by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A lady wrote,
While I was on beta-blockers for inappropriate sinus tachycardia I developed tinnitus. Initially it seemed intermittent, but as I had to increase my dose the ringing became constant. The ENT doctor tells me that he has never heard of beta-blockers causing tinnitus, but upon his evaluation found that I have a high frequency hearing loss in both ears, and that can cause tinnitus. Funny that it happened only 3 months after I started the beta-blockers. Is it possible that the beta-blockers caused the hearing loss and this caused the tinnitus?
I’m always amazed at the apparent ignorance of doctors regarding ototoxic drugs. For example, 15 out of the 18 ototoxic beta-blockers I have listed in my book “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed” have tinnitus listed as a side effect. In addition, 6 of the 18 have hearing loss listed as a side effect.
Your doctor could have easily checked this out for himself in his Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR) if he had wanted to know the truth.
In answer to your question, there are two possibilities. First, yes, beta-blockers can cause tinnitus. I suspect this is what happened in your case since the tinnitus began after you began taking beta-blockers, and then got worse when you increased the dose. That is strong circumstantial evidence that the beta-blocker was the culprit.
On the other hand, the beta-blocker could have caused the high frequency hearing loss—and that in turn could have resulted in the tinnitus. Either scenario is possible, but I tend to favor the first one in your case.
Be aware that you are not alone in having ototoxic effects from taking beta-blockers. I’ve had other people tell me of their ear problems from taking beta-blockers, so it really does happen.
If you want to check out the ototoxic side effects of the beta- blockers (or any other ototoxic drug for that matter) look them up in “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed“. This book contains information on the ototoxicity of 877 drugs known to damage ears (and a number of chemicals too).
I have been on beta blockers for some while,the beta blocker is atenolol and i have tinnitus.Would the tinnitus go away if I came off atenolol?
Hi Alec:
I don’t have enough information on your situation, or about tinnitus and Atelonol to say. Here are some guidelines. First, did the Atenolol cause your tinnitus in the first place? If so, then quitting it may allow your tinnitus to fade away. Second, be aware that the longer you are on a drug (many months or years), the less likely your tinnitus will go away when you stop that drug.
Neil
I suffer with tinnitus and which started some years after my doctor prescribed atenolol for high blood pressure.I have thought for some time that this beta blocker may be the cause of my tinnitus.
I started atenolol in November, 2005. In June 2007, out of nowhere, tinnitus kicked in and never left. I have tried everything, have had my ears checked, sugar checked, they can’t find anything. I am suspicious that it may be the beta blockers. It’s maddening.
I had one of these pills for the first time and the very next day had very loud tinnitus. I realised there was an issue with them and stopped taking them immediately. 2 days have since passed and my tinnitus has not subsided yet!
I knew it! I knew it! About 5 years ago, I woke up with tinnitus, and it’s never gone away. 3 months prior, I was put on Lopressor, and now am on Metroprolol ER. Although I do not see tinnitus listed as a side effect for Metroprolol, I do see it on Lopressor. My GP, cardiologist and a tinnitus specialist at Mass Eye & Ear all said, “No” when I asked if the pills could be the problem.
Now I have tingling cold feet. I am also Type 1 diabetic, and have been for almost 50 years, since I was 5. I know these symptoms overlap, but still……. NOT the tinnitus.
I told the cardiologist I wanted off about a month ago. He said, “You need them, Karen.” I don’t think so. My BP was never a problem until I met him in the hospital, with an acute problem (pneumonia).
You said that the longer a person is on beta blockers, the less likely it is that it will go away. AM I TOO LATE????????? I’M LOSING MY MIND!!!!!!!
Thank you for anything you can tell me!
Hi Karen:
Lopressor and Metoprolol are the same drug. Lopressor is a brand name and Metoprolol is the generic drug name.
Tinnitus is listed as a side effect in around 1% of the people taking this drug.
If you want to get off Metoprolol, that is your decision. You may have to taper off this drug though, so you want to work with a doctor on this.
As to whether it is too late and the tinnitus is now permanent or not, I can’t say. If you decide to get off the Metoprolol, give it a couple of months and see whether your tinnitus goes away or not. I know of one woman who was on Metoprolol and got bad tinnitus. It went away when she changed medications, but I don’t think she was on the Metoprolol very long.
One more thing, your tinnitus may be related to your diabetes, so even if you go off the Metoprolol, you may still have some tinnitus as a result of your underlying diabetes. (There could be more than one factor causing your tinnitus, so you may not be able to blame it all on the Metoprolol.)
Regards
Neil
I was swirched from metoptolo 12.5 mg per day for 23 years to betaxalol for sick sinus tachycardia syndrome afte being treated for 4 months for neurologic lyme disease. Ever since the switch in beta blockers, i have had stomack bloating and tinnitis. I have only been o. Tje betataxalol for about 2 months. If i stop taking this nes beta blocker, will my tinnitis go away???
Hi K9lady:
Love your nick name. I’m a dog guy myself.
Just because a drug precipitated tinnitus doesn’t necessarily mean that when you stop it, the tinnitus will go away. It may or it may not.
How do you know your tinnitus is from taking the Betaxolol, which is much less ototoxic than Metoprolol, than from the lyme disease itself or the drugs you took to treat it (which are probably also ototoxic)? I’ve only a handful of reports of tinnitus from Betaxolol, where I have hundreds upon hundreds from taking Metoprolol.
