It isn’t uncommon for people to lose their hearing ability as they age. Prolonged exposure to loud noises can also cause hearing loss, as they damage membranes and cells in the cochlea.
But, in rare cases, medicines could be the culprit behind your hearing loss— shocked, aren’t you? Experts reveal that more than 600 medicines are linked with hearing loss or tinnitus. Some medicines lead to temporary hearing loss, whereas others cause permanent hearing loss. Hearing issues caused due to the use of a medicine are known as ototoxicity.
The question arises: which drugs sold on the market are ototoxic? If you’re wondering the same, this guide is for you. In this article, we’ll discuss some common medicines associated with hearing loss.
#1 Antibiotics
Antibiotics are commonly used to treat bacterial infections. However, numerous studies have found a link between these life-saving drugs and tinnitus.
Several antibiotics linked with hearing loss include vancomycin, aminoglycosides, and macrolide antibiotics. These antibiotics are believed to damage the structures of the inner ear, resulting in hearing loss.
Aminoglycoside, classified as a broad-spectrum antibiotic, is often used to treat sepsis, meningitis, and other life-threatening in critical care settings.
Unfortunately, these antibiotics are so potent that they are often accompanied by serious side effects. Prolonged usage of these drugs damages the inner ear’s hair cells that detect motion and sound.
A 2021 NIH study discussing the ototoxicity of non-aminoglycoside antibiotics links macrolides, including clarithromycin, azithromycin, and erythromycin, with varying degrees of hearing loss. In particular, these antibiotics have caused ototoxicity in neonates.
Many times, the damage is reversible. But in several cases, these antibiotics lead to complete deafness.
Vancomycin, a potent anti-staphylococcal antibiotic used for over 60 years, has been associated with hearing loss. The link between vancomycin and hearing loss became evident when it was used in a patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia to treat Corynebacterium Jeikeium meningitis.
The patient, who received two intrathecal vancomycin doses, reported a decrease in hearing ability after the first dose. Complete sensorineural hearing loss occurred after the patient received the second dose.
#2 Monoclonal Antibodies
Several studies put forward that the monoclonal antibodies can cause hearing loss in patients. KHRI-3 is one such monoclonal antibody that has been linked with hearing loss.
In an early study, a group of researchers injected a single dose of KHRI-3 in nine guinea pigs. Four out of nine guinea pigs developed 25 to 55 dB hearing loss. This monoclonal antibody causes the death or loss of hair cells in the basal turn, leading to high-frequency hearing loss.
Another monoclonal antibody linked with sensorineural hearing loss in humans is teprotumumab.
Often marketed as Tepezza, teprotumumab is a type I insulin-like growth factor receptor inhibitor. This prescription medicine is often used to treat TED or thyroid eye disease, a rare condition that leads to the inflammation of the fatty tissues and muscles behind the eye. Consequently, the eyes bulge outwards.
A recent NIH publication brought to light that four out of 28 teprotumumab-treated thyroid eye disease patients developed sensorineural hearing loss. It’s believed that the risk of developing hearing loss in patients with TED could be less if they avoided exposure to loud noises while using Tepezza.
More than a dozen Tepezza users have filed lawsuits against the manufacturer, Horizon Therapeutics. Victims in the Tepezza lawsuit allege that the makers failed to warn consumers about the possible risks of hearing loss associated with the use of its medicine.
Increased sensitivity to sound, eustachian tube dysfunction, and sensation in the ears are other complications associated with Tepezza, reports TruLaw.
#3 Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
A handful of studies have disclosed that long-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers can lead to hearing loss. Pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are believed to harm a person’s hearing ability.
A 2023 longitudinal study of 69,455 women between 31 and 48 years of age found that frequent moderate-dose and high-dose aspirin, acetaminophen, and NSAIDs can precipitate tinnitus. Researchers speculate that prolonged usage of over-the-counter pain relievers restricts the flow of blood to the cochlea— the very inner ear organ that helps with hearing.
#4 Chemotherapy Medications
Many chemotherapy drugs used to kill cancer cells are ototoxic. Of all the chemotherapy drugs on the market, platinum-based medications have been linked with tinnitus.
However, chemotherapy drug-induced hearing loss is dose-related. Your chance of developing hearing loss is high if you take higher doses of these medicines. Moreover, you may be more vulnerable to tinnitus if your hearing ability is already impaired.
Wrapping Up
Just because tinnitus or hearing loss is a “possible” side effect of these medications doesn’t mean that you will lose your hearing. Remember, your age, the dose, the duration, and how often you take the medicine determines whether it will precipitate tinnitus.
In some situations, tinnitus developed from the use of ototoxic medicines is reversible. But many times, it isn’t. However, talking to your doctor will be the best bet in this regard. They can share tinnitus management techniques, which will come in handy when you start taking an ototoxic medicine.