2023-04-19 01:00:15
- The most common mistake people make is taking drugs without a doctor’s prescription.
- In Mexico, since 2010 it is mandatory to present a medical prescription to purchase antibiotics in pharmacies.
- According to the WHO, by 2050 it is expected that up to 2.5 billion people will be living with some degree of hearing loss.
Medicines are one of the most important inventions in history, but although their main objective is to solve diseases, they can also cause secondary damage, such as hearing loss. In this sense, many times these types of consequences are generated by incorrect consumption or by falling into bad practices such as self-medication.
With this in mind, the maximum indication that is made to people with any discomfort is to see a doctor immediately. If they let time pass, it can be counterproductive because they advance in intensity. The most important rule is that only a health professional can prescribe drugs.
Now, the current supply of over-the-counter and prescription drugs is quite wide, but some can cause balance problems, ringing in the ears, and even temporary or permanent hearing loss in those who consume them.
Medications that can cause hearing loss
On this subject, the technology company MED-EL points out that within this list are the ototoxic When consumed incorrectly or in the wrong dose, it can cause damage to the sensory organs found in the inner ear.
He mentions that various studies have shown that the substances that cause partial or reversible deafness are the salcylate pain relievers (which also treats heart conditions), quinine (for the treatment of malaria), and some diuretics (for the control of certain heart and kidney conditions).
Plus some aminoglycoside antibioticssuch as gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, and streptomycin, as well as those used in cancer therapy such as cisplatin and carboniplatin, could further the progression of permanent hearing loss.
The symptoms presented by patients with this condition can be cochlear or vestibular. In the first case, the tinnitus or ringing in the ears is evident and may or may not be accompanied by deafness. The vestibular appears when the person is moving and manifests discomfort such as headaches, dizziness, vertigo, nausea or vomiting. Ototoxicity could also affect the fetus or neonate during pregnancy.
“With audiometry we can detect hearing loss early. Sometimes, balance problems may not be perceived by patients because our body compensates for them through mechanisms that come from the brain or vision. It is very important to know what these medications are considered to be Ototoxic and to be aware of our body’s reactions when we are exposed to them”, explains Dr. Jimena Atuan, specialist in Audiology, Phoniatrics and Otoneurology.
The factors that increase the risk of inability to perceive sounds are related to the duration of therapy, modality of dose administration (single, multiple, daily and total), previous treatments with aminoglycoside antibiotics (AAG), association of AGG and loop diuretic, monitoring of cochleovestibular function, patient’s age, whether he or she has renal dysfunction, severe infections, and genetics.
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