Which drugs did you take to treat your lyme?
Cordially,
Neil
I am on propranolol and my tinnitus is louder I have had it for years but it got louder and seems to get louder as the day goes on
Hi Jackie:
Propranolol can certainly cause tinnitus in some people. You may want to try another drug and see whether that improves your tinnitus.
For some people, their tinnitus gets louder as the day wears on due to the combined effects of the noise of the day and increasing fatigue from dealing with it as the day goes on.
Cordially,
Neil
Nov 07 I was given Atenolol. By December I had vertigo,short term memory issues, right ear hearing loss, and axiety issues.
In January 08 I switched to metoprol and atenolol side effects went away except for hearing
Mass Gen Ear & eye says hearing issue is Otosclerosis. No Dr has linked my problems to Atenolol. I did.
MD had patient with worsening hearing loss over 1 year. She was totally deaf when he asked me to figure out which drug might be causing it. I told him to discontinue the metoprolol ER 50mg a day. After a debate, he did so. The patient could hear perfectly a week later. It happens more often in people with atherosclerosis; MDs don’t understand the effect drugs have on the Cochlear artery.
what hypertension drug for someone w/atherosclerosis and tinnitus would you recommend?
Here’s a new odd situation. I’ve had tinnitus for 18 years. It has multiple sounds, the loudest one being a left-sided ringing hiss. In its first year, this hiss would sometimes sharpen into an intolerably shrill whistle. Mercifully it stopped doing that, and I soon habituated to my tinnitus, and am rarely bothered by it anymore. I recently did a 2-month trial of Betaxolol, and as I got into the higher doses, noticed that sometimes this constant hiss would once again sharpen into a more noxious whistle for a day, but then the next day, the constant hiss was completely gone for the first time in 18 years!. Then the next day it was back – as a shrill whistle. Next day completely gone. After a couple of weeks of this, I discovered that tinnitus is a rare adverse effect of Betaxolol, and tapered off as fast as I could (2 weeks) I’ve been off 6 weeks now, and this cycle has continued – a day or two of my 18-year constant loud ringing hiss being absolutely gone, followed by a day or two of it coming back, only more whistly, shrill, somewhat louder, and obnoxious. Would love to hear Dr. Neil’s take on THIS.
Hi Alex:
Well, you’ve “flummoxed” me. I’ve never heard of something like that before.
I wonder what would happen it you got back on the Betaxolol for awhile–purely hypothetical, not recommending you do it–would the tinnitus revert to your old way, would it become solid the new “whistlely” way, or would it completely disappear?
Most interesting situation you have there.
Neil
In March I was changed from Metoprolol ER 100mg once a day to Metoprolol 50mg 2x a day. The middle of April, I woke up & could not hear out of my left ear, it was ringing & I was very dizzy. I thought it was sinus & would go away. It didn’t. I went to an ENT & had a hearing test done & only had 18% hearing in that ear. I was put on a steroid for 12 days. That didn’t work. Had a MRI done. The ENT thought I had a swelling around a nerve or acoustic neuroma. The results were negative, no tumors. Now the ENT thinks it could be Meniere’s Disease & wants me to have a balance test done. I am going to my regular doctor tomorrow to see if the hearing loss & ringing is due to the metoprolol. I didn’t think I was having a reaction to the Metoprolol or I would have gone to my regular doctor first. Now I am afraid to take anything for high blood pressure.
Hi Gail:
Since you didn’t change your overall dose, I don’t see why the Metoprolol should all of a sudden have given you hearing loss. If you had increased your dose, that could have been different. Furthermore, you said you didn’t have any reaction to the Metoprolol. Thus it doesn’t seem likely that this drug was the cause of your sudden hearing loss.
You immediately suspected sinus problems. That leads me to believe you either have allergies, or had a cold or virus at the time. A viral attack on your inner ear can cause sudden hearing loss like you experienced AND the dizziness (balance problems). If you had a cold or virus in the preceding two weeks, a viral attack would be my guess.
If you have allergies, they can cause ear problems. Did you know that allergies and Meniere’s disease often go together–and that if you get your allergies under control, you often get your Meniere’s under control at the same time?
The ringing sounds you hear (tinnitus) very often accompany sudden hearing loss, so I’m not surprised that your ear is ringing now, due to the hearing loss, and not to the drug. If the drug was responsible, you should have noticed the ringing within a few days after beginning the drug.
Neil
Hello list – WM 51 yoa general good health – rapid heart rate/borderline high BP
Have been taking atenolol for about 3 yrs with no ill effect…until recently. Over the last month the hearing in my left ear has come and gone…and now there is a constant ringing.
I found this list and went off the med. for about a week…the hearing returned about 75%. Took another 25mg this am and the ringing has returned with the associated loss of hearing in the left ear.
I’m stopping the atenolol…stat. I do need something to help with the BP and rapid heartbeat.
Is there something else that is not ototoxic that
will work/help. Anxious for response – thank you.
hi, Dr. Neil,
Wow, that was fast! 😎
I’m not inclined to go back on Betaxolol – this tinnitus change happened as I got into the higher doses of it, so I’m guessing it may be an adverse effect, and don’t want to risk it – I was fine with my old tinnitus and would love to just have it back. Don’t want to risk further exacerbation.
