Medications can help us feel better, but sometimes they come with side effects. Some side effects can change how well we hear or how steady we feel.
Let’s learn more about this and what we can do together to manage these side effects.
What Are Side Effects?
When you take medicine, it’s supposed to help with a health problem. But sometimes, medicines can cause other problems. These are called side effects. For example, some medicines can make you feel sleepy, dizzy, or even upset your stomach.
Some side effects can also affect your ears, making it hard to hear or causing ringing sounds called tinnitus.
How Can Medicines Affect Hearing?
Certain medicines can harm your ears. This is called ototoxicity.
Ototoxic medicines can make you lose your hearing or balance. Sometimes, this can be temporary, but other times, it might be permanent.
It’s important to know which medicines can cause these problems. Here are a few examples:
- Antibiotics: Some strong antibiotics can hurt your ears.
- Chemotherapy Drugs: Medicines used to treat cancer can sometimes affect hearing.
- Diuretics: These are medicines that help your body get rid of extra fluid, but can sometimes cause hearing problems.
- Pain Relievers: Even common pain relievers like aspirin can cause hearing issues if taken in large amounts.
What Can You Do?
If you or someone you know is taking medicine that might affect hearing, here are some steps to help manage the side effects:
- Talk to your doctor: Always tell your doctor if you notice changes in your hearing or balance. They can help decide if the medicine needs to be changed or adjusted.
- Get regular hearing checks: Regular hearing tests can catch problems early. This way, we can take steps to prevent the hearing loss from getting worse.
- Report any symptoms: If you hear ringing in your ears, feel dizzy, or notice any changes in your hearing, tell your doctor or audiologist right away.
- Use hearing protection: If you have to take a medicine that can hurt your hearing, protect your ears from loud noises. This can help prevent further damage.
How Audiologists Can Help
Audiologists help you keep your hearing and balance in good shape. Here are some ways we can help:
- Hearing Tests: Audiologists can check your hearing regularly to see if there are any changes. This helps catch problems early.
- Balance Tests: If you feel dizzy or unsteady, audiologists can do tests to find out why and help you feel better.
- Counseling: Audiologists can talk with you about how to manage any hearing or balance problems caused by your medicine.
- Hearing Aids: If you have hearing loss, audiologists can help fit you with hearing aids to improve your hearing.
Audiologists in Melbourne, FL
Medications are important for treating many health problems, but they can sometimes cause side effects that affect hearing and balance. By talking to your doctor, getting regular hearing tests, and working with an audiologist, you can manage these side effects and protect your hearing.
If you have any questions or concerns about your hearing or balance, don’t hesitate to reach out to an audiologist.
Audiologists at Harbor City Hearing Solutions are here to help you stay healthy and hear well!
Contact us today to schedule an appointment with the best audiologists in Melbourne, FL.