These OTC Drugs Can Cause Hearing Loss -- And It May Be Permanent!

Prescription drugs are not the only medication that needs to be taken seriously. OTC (over-the-counter) medications can also have side affects that may be irreversible. One of those side affects is hearing loss.

Over-the-counter drugs

People who have hereditary hearing loss can be at even greater risk for hearing loss due to OTC medication. Even aspirin and ibuprofen can cause dangerous side affects, including loss of hearing.

A 2015 Stanford University study revealed that patients who already have hearing problems or kidney disease are at the highest risk. However, high doses of aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Naproxen (Aleve) taken often can also increase the risk of hearing loss. People who take OTC drugs along with prescription drugs increase their chances of hearing loss even more.

Prescription drug caution

There are also specific prescription drugs that the study showed increase the risk for hearing loss. These include Cisplatin and Carboplatin (chemotherapy drugs), furosemide (Lasix) prescribed for heart or kidney problems, antidepressants such as Prozac, Elavil, Paxil, Zoloft and Celexa, and antibiotics Cipro (ciprofloxacin) and Levaquin (levofloxacin) that are prescribed for bacterial infections.

Read more by visiting www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/blogs/info-2016/drugs-medicines-tinnitus-hearing-loss.html?cmp=EMC-DSO-NLC-WBLTR---NMCTRL-062416-TS1-1313226&ET_CID=1313226&ET_RID=18234741&encparam=XTZ8Ez61nH/x12guKv3KOPh9ckOtFpym0odWRWThUiU=