It IS flummoxing. My best guess so far is that perhaps all along I have had a mild vascular compression on my 8th nerve on the left that has cause this loudest tinnitus noise, and the vasodilating action of the Betaxolol was at times distending the vessel, increasing the tinnitus, and then at times the body was compensating and constricting it – and this distension/constriction may still be playing out even after discontinuing the med. Getting it MRI’ed and MRA’ed, but that likely won’t be definitive – 8th nerve compression is controversial – 50% of people have nerve/vessel contact, but almost none of them are symptomatic, yet decompression cures tinnitus and vertigo in about half of the patients who are carefully selected for surgery. Tricky one. But I’m scratching my head as to what else a beta blocker could possibly have done to set off a fluctation like this? Alteration of cochlear blood flow?
alex
I was on lopressor for 6 weeks…the first 4 weeks was 100 mg twice a day…then 2 weeks of 50 mg twice a day…it was for hyperthyroidism attack in early June of 09..
On July 9..I noticed ringing in the ears..I stopped taking the lopressor completely on July 19th…but still having ringing in the ears.
How long do you think it will take to have the ringing cease..and do you think hyper/hype throidism could be the cause of the tinnitus?
Hi Ed:
If the Lopressor caused your tinnitus, and since you weren’t on it for long, I’d expect that a couple of weeks after the drug gets out of your system, you should notice a decrease in your tinnitus. It could take a couple of months, or it might never go away. That’s just how it is. If you still have the tinnitus after two months, the chances are it will be permanent.
As far as having thyroid problems, yes, that can trigger tinnitus too. Your tinnitus might be all because of your thyroid problems and not caused by the drug, or the Lopressor may have been a contributing factor. It’s so hard to know, but getting your thyroid under control would be a good step in the right direction in trying to get your tinnitus under control.
Regards
Neil
I started taking Lopressor 25 mg.about 5 months ago. Although my blood pressure is now under control, I have had a couple of experiences of “fullness” along with tinnitus in my ears and not being able to hear hardly anything out of one ear at times. The feeling and hearing loss does eventually pass, but it frightened me because I never felt anything like this before. I don’t want to change meds as I have tried others and this one actually seems to work. What do you suggest?
Hi Sandra:
If you want to stay on the Metoprolol, the only thing I can suggest is to take the very lowest dose that will maintain your blood pressure. Obviously, your ears are sensitive to this drug and you don’t want to permanently damage them.
Six of the Beta Blockers are known to cause hearing loss (including Metoprolol). Therefore, you may want to consider trying still other Beta Blockers that you have not yet tried to see if you can find one that works and yet is not harmful to your ears. Three that do not have either tinnitus or hearing loss listed as side effects are Labetalol, Levobunolol and Sotalol.
Regards
Neil
This is good. My neighbor has all these symptoms. His doctor continues to tell him there is no way the medication can cause this.
I’ll have to print this.
thanks
I have a question about verapamil. I was prescribed this by the doctor for a heart arrhythmia. I started taking 40 mg.TID, by the third day I had a high pitched ringing /whistling in my right ear. I alos have dizziness off and on. I stopped taking the medicine after the fifth day. Of course the doctor does not believe this medicine is causing the ear problem.
I saw an ENT who says my hearing is fine and he did not see anything wrong with my ears and I needed to just learn to live with this.
I am not ready to accept that this is a permanent condition just yet. It has been almost three weeks now and I feel like I am going out of my mind. Will this ever go away if it was caused by the medicine? Are there other things I can try to remedy this? Also, I have not taken any medicine for this heart condition because I am afraid to. What other ones can I try?
Has anyone had any success with any other treatments for this condition?
Thanks for anything you can tell me!
I’ve been on metoprolol intermittently (as needed for a-fib) for several months and am having increasingly loud tinnitus. I’m having an ablation end of March and hope to be off drugs in a few months if it is successful. I HOPE that my tinnitus isn’t permanent!
I have read with great interest the comments about taking atenolol and tinnitus. I’m 54 and have been taking 25mg for several years. I took Lisenopril (sp?) for 3 days, developed the “cough” and tinnitus! I stopped taking it immediately, the cough went away but the ringing didn’t. I went on a cleansing diet, eating only whole foods, green tea, and eliminating sugar and flour, losing 70 pounds in almost a year (walking every day also). I’ve maintained the weight loss, only gaining 10 pounds back in the last year, although i continue to watch what i eat, walking still (not as intense, but hope to get back into it) and would really like to get off the bp medication all together. I think it helped me get through the part of menopause when I was experiencing panic attacks though, and that’s my hesitancy. I was under the impression it was also anxiety reducing? can you clarify? I try to tune out the T but it seems like every other day it spikes some. Wondering what else I can do if it really is the atenolol? help!! i would be happy just to turn it down if it won’t go away…thx! carol
Hi Carol:
You’ve done great changing/improving your diet, cleansing, losing weight, etc. Unfortunately, those things won’t eliminate your tinnitus if it is being caused by the Atenolol.
Why are you “married” to this particular beta-blocker? As I mentioned in comment #18, there are three beta-blockers that do not have tinnitus listed as a side effect. They are Labetalol, Levobunolol and Sotalol. Perhaps your doctor could switch you to one of these and see if it helps reduce or eliminate your tinnitus.
