if this has happened to me. If you do a search on phenol used on the tympanic membrane there are about three different write ups about it. Would someone check into this for me as I want to make sure that I read everything right and understood it correctly. This ringing in the ear after having a myringotomy has happened to a few other people as I did a search. If my cochlea isn't damaged by this drug then why is my ear still ringing? I never had tinnitus before.