Tinnitus is the hissing, roaring, ringing, or buzzing perception inside the ears without any external source. One of the causes is drugs found in your nearest pharmacy that cause some physiological interference within the auditory system. There are about two hundred drugs that cause tinnitus.

Medicines, whether over-the-counter or prescription medications, that give rise to temporary hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus are called tinnitus. They contain substances that affect the cochlea or the fluid balance in the inner ear. There are listed anti-allergy medication, chemotherapy drugs, and antibiotics known to be ototoxic. Aspirin and ibuprofen are known to be harmful to the ears too. In people who already have hearing problems, the severity increases upon taking ototoxic medications. The degree of symptoms depends on the amount of medication taken and the duration. The symptoms include the following:

• Onset of ringing in the ears or tinnitus in either or both ears
• Worsening of a present tinnitus
• Sensation of pressure or fullness in the ears
• Loss of hearing or worsening of an existing deafness
• Vertigo and nausea

However, there are times when taking medications is the only way to ease a disorder. For instance, you may have to choose between taking an antihistamine to relieve an allergy and suffer tinnitus and not suffering from tinnitus but suffering from allergic symptoms like itchiness. This is why it is important to follow these guidelines when taking drugs that cause tinnitus.

1. Consult your doctor. Tell him you have an existing ear condition, and he may be able to give you the right medications. There may be alternatives for the current medication you are taking that is producing ear trouble. Also if you recently took a medication and you experienced the symptoms of ototoxicity, bring the medication to your doctor for evaluation.
2. Read drug labels, which indicate if that particular substance temporarily impairs hearing in sensitive patients. Again, if a drug causes tinnitus and hearing loss symptoms ask your doctor for an alternative.
3. Be aware of the warning signs of ototoxicity. Sensitive people become dizzy after intake of a specific drug that alters the inner ear. Other symptoms apart from tinnitus are fluctuating hearing loss and feeling of fullness inside the ears.
4. Stay away from loud noise while into ototoxic drugs. This is if you have no other option but to be under the medication. Your inner ears are more susceptible to damage this time.
5. Hydrate yourself. The delicate tissues in your inner ears are bathed in fluid, which is essential in the maintenance of balance and coordination as well as hearing. Avoidance of diuretics like caffeine is a must. Dehydration affects the fluid balance in this region.

While it is necessary to have a list of drugs that cause tinnitus, it is also important to watch out for the symptoms of ototoxicity. Do not hesitate to seek medical help.