Since you have been on Atenolol for a number of years, it may take some time to make a change in your tinnitus. In the meantime, continue to ignore your tinnitus as much as possible. This gives it permission to fade into the background.
Neil
Dear Dr. Neil, I was hospitalized for hypertension a couple of months ago. I had been on Metropolol, clonodine and aspirin for a few years prior. I was switched to Labetolol 800mg daily plus Lysinopril, Norvasc, clonodine and hydralazine to try and control the BP better. I then developed tinnitus in my left ear. At first it was a shrill whistle but now it’s more of a buzzing. Can Labetolol cause this despite not being listed as a cause, or is it a result of the prior use of Metropolol? Or can my high BP cause it? I am also on dialysis and have a high PTH level (500). Is the Parathyroid the same as the Thyroid? What can I do? I feel hopeless–please advise me and tell me if I can control this better and make the T go away. Thx–Frank
I have been taking Meoprolol 50mg ex release for about 4 years and it was making me very tired and aching along my shoulders and neck. In addition , my BP was low. 98/48 or so. I have been on this drug since I had stents put in and never complained. The cardio. Doc. told me to stop taking the Metoprolol and I did. This was on a Monday. I stopped taking the drug on Tues. A day or two later, I started to get jittery and anxious. By Saturday, I was getting fast and hard heart beats and a severe headache and later, ringing in my right ear. I check on line and it said never to suddenly stop taking this drug. You have to wean off of it. I immediately took a pill and it later started to calm me down. Finally, the ringing went away and so did the hearing in my right ear. I have been to the hospital as advised by my Cardio. Doc. and they could not find anything wrong. Was refered to a ENT who I went to and he put me on 60 mg of Prednazone per day for 10 days and another hearing test. No better. Said that all he could do. I the went to another ENT who was highly recommended. He has twice inserted steroids with a needle in my right ear to no effect…..as yet. No one has ever heard of hearing loss because of withdrawl of Toprol or Metoprolol. Can you help or suggest anything. Has anone ever heard of this?
Hi Frank:
Toprol is just a brand name of Metoprolol–they are the same drug.
Metoprolol can and does cause hearing loss. The hearing loss can range from mild to total loss. Fortunately, it seems that the hearing loss is temporary–after quitting the Metoprolol the hearing comes back in a week or so. This happens more often in people with atherosclerosis–which I think you have.
I’ve not heard of hearing loss occurring AFTER you stop taking this drug, but perhaps it can cause this too. Apparently Metoprolol affects blood flow in the cochlear artery–hence the hearing loss.
I’m wondering if a vasodilator such as Niacin (Vitamin B3) or the herbal Ginkgo biloba would let more blood though and thus help restore your hearing.
It’s hard to know if your hearing loss was a result of the Metoprolol, or happened coincidentally with your stopping this drug.
Neil
Dr. Neil, I was taking 6.25 mg of Coreg for since Dec. ’09 and in Sept. of this year switched to Bystolic 5 mg. About 1 mo. later, I developed tinnitus. A hearing test showed slight hearing loss at high freq. in the left ear (which has louder ringing). The ENT confirmed tinnitus is not listed as a side effect of Bystolic. Its supposed to be more cardio-selective than Coreg. Do you think it could be causing the tinnitus or is it more likely a coincidence? Note: I had been on Toprol for 5 yrs prior to Coreg w/ no tinnitus. Perhaps the other Betablockers were protecting me from tinnitus?
Dr. Neil,
I have since had more hearing tests and seen by an ENT. This is what he says about my hearing loss upon my Doctor telling me to quit Toprol.
“Not a good result from injection. Although the sudden withdrawal of the drug Toprol itself does not cause sudden hearing loss, its possible the sudden withdrawal iniated some cardiac, ischemic event that led to the loss of hearing”. Nothing else he could do for me. What do you think? Thanks, FV
I have ringing, but it is my BP going up as the beta blocker loses it’s effect. I have to go to every 12 hours instead of one a day. I am guessing of course, it just seems that way.
I have anxiety also so that may be the cause…. or how about just plain ole old age? We get old and things go nuts….
I am 58 and have been taking a low dose of 25mg Atenolol, 20mg Nifedipine and 2.5mg Bendroflumethiazide for at least 12 years to reduce my blood pressure. I have never suffered any tinnitus.
I have loss of high frequency and reduced hearing to both ears. Three months ago I had a hearing test and purchased two hearing aids which have made a vast improvement to hearing. I was able to hear the telephone and conversations properly again.
Last month my doctor increased my dosage of Atenolol to 50mg to improve my hypertension. Coincidentally within a couple of weeks my hearing seemed to become rather muffled and at times slightly distorted. My hearing specialist was baffled.
Do you think there may be a connection with the increased dose of Atenolol. What should I do now?
Hi Philip:
I don’t think your hearing specialist needs to be baffled. Atenolol is known for doing things like you are experiencing. All he needs to do is read my book, “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed” to see that this kind of thing happens to others too.
Now, what to do? You have a couple of options. Since taking the Atenolol in a lower dose didn’t seem to hurt your ears, tell your doctor you need to go back to the lower dose. Or, option two, and one I’d learn more towards, is get off this drug completely. Who knows what other damage it has been insidiously doing to your ears.
If you really need another drug, have your doctor prescribe a drug that does not damage your ears to replace the Atenolol.
