There are a half dozen broad categories of drugs that have been identified as potentially causal of Tinnitus and other ear problems. This category of drugs are considered broadly as ototoxic and as that might sound to you it means that they are or can be toxic to parts of the ear. The medical treatment for tinnitus is likely to include questions regarding your history with these drugs that cause tinnitus. Ototoxicity is an improtant consideration when  seeking the cause of ringing the ears.

  • Antibiotics. These can be especially a risk to a patient who is being given them intravenously fortunately  hospital staff keep track of the blood levels when in hospital Included in the list to be aware of are Erythromicin, Vancomycin and the Aminoglicosides group( which among others includes Neomycin, Streptomycin, Kanamycin and several others). Doctors are well versed in the use of these popular antibiotics and the quantities which should not be exceeded. You should have a working knowledge just of the issue.
  • Diuretics(Loop). Endecin, Bumex and Lasix which are often used but not exclusively in treating chronic kidney disease, hypertension and given intravenously for kidney failure which is an instance to be mindful of.
  • Salicylates which are aspirin or aspirin containing products. When circumstances have called for taking larger than normal amounts as many or few as six to eight pills per day. The effects are reported as reversible for the most part by discontinuing the use of the medicine.
  • Chemotherapy drugs. Again fortunately these powerful drugs are administered with great care and expertise by medical staff carefully monitor blood levels.
  • Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories. You will recognize these as Advil, Ibuprofen, Nuprin, Motrin and like with the use of aspirin  some six to eight pills daily will be needed to trigger the problem and discontinuance will mostly result in improvement.
  • Quinine  and quinine products which are used primarily in the treatment of malaria.

Ototoxicity which is the quality of the drugs above that induces hearing loss tends to happen and comes into play with medical treatment for high frequency hearing loss and as mentioned before be the cause of tinnitus. Ototoxicity then progressively involves the lower frequencies and eventually affects speech recognition.

Ototoxicity may be permanent or may be reversible ,that depends  on the type of medication used, dosage and duration of treatment. There are quite a few other other medications that have been listed as potentially ototoxic.The source for the ones listed below is the Physician’s Desk Reference or PDR. This guide is frequently revised and so the list should not be considered complete.


PDR GUIDE TO DRUG INTERACTIONS, SIDE EFFECTS AND INDICATIONS FOR TINNITUS

These drugs are taken from the Physicians’ Desk Reference Guide 2006

When taken at recommended dosages, the following prescription and over-the-counter drugs have caused tinnitus in a small percentage of patients.

    indicates that the drug produced tinnitus in at least three %  of patients.

  • These drugs were not specifically tested on people who already had tinnitus. More information about these listed drugs can be found in the 2006 Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR).
  • The list is by no means offered here as complete just a start for you becoming self aware.
    		•

    the asterisk indicates that the drug produced tinnitus in at least three %  of patients

      treatment for high frequency hearing loss

    *Actonel Tablets

    *Anaprox Tabs
    *Anaprox DS Tabs

    *Cataflam Tablets
    *CellCept Capsules
    *CellCept IV
    *CellCept Oral Suspension
    *CellCept Tablets

    *Depacon Injection
    *Depakene Capsules
    *Depakene Syrup
    *Depakote Capsules
    *Depakote Tablets
    *Depakote ER Tablets*Emend Capsules

    *EC-Naprosyn Tablets

    *Imdur Tablets
    *Infergen
    *Intron A Injection

    *Larium Tablets

    *Nalfon Capsules

    *Naprosyn Suspension
    *Naprosyn Tablets
    *Niravam Tablets
    *Prevacid NarpraPAC 375
    *Prevacid NarpraPAC 500
    *Prograf

    *Prozac (Frequent)

    *Rapamune Oral Solution
    *Rapamune Tablets

    *Relafen Tablets
    *Soriatane Capsules

    *Tequin Injection
    *Tequin Tablets

    *TOBI Solution for Inhalation
    *Trisenox Injection

    *Voltaren Tablets
    *Voltaren-XR Tablets

    *Wellbutrin SR Tablets
    *Wellbutrin XL Tablets

    *Xanax XR Tablets

    This is the kind of information you want to have some awareness of so that you can help your doctor when you seek medical treatment for tinnitus.  Whatever information you can provide about your prescription drug use history is always worth hearing for the doctor to determine the best course of treament to pursue in his effort to find remedies for tinnitus.

    Wikipedia Medical Treatment of Tinnitus

    American Tinnitus Association

    Mayo Clinic

    Medline Plus

     Oregon University health and science

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