subject: Can Certain Medications Cause Hearing Loss For Older Adults? [print this page] As you get older, you may notice that you don't hear as well as you did when you were younger. That may be due to the natural cause of aging, but there are some circumstances where taking a particular medication can cause or exacerbate hearing loss. In these cases, Danville Senior Care advises that it may be a good preventive measure to speak with your doctor about choosing an alternative medicine to the one that you are taking that does not cause this side effect.
Unfortunately, there are circumstances where the only medication available for your medical issue is the one you are taking. There are other circumstances where what the medication is treating is more important than the loss of hearing, especially if it is a temporary side effect. Instances of this could occur when you are taking treatment for a heart condition or as cancer treatment.
Knowing the reasons for your hearing loss can often be helpful when trying to improve it. Many drugs that cause hearing loss or tinnitus, also known as ringing in the ears, have reversible side effects. Danville Elderly Care understands that once the medication is discontinued, hearing loss slowly reverts. Sometimes the issues caused by a medication are due to wrong dosages, and there is no need to stop taking the medication. However, there are a few drugs that can cause irreversible hearing loss, so it is important to report any hearing issues that occur when you are taking medication to a doctor immediately.
Danville Home Health Care states that one of the first symptoms that you will notice if your medication is contributing to hearing loss is tinnitus. This is usually followed by the inability to understand what people are saying. People many not notice that their hearing is degraded because in these circumstances people still seem to be speaking loudly enough, but the words they are saying may seem garbled. Other symptoms that may occur are balance issues. Since your sinuses and inner ear are so directly related to balance, if they are suffering damage, you may find yourself having a hard time staying upright or walking correctly.
There are over 200 medications known to cause hearing loss, so it is important that you discuss side effects with your doctor when being prescribed new medications. Additionally, if you notice any of the symptoms above, contact your physician as soon as possible to keep hearing loss from progressing.