Regards
Neil
I’m 60 and have been on Inderal LA 80mg for 30 years for migraines, which are no longer a problem for me. I’ve been afraid to stop the Inderal since I’ve been on it so long, but now I’m learning that it may be the cause of the tinnitus that I’ve struggled with for decades.
My BP has been rising such that the Inderal no longer controls it, so I was given amlodipine in addition to Inderal. Within a few days, the tinnitus became louder, so my doc put me on Cardizem CD 120mg. With the first dose, one ear began making loud “booming” and popping sounds, so I stopped the Cardizem at once.
Are there any calcium-channel blockers (as both those drugs were) that do NOT cause tinnitus or hearing loss?
I’ve been weaning off of Metoprolol ER and then inderal 10 mgs as well. I’ve had tinnitus for over then years and this summer i was switching around 60 mg LA inderal to lower doses of Metoprolol and the tinnitus increased and never stopped. It is a tea kettle whistle and it goes up when my blood pressure goes up as well…When may this go away if at all? I am going to start taking HCTZ in stead but wont see Dr. till monday so till then only taking 5 mgs of inderal for BP control and it helps the BP but doesnt help the ringing. Will HCTZ increase tinnitus?
Hi doctor
Cardiologist put me on ramipril 5 mg , only took it a few days and made my ear that has pulstate tinnitus louder so stopped taking it , the tinnitus went to the quiet sound , frightened of taking anything for my blood pressure
Hi Teresa:
Ramipril can cause the typical kind of tinnitus. However, pulsatile tinnitus could be the result of your high blood pressure and consequent turbulent blood flow near your ears. If that is the case, you’d think that taking a blood pressure medication would quiet it, not make it worse.
Cordially,
Neil
I forgot to mention that this is something new: lately when i take the 5 mgs of inderal i go into coughing fits within about 20 mns of swallowing the pill. When i was on these beta blockers i had developed a chronic cough and never related it to them till i was getting off them then i realized the connection. I never had such a horrible hacking coughing spell on inderal till of late when trying to come off it. I’ve been on intermittenly only in 12 days and only at 5 mgs and each time i had awful coughing spells that lasted over an hour off and on then finally stopped..
I have been taking beta blockers for about 5 months now and have had high pitched ringing for quite some time now,,, I am taking 25mg metoprolol succ er,,,this never happened before taking beta blockers
Hi Dr. Neil.
I am wondering if you know anything about Bystolic and or Bisoprolol causing tinnitus? I have had tinnitus for a good ten years while taking Inderal then started Metoprolol about a year ago and either it started getting worse when i started it or it was before or it was coincidence. lately it’s gone into the other ear..so now I have a tea kettle whistle in one ear and chimes in the other ear but at least I do get a break now and then for maybe two days then it gets quietier…what do you think?
Hi Monica:
I have never seen tinnitus listed as a side effect of Nebivolol (Bystolic).
Bisoprolol can cause tinnitus. The “official” figure is 1.4% of the people taking it, but the true figure will be significantly higher.
Propranolol (Inderal) can cause tinnitus in some people.
Metoprolol is listed as causing tinnitus in 1% of the people taking it, but as above, the true figure will be significantly higher. I have received a number of reports of people getting tinnitus from taking Metoprolol (and other ear problems).
I think the Metoprolol you are taking is making your tinnitus worse. For some people, just getting off the Metoprolol makes their tinnitus go away, but for others their tinnitus is permanent (but at least it shouldn’t continue to get worse)!
Regards
Neil
I just started taking Labetalol (Beta Blocker)200mg. twice daily, and now my ears ring constantly…sounds like a tree full of Cicada bugs in the summer time.
Hi James:
Labetalol is not listed as causing tinnitus, but I am not surprised that it can cause tinnitus as you have found out since 75% of the Beta Blockers do have tinnitus listed as a side effect.
I am adding tinnitus as a side effect of Labetalol in the next edition of my book “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed”.
Regards
Neil
I am shocked at how hard it is to clarify the blood pressure meds and the tinnitus situation. What secrets! What ignorance! Thank you Neil for helping us. I still need one BP med that I can ask THEM to prescribe, since THEY do not know. What a big job. Just to ditch the tinnitus, which seems to not bother the medical people at all, is a tremendous task for us lay-folk. Thanks again. I still need your help. Bobi.
I have been on atenolol for a couple of years, but stopped due to very low heart rythem. I developped a mild form of Tinnitus some 2.5 years ago whilst still being on atenolol. Recently the Doctor changed my blood pressure pil (no beta blocker) to metoprolol. After about 1 week, my tinnitus became increasinly worse during the whole day. Before it would be present, but certainly not as bad as it is currently. I will ask the Doctor to stop with metaprolol. Can metaprolol have an effect that worsens the tinnitus which is already present in a mild form?
I have recently stopped taking atenolol for my migraine(50mg a day for a few years) as i seemed to be in a constant daze. I’d gained a couple of stone and lost my zest for anything! i felt tired all the time and quite depressed. i tried to exercise but struggled to get my heart rate up. I wonder how long it will take for the atenolol to fully leave my system? I feel so stupid not to have read about this drug and all of its side effects. I only hope i can stay off it. My migraines can be persistent. I did notice a change in my hearing and i also have tinnitus which seems a bit louder since i stopped the atenolol. Thanks for this is a very helpful, informative site
Dr. Neil.
