Drugs That Cause Tinnitus: The Full List
There are several factors that can lead to tinnitus. These factors include ear blockages due to too much earwax accumulation, residing in places that are far too noisy or if a person grows senile. However, not many people are aware that, even certain medicines can cause the disease, due to which the affected person has to hear the terribly depressing ringing noises. This fact first came to light in 1944, when for treating cases of tuberculosis, the drug Streptomycin was prescribed widely. It demonstrated all the usual side effects that are normally expected to be associated with an antibiotic. However, in addition, application of streptomycin was also found to cause problems in the vestibule and the Cochlear (inner ear) parts of the human ear. Put in another way, this drug often resulted in patients having difficulty in hearing, developing vertigo, and having other related health issues.
Later on, many other antibiotics too, particularly those belonging to the amino glycoside family, were found to exhibit identical side effects. These effects were collectively known as Ototoxicity. Many commonly used household medicines also showed such adverse side effects. These medications included quinine, loop diuretics, chemotherapy treatments (particularly those of the platinum-based variety), and even the medicines that were used for curing cases of common fever (the traditional salicylates). The cochleo-vestibulat system is, in most cases, adversely affected by many of the above medicines, since they are generally highly toxic. Both the balance system (vestibule) of the ear as well as the cochlea can be damaged by the toxicity of these Ototoxicity-generating drugs. Tinnitus problems can result from them and the affected person can lose his/her powers of hearing, and the balance of equilibrium can also be disturbed. Vertigo problems and other related health hazards can also make an appearance.
The way in which the medicines that are otototoxic affect people varies from case to case. For example, the glutamate receptors of the cochlea get activated when the amino glycoside drugs are consumed. This encourages the swift destruction of both the cochlear neurons as well as the cells of hair. The free radicals that are present also get negatively impacted, bringing about further damage to the hair cells and the neurons of the inner ear (Cochlear).
It should be taken into account that, in the initial stages, the outer cells of hair, present in the inner row, get damaged. The adverse effects then spreads along, moving to the inner hair cells, those that are present in the outer row. Usually, the symptoms of these problems become apparent as soon as, or just after, therapeutic treatment is withdrawn. Tinnitus is mainly caused by the auditory problems experienced by people at high frequencies, when the ototoxic drugs are taken in the initial period. Patients can even find recognizing the source of voices difficult over time, as the problem extends to the lower frequency levels too.
The harmful effects of the ototoxic medications are usually irreversible. As such, to protect the free radicals from getting damaged, experts are generally in favor of recommending antioxidants, before they actually take the ototoxicity-inducing drugs. Since the free radicals help to maintain the vestibular balance in the ear, and help people listen properly as well, it is indeed handy if they remain well-protected.
Much to the convenience of the common people, six types of medicines were classified as the ones bearing ototoxic effects, by an established Doctor of Medicine. The names of these drugs came out in the September 1996 issue of the magazine, Tinnitus Today, thereby ending all doubts and speculations in this regard. The list, as it was published in the magazine, will be reproduced here for the convenience of the readers.
1. Drugs that cause tinnitus: Salicylates, Aspirin and other drugs of similar nature: if individuals consume around 6 to 8 pills everyday, toxicity is likely to occur. Fortunately, these effects can be easily reversed as soon as the consumption is stopped.
2. Drugs that prevent inflammations (of the NSAIDS (non-steroidal group) " Second type of drugs that cause tinnitus. There are several such medicines that cause tinnitus. Among them, Aleve, Anaprox, Clinoril, Advil, Lodine, Poradol, Motrin, Indocin, Nuprine, Naprosyn, Feldene and Nalfon are worth a mention. As in the earlier case, problems commence when individuals form a habit of having 6 to 8 tablets everyday over the long-run. These problems disappear when these medicines are withdrawn.
3. Antibiotic drugs that cause tinnitus (like Amino glycoside group, Erythromycin group or Vancomycin group):
Amino glycoside drugs: These medicines include Streptomycin, Neomycin, Tobramycin, Gantamycin, Netilmycin, Kanamycin and Amikacin. These medicines, with considerable ototoxicity, are popularly used as life-saving drugs, and introduced intravenously into the patients body. However, eardrops or topical formulations that contain Neomycin and/or Gantamycin do not possess ototoxic effects. Problems arising from ototoxicity can also be prevented by keeping a close eye on the blood pressure levels when these drugs are in use.
Erythromycin: A new group of medicines has been derived from Erythromycin. Such new drugs include Biaxine, Zithromax, Eryc, E-mycin, Llosone, Pediasol and EES. If these drugs are consumed at dosages of 2-4 grams per day (via intravenous admission), ototoxicity is likely to happen. However, if patients do not take more than 1 gram of these medicines, the threat of ototoxicity does not exist. The problems caused can be varied in nature, and renal disorders common among such problems. When low doses of these newly derived medicines from are taken orally, no records are found of any notable ototoxic effects.
