Ototoxicityrefers to chemical-induced damage to the inner ear.
The damage can either be permanent or temporary, causing hearing loss or balance disorders.
Hearing loss is most commonly associated with six different categories of medications.
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If you notice any changes in your hearing, you should always seek help from your prescribing physician.
Certain medications will have more information than others and will be described in their subsequent sections.
Likewise, there is not much understanding of how to prevent ototoxicity from occurring.
Thepeakis the level of the drug when it should be at its highest concentration in the blood.
Atroughis the level of the drug when it should be at its lowest concentration.
In both cases, the symptoms all relate to damaged sensory cells.
If your cochlea is damaged, your hearing will be impaired.
The level of impairment directly correlates to the extent of damage resulting in mildtinnitusto completehearing loss.
Hearing loss can either affect one or both ears.
If the ototoxicity affects the vestibular complex, your balance will be affected.
Like damage to your cochlea, damage can affect one ear or both ears.
The other symptoms will likely improve over time.
Loop Diuretics
Loop diuretics cause an increase in the volume of urine production.
This is helpful in congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, and kidney failure.
Younger men, in particular, appear to be at risk for hearing loss related to aspirin use.
This medication is particularly associated with a high risk for causing hearing loss when used concomitantly with aminoglycoside antibiotics.
While this will not prevent hearing loss related to ototoxicity, it will help you identify problems early.
Treatment
There are not currently any treatments available to reverse permanent damage to the inner ear.
The most important thing is to diagnose it early and stop the ototoxic medication immediately if possible.
If the hearing loss is on both sides and is profound, your healthcare provider may recommend acochlear implant.
Rehabilitation is commonly the treatment of choice if you are suffering from either temporary or permanent balance disorders.
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American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Ototoxic Medications (Medication Effects).
Rybak, LP & Brenner, MJ.
Cumming’s Otolaryngology: Vestibular and Auditory Ototoxicity.