I have found this blog to be very helpful, and I will be buying the book as well…thank you!
I had two issues of Afib back in June and August of 2009. I initially(after my first incident)went on 25 MG of Metoporal ER, then my doctor increased the dosage to 50 MG after the second case. I have taken the 50mg dosage ever since. I have not had an issue with Afib, or been hospitalized, since August of 2009. However, I did develop tinnitus in August of 2010 (a year after taking Metoporal). The symptoms have not improved, and have been compounded by some hearing loss. After reading this blog, and I am sure your book, I am compelled to ask for a switch in medication, perhaps to Sotalol AF (Betapace AF ?). What do you think? I never had tinnitus prior to taking this medication. My hearing has always been good, but not great due to several ear infections as a child. Will Sotalol keep my heart rate, and blood pressure, under control without the potential side effects of tinnitus and increasing hearing loss? Thank you…thank you…thank you…for your guidance.
I have been diagnosed with intermittent atrial fibrulattion. I was perscribed metoprolo Tartrate. I suffered from moderate tinitus to begin with. I have been on the Metoprolo Tartrate for two weeks. I am now experiencing and increase in the volume of my Tinitus. Can i switch to a tinitus friendly beta blocker with little complication?
Hi Larry:
There are a few beta blockers that are not listed as causing tinnitus. You could ask your doctor whether he would switch you to one of them if it would do the same job as the Metoprolol.
The beta blockers of which I know that are not currently listed as causing tinnitus include Levobunolol, Nebivolol and Sotalol. Perhaps one of these will work for you.
Regards
Neil
Hi Tim:
As I said in my reply to Larry (above) there are three beta blockers that are not listed as causing tinnitus so you may want to switch to one of them. None of these are listed as causing hearing loss either.
You will have to ask your doctor whether Sotalol will keep your heart rate and blood pressure under control. I cannot answer that. However, Sotalol should not give you increased tinnitus or increased hearing loss.
Regards
Neil
I developed Hissing Noise in my left year suddenly about 45 days back. I do not know what triggered this. The noise changes from Mild hissing to intense hissing and changes the intensity while sleeping and standing . Normally after cold water shower the ringing volumen reduces and that again picks up.I am on following Medicines
1 : Belaloc 50 mg – Moring for Bloppd pressure control since over 12 years
2 : Natrilix 105 SR – Morning for blood pressure control since over 12 years
3 : Telma 20 mg – Night for blood pressure control since 3 years
4 : Glasiphase 500 SR – Night for Sugar control since 4 years
5 : Lipiez 10 mg for cholestorol control since 6 years
My Sugar levels are : Fatting : 120 . PP 180
Blood pressure is : 130 / 84
Total Cholestorol : 160
I am 52 years . ENT surgen while checking my ear told me : No wax , No damage to ear drum , No infection & High frequency hearing loss
Can you pl help me to address this condition / reduce the irritation / Reduce the Noise volume
Thanks
Mahesh
Dr.
Suddenly about 45 days back I developed hissing noise in my left year.I do not know what triggered this. The noise changes from Mild hissing to an intense hissing and whisling . It also changes the intensity while sleeping and standing. When I rise in the morning for somtime the noise level seems to reduce.
Also normally after a cold water shower the ringing volumen seems to reduce and than again it picks up.
I am on following Medicines
1 : Belaloc ( Metoprolol tartrate) 50 mg – Moring for Blood pressure control since over 12 years
2 : Natrilix (indapamide) 1.5 SR – Morning for blood pressure control since over 12 years
3 : Telma (telmisartan)20 mg – Night for blood pressure control since 3 years
4 : Glasiphase(Metformin) 500 SR – Night for Sugar control since 4 years
5 : Lipiez(Atorvastatin)10 mg for cholestorol control since 6 years
The lab results over last 12 months are
My Sugar levels are : Fasting : 110 – 120 . PP 160 – 180
Blood pressure is : 130 / 140 & 90 / 84
Total Cholestorol : 160 to 175
I am 52 years. ENT surgen while checking my ear told me : No wax , No damage to ear drum , No infection.
The audimetry test showed sensorineural High frequency hearing loss
Can you pl help me to address this condition / reduce the irritation / Reduce the noise volume as it is affecting my quality of life.
Thanks
Mahesh
Dear Dr. Neil,
Thank you for all your helpful advice. I hope you have some for me. I have tinnitus and hyperacusis, which was initially caused by attending loud concerts, even though I was wearing ear plugs. The tinnitus began nine months ago and has become more severe in the last two months with permanent ringing in both ears and the bigger problem of hyper-sensitivity to sound, especially any metal-on-metal noises.
Two months ago, I stopped going to concerts so I’m not having any additional exposure but the situation has worsened regardless.
I have been taking 10 mg of Bystolic daily for 14 months. Could the Bystolic be exacerbating my tinnitus? Would you recommend me weaning off of it to see if there is an improvement?
Thanks, Darren
Neil,
I had my eardrums cut and drained when I was younger due to constant ear infections. For as long as I can remember I have had popping in them as well. About 2 1/2 years ago I was put on Metoprolol for irregular/fast heartbeats. I didn’t notice at first but now it is happening everyday throughout the whole day. My ears are constantly popping and now I have an intense ringing that I can hear through the day but worse at night. I am wondering if this is something caused by the medication or if it may be something more along the line of Chronic Sinitus that I was told I have had more than once and possibly ETD? I have seen an ENT but the only thing they keep telling me is that I have fluid build up in both ears. But I imagine the Metoprolol isn’t helping much. Advice please…. this is keeping me up at night, all night.