Vancomycin: The Vincocin antibiotic is found to possess similar features as the amino glycoside drugs. When administered intravenously to combat potentially fatal infections, these medicines can display ototoxic effects. They are usually prescribed in conjunction with amino glycosides, thereby raising the total effects of ototoxicity.
4. Bumex, Lasix, Endecrin (Loop Diuretics) " Fourth type of drugs that cause tinnitus. When administered intravenously for problems related to serious kidney malfunctions, or hypertension-related problems, the ototoxicity of these medicines comes to surface. However, even high dosages do not display ototoxic effects, if they are given to the patients orally. Hence, doctors generally try to avoid intravenous injections, and prescribe these drugs for oral administration to patients with chronic kidney problems.
5. Cancer treating Chemotherapy drugs that cause tinnitus (like Cisplatin, Vincristine and Nitrogen Mustard): Drugs of these types are widely used for treating cancer, and come with ototoxic properties as well. The problems created may become irreversible if these drugs are taken simultaneously along with amino glycosides or loop diuretics, since the level of ototoxicity may move beyond controllable levels. Otherwise, a regular practice of serial audiograms, along with constant monitoring of the blood pressure can solve the problems.
6. Anti-malarial drugs that cause tinnitus (like Quinine), and other medicines that are used to prevent night cramps (like Atabrine, Legatrin, Aralen, and Q-Vel Muscle relaxants): The ototoxic effects associated with quinine are somewhat similar to the ones that come with the usage of aspirin. As and when the medicines are withdrawn, the problems also make an exit. This list also notes the major indicators of ototoxicity-related problems, according to their frequency levels. These symptoms can be listed as under: (1) if patients experience in either, or both of their ears; (2) a new source of noise, complicating existing tinnitus problems; (3) due to the tinnitus infection, the ears feeling heavy or full, and (4) either starting to have problems in hearing, or experiencing added auditory problems for people who are already hard of hearing.
It is evident that tinnitus can be caused by many medications. In addition, we need to consider that the conventional medications treat only the symptoms of tinnitus, and do not deal with the actual underlying reasons of the ailment. Hence, hoping for a permanent cure is rather futile. Nor can remedial products prepared at home, or medicines with herbal ingredients work well on a consistent basis. The best bet is holistic remedies that detect the main causes of the disease. Once done, these factors can be effectively resolved, thereby bringing about a complete cure.
Later on, many other antibiotics too, particularly those belonging to the amino glycoside family, were found to exhibit identical side effects. These effects were collectively known as Ototoxicity. Many commonly used household medicines also showed such adverse side effects. These medications included quinine, loop diuretics, chemotherapy treatments (particularly those of the platinum-based variety), and even the medicines that were used for curing cases of common fever (the traditional salicylates). The cochleo-vestibulat system is, in most cases, adversely affected by many of the above medicines, since they are generally highly toxic. Both the balance system (vestibule) of the ear as well as the cochlea can be damaged by the toxicity of these Ototoxicity-generating drugs. Tinnitus problems can result from them and the affected person can lose his/her powers of hearing, and the balance of equilibrium can also be disturbed. Vertigo problems and other related health hazards can also make an appearance.
The way in which the medicines that are otototoxic affect people varies from case to case. For example, the glutamate receptors of the cochlea get activated when the amino glycoside drugs are consumed. This encourages the swift destruction of both the cochlear neurons as well as the cells of hair. The free radicals that are present also get negatively impacted, bringing about further damage to the hair cells and the neurons of the inner ear (Cochlear).
It should be taken into account that, in the initial stages, the outer cells of hair, present in the inner row, get damaged. The adverse effects then spreads along, moving to the inner hair cells, those that are present in the outer row. Usually, the symptoms of these problems become apparent as soon as, or just after, therapeutic treatment is withdrawn. Tinnitus is mainly caused by the auditory problems experienced by people at high frequencies, when the ototoxic drugs are taken in the initial period. Patients can even find recognizing the source of voices difficult over time, as the problem extends to the lower frequency levels too.
The harmful effects of the ototoxic medications are usually irreversible. As such, to protect the free radicals from getting damaged, experts are generally in favor of recommending antioxidants, before they actually take the ototoxicity-inducing drugs. Since the free radicals help to maintain the vestibular balance in the ear, and help people listen properly as well, it is indeed handy if they remain well-protected.
Much to the convenience of the common people, six types of medicines were classified as the ones bearing ototoxic effects, by an established Doctor of Medicine. The names of these drugs came out in the September 1996 issue of the magazine, Tinnitus Today, thereby ending all doubts and speculations in this regard. The list, as it was published in the magazine, will be reproduced here for the convenience of the readers.
