

Rush Limbaugh’s sudden loss of hearing in 2001 was the result of an addiction to three pain-killing drugs – OxyContin, Vicodin and a sister drug known as Lorcet.
However, these are not the only medications that can cause hearing loss. Some 200 drugs and chemicals may cause temporary or permanent hearing loss or balance problems, according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. What follows is a list of commonly-used medications and compounds that can cause hearing loss and or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
Medications that cause hearing loss are called ototoxic. In this list, the generic name of the drug is given first, with some of the trade name or names by which it is available following in parentheses. The list is not exhaustive. Consult with your doctor if you have a question about the ototoxic effect of any drug you are taking.
The probability of having a hearing problem from one of these medications is usually very small. The drugs with the greatest potential for hearing loss are usually reserved for life- threatening situations.
Drugs That Cause Both Hearing Loss And Tinnitus The most commonly used ototoxic drugs are salicylates, which include aspirin and aspirin-containing products. Hearing loss and tinnitus have been recognized for more than a century as signs of aspirin toxicity. Toxic effects appear to be dose-related and are almost always reversible once medications are discontinued.
The next most commonly used class of drugs that are ototoxic are the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. Among these are ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, etc.), indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox, Alleve), and piroxicam (Feldene). Like aspirin, the toxic effects of these drugs are dose-related and are almost always reversible once medications are discontinued. They also can cause tinnitus.
Among the antibiotics that can cause hearing loss are the aminoglycosides. These include amikacin (Amakin), gentamycin (Garamycin), Kanamycin (Kantrex), neomycin (found in many over-the-counter antibiotic ointments) netilmicin (Netromycin), streptomycin and tobramycin (Nebcin).
Neomycin is the drug that is most toxic to the structure involved in hearing, the cochlea, so it is recommended for topical use only. But even topical therapy has resulted in hearing loss when large areas were treated, which allowed for large amounts of the drug to be absorbed into the body. Hearing loss caused by this class of antibiotics is usually permanent.
Other antibiotics that are ototoxic are erythromycin, vancomycin, minocycline, polymeric B and amphotericin B (anti-fungal preparations) and capreomycin (Capastat), an anti-tuberculosis medication. Some antibiotics also cause tinnitus: the aminoglycosides, amphotericin B, chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin), minocycline (Minocin), polymerize B, sulfonamides (Septra, Bactrim), vancomycin (Vancocin), and tetracycline.
Loop diuretics can cause both hearing loss and tinnitus. The loop diuretics are bumetanide (Bumex), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix) and torsemide (Demadex). Among the cautions and warnings for these drugs are ringing or buzzing in the ears, hearing loss, deafness, fainting and a sensation of fullness in the ears. Hearing usually returns within 24 hours, but some loss may be permanent.
Patients on loop diuretics are more susceptible to noise- induced hearing loss than they would otherwise be. Other diuretics can also be ototoxic such as some of the thiazide diuretics.