Hi Linda:
It is possible that the Metoprolol is causing your tinnitus, as that is one of the known side-effects of this drug. A number of people have told me that they got tinnitus after taking Metoprolol.
What is your hearing like? If you have a hearing loss from fluid build-up in your middle ears, you could also have tinnitus associated with this hearing loss.
When your ears “pop” is it a simple popping like when you go up or down a hill fast, or is it more of a crackling or clicking sound? This latter often indicates fluid (I call it gunk) in your Eustachian tubes and/or middle ears.
Regards
Neil
My hearing sounds like everything around me is muffled in a way but when I turn my head I can hear better but I am constantly asking what someone said more than once. I had tests done and my hearing is fine, it almost sounds like i’m in a crowded echoing room though and the ringing is constant throughout the day but worse when it is quiet. The popping happens whenever I swallow, yawn or even open my mouth to yell, it happens alot when I work out too to where I don’t want to continue because than I can hear myself breathing in my ears. It’s really hard to explain I guess. I have had the popping for SO long. It is more of a crackling clicking sound I would say and my hearing goes up or down depending on the popping. It is very distracting to my everyday life. My face hurts because I am constantly trying to keep my jaw from moving a certain way to cause the popping and my eyes hurts from squinting from the pressure in my face. Not to mention my nose waters everyday all day, no matter what I eat, drink, etc. My ENT is sending me Monday for a MRI for the popping but I wonder if there is more he should test me for while I am there. I think I have ETD/Chronic Sinistitus if the ringing is not from the Metoprolol. I am just lost. I want to try Ginko Biloba, any objection to that?
Hi Linda:
Ginkgo biloba is a good herbal to try–especially when you take it a therapeutic doses. The only place I know of to get the right dosage is getting Arches Tinnitus Formula. I wrote about it at http://hearinglosshelp.com/weblog/arches-tinnitus-formula%E2%80%94whats-the-score.php.
Regards
Neil
Hi I am a 45 yr old male, I was diagnosed with a “Mitral Valve Prolapse” about 15 yrs ago had a few skips from time to time, nothing realy bothersome, I have not worked in over a year now ( family issues not health related, plus i just sit around now) ( I started having rapid HR and lots of PVC PACs), my cardiologist prescribed a baby aspirin daily, in case i throw a clot from the irregular HR, Toporol 25 MG, almost 2 weeks ago and started taking Flecanide 50mg, 2 times daily (12 hrs apart) almost 4 ydays ago I have always been a worrier ( more now that I am taking meds to make my heart ryhthm in line. I stay home by self more now and started gettin what I call “Cabin fever” (dont want on to go out or go nowhere or if I do I want to rush to get back home)I feel as though I can’t do much as it may make my HR spped up and that scares me. iI got speel sof it racing away at times beorfe i started to see th ecardiologist, I stay jittery and nervous alot now ( lots of insomnia can’t lay still and just not sleepy, like I am opn speed adn I worry about myself). I wan to know can the meds I am taking cause this or just the anxiety and stress of the whole health issue I am having + the insomnia, I don’t want to take any more meds to make me sleep I am afraid I will turn into one of those “basket case pillheads” and won’t be able to get off them.
please help
Tanks
JC
Good evening. I am an occupational therapy student working on a case study where my 60-year-old client is living with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis. Though there were no complications at birth, she did suffer from pneumonia at age 7. She feels that the pneumonia caused Tinnitus. It was in her 30s that she was diagnosed with hyperacusis. Shortly after, the condition(s) became so debilitating that she has been homebound since. Do you see the link with the order of these occurrences and can you provide me with some feedback as to how pneumonia is links with the conditions.
Thanks.
-DS
Hi,
I am a 65 year old in generally good health whose parents never had hearing problems. As far as I know I was never exposed to loud noises (military, heavy equipment, etc.).
Starting in my 40’s or so I started to be treated for mild hyper-tension (lopressor). No problem. Later Lisinopril instead. In 2007 I had some atrial fibrilation. Was given atenonol. Shortly thereafter vertigo, short term, memory loss, anxiety. Switched to Metropol (added flecainide). Anxiety, vertigo, went memory got better, but left ear still not good…and now hearing in crowds getting harder….hmmm…any thoughts
As a general question, can Ototoxic drugs cause Hyperacusis? This is a severely distressing condition I’ve developed while on benzodiazepines. I’m tapering off them and it continues to get worse. I’m almost off my benzos, and am at a point now where the water in the shower is painfully loud… resorted to baths until it ever resolves.. if it ever resolves.
Hi Lee:
I know of 53 drugs that are listed as causing hyperacusis. That is about 6% of all ototoxic drugs.
Benzodiazepines are a another story. What can happen in this class of drugs (think Alprazolam–Xanax) is that if you have been on them for some time and have built up a dependence on them, when you try to go off them, you can develop hyperacusis and tinnitus. I think this is what is happening in your case.