1. Drugs that cause tinnitus: Salicylates, Aspirin and other drugs of similar nature: if individuals consume around 6 to 8 pills everyday, toxicity is likely to occur. Fortunately, these effects can be easily reversed as soon as the consumption is stopped.
2. Drugs that prevent inflammations (of the NSAIDS (non-steroidal group) " Second type of drugs that cause tinnitus. There are several such medicines that cause tinnitus. Among them, Aleve, Anaprox, Clinoril, Advil, Lodine, Poradol, Motrin, Indocin, Nuprine, Naprosyn, Feldene and Nalfon are worth a mention. As in the earlier case, problems commence when individuals form a habit of having 6 to 8 tablets everyday over the long-run. These problems disappear when these medicines are withdrawn.
3. Antibiotic drugs that cause tinnitus (like Amino glycoside group, Erythromycin group or Vancomycin group):
Amino glycoside drugs: These medicines include Streptomycin, Neomycin, Tobramycin, Gantamycin, Netilmycin, Kanamycin and Amikacin. These medicines, with considerable ototoxicity, are popularly used as life-saving drugs, and introduced intravenously into the patients body. However, eardrops or topical formulations that contain Neomycin and/or Gantamycin do not possess ototoxic effects. Problems arising from ototoxicity can also be prevented by keeping a close eye on the blood pressure levels when these drugs are in use.
Erythromycin: A new group of medicines has been derived from Erythromycin. Such new drugs include Biaxine, Zithromax, Eryc, E-mycin, Llosone, Pediasol and EES. If these drugs are consumed at dosages of 2-4 grams per day (via intravenous admission), ototoxicity is likely to happen. However, if patients do not take more than 1 gram of these medicines, the threat of ototoxicity does not exist. The problems caused can be varied in nature, and renal disorders common among such problems. When low doses of these newly derived medicines from are taken orally, no records are found of any notable ototoxic effects.
Vancomycin: The Vincocin antibiotic is found to possess similar features as the amino glycoside drugs. When administered intravenously to combat potentially fatal infections, these medicines can display ototoxic effects. They are usually prescribed in conjunction with amino glycosides, thereby raising the total effects of ototoxicity.
4. Bumex, Lasix, Endecrin (Loop Diuretics) " Fourth type of drugs that cause tinnitus. When administered intravenously for problems related to serious kidney malfunctions, or hypertension-related problems, the ototoxicity of these medicines comes to surface. However, even high dosages do not display ototoxic effects, if they are given to the patients orally. Hence, doctors generally try to avoid intravenous injections, and prescribe these drugs for oral administration to patients with chronic kidney problems.
5. Cancer treating Chemotherapy drugs that cause tinnitus (like Cisplatin, Vincristine and Nitrogen Mustard): Drugs of these types are widely used for treating cancer, and come with ototoxic properties as well. The problems created may become irreversible if these drugs are taken simultaneously along with amino glycosides or loop diuretics, since the level of ototoxicity may move beyond controllable levels. Otherwise, a regular practice of serial audiograms, along with constant monitoring of the blood pressure can solve the problems.
6. Anti-malarial drugs that cause tinnitus (like Quinine), and other medicines that are used to prevent night cramps (like Atabrine, Legatrin, Aralen, and Q-Vel Muscle relaxants): The ototoxic effects associated with quinine are somewhat similar to the ones that come with the usage of aspirin. As and when the medicines are withdrawn, the problems also make an exit. This list also notes the major indicators of ototoxicity-related problems, according to their frequency levels. These symptoms can be listed as under: (1) if patients experience in either, or both of their ears; (2) a new source of noise, complicating existing tinnitus problems; (3) due to the tinnitus infection, the ears feeling heavy or full, and (4) either starting to have problems in hearing, or experiencing added auditory problems for people who are already hard of hearing.
It is evident that tinnitus can be caused by many medications. In addition, we need to consider that the conventional medications treat only the symptoms of tinnitus, and do not deal with the actual underlying reasons of the ailment. Hence, hoping for a permanent cure is rather futile. Nor can remedial products prepared at home, or medicines with herbal ingredients work well on a consistent basis. The best bet is holistic remedies that detect the main causes of the disease. Once done, these factors can be effectively resolved, thereby bringing about a complete cure.
About the Author:
Thomas Colman is a medical researcher, certified nutritionist, health consultant and author of the best-selling e-book, "Tinnitus Miracle: A Unique Three Step Holistic System for Quieting the Noise in Your Head". To Learn More About Thomas Colmans Tinnitus Cure System Visit: Tinnitus Miracle. For further information visit: Tinnitus And Temporal Headache