Here is a quote from my book, “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed”. “If you stop taking Alprazolam ‘cold turkey’ instead of weaning off it very slowly, you may experience tinnitus and/or hyperacusis. As one lady explained, ‘I have seen countless people that have stopped taking Xanax develop tinnitus, hyperacusis or both'”
In order to avoid this, you need to taper off them VERY, VERY slowly–as slow as 1/3 of 1% per day. At that rate it would take you 300 days to taper off one of these drugs.
People that do the very slow taper seldom get hyperacusis. Typically, doctors let you taper off the Benzos much too fast and things like tinnitus and hyperacusis are the result.
You would do well to read my article on Benzodiazepines at http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/articles/benzodiazepines.htm
Regards
Neil
Hi Neil,
I am a musician and have occasionally taken Beta Blockers to deal with particularly stressful concerts etc. I gave up taking them as I found that I had some form of hearing loss and the frequency with which I heard the pitches was also effected. I was using Propranolol. My doctor had no idea that this could be a possible side effect and was somewhat bemused by my account of it’s effects.
It has since been several years since I have used any form of Beta Blocker, but in the high stress field I work in I was wondering if you could recommend a type of beta blocker that would not impede my hearing as obviously this is vital to my performance.
many thanks,
Martin
From 2007 recorded here, to April 2012 and still no movement on an answer re Tinnitus. So why hasn’t there been any definate research and come up with a solution re Tinnitus? I too am on Atenanol and developed Tinnitus some time after. I have had all the tests re ears etc and my Doctor has done his best on that score. However, it is only the people that have Tinnitus that know the torment, and the knowledge that there is the constant realisation in wondering just how much longer anyone individual can stand the dreadful noises. This site has now pushed me into having another talk with my doctor and see if there is a different answer re high blood pressure.
I had been on bystolic for 3 months now and gradually, I am having hearing disturbances on both ears in the absence of colds, or otitis that I know of.
First two months I was fine. On the 3rd month , I developed headache every day. By process of elimination, i found out Bystolic is causing it. I searched for possible side effect of Bystolic and sure enough, a migraine headache is one of them (vasodilatation of cerebral vessels). Then my hearing is becoming is the next presenting problem. It gets worse every time I take Bystolic which I take every other day (I’m supposed to take it everyday).
Today, I will stop it completely for a week or two and see if my hearing problem will be better. If it does, I’ll see my Doctor and request for a change of medication.
Funny, hearing loss is not one of the problems related to Beta Blockers but now that I am taking it, I have a feeling it does have an effect. The problem is that, no one will believe me if I complain about it that it does cause my hearing loss.
Hi Paolo:
Bystolic (Nebivolol) is actually one of the least ototoxic of the Beta Blocker drugs. It is only reported to cause dizziness and vertigo.
You may be surprised to know that about one-third of the Beta Blockers are reported to cause hearing loss but Bystolic isn’t one of them. That is not to say that Bystolic doesn’t ever cause hearing loss, just that I have never seen any such reports so far.
Since drugs in the same class often have the same side effects, perhaps in time, reports will surface indicating that Bystolic also can cause hearing loss in some people.
Regards
Neil
Hi Martin: (#59)
You noticed a connection between Propranolol and hearing loss although your doctor said otherwise. The truth is that Propranolol is one of the Beta Blockers that is listed as causing hearing loss. Your doctor might not have seen this as it is not so listed in the Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR) that many doctors use.
My question to you is why are you using Beta Blockers to control the results of your stress? There are other ways to control stress that are not ototoxic. You should consider them rather than jumping on the drug bandwagon and then worrying about all the resulting side effects–which just increases your stress level.
Find which stress reduction techniques work the best for you. It may be vigorous workouts, or meditation or prayer, or changing your diet to a low sugar diet, or getting more sleep, etc. Doing these kinds of things will help you get your stress under control and improve your health at the same time. It’s a win-win solution as opposed to the win-lose results when taking drugs.
Regards
Neil
Absolutely Atenolol can cause tinnitus. I stopped taking it for months and as soon as I started again the next DAY it came back. I have a room air conditioner..live in South Florida and also a noisy fan facing the wall as I don’t need it to cool. (Some people take the blades off the fan and just have the motor humming to rest the ear. ) The noise which some call “WHITE NOISE ” helps tremendously and also 5 mg diazapam (valium ). I was on lisinopril but it caused my hair to thin out something terrible…drugs,,, hate them. These in a hurry doctors are not aware at all of side effects. They don’t even seem concerned. Thank God for the internet.
…. and ps. Before the tinnitus I was at Home Depot andit was raining and I got drenched. Came home and took a hot shower and never ever heard again in my right ear. Went to three ear specialists and they all called it “sudden hearing loss”… with no explaination. A few days later the tinnitus set it. Anyone know of a safe hypertension pill ?
I have been on Atenolol for 13 years. About 5 years after taking it, I developed severe motion intolerance, vertigo attacks, problems with balance so severe I have to use a walker, and horrible loud tinnitus. I have no hearing loss and my balance testing was “inconclusive”. Doctors said it was all due to migraine (migraine variant vertigo). I’m just wondering if there is any chance it could be ototoxicity from the Atenolol. I do have migraine problems (I have other symptoms of migraine with aura on top of what I’ve mentioned).
Hi Sheila:
A “funny” thing about Atenolol is that it can cause ear problems out of the blue a number of years after you start taking it. Thus in your case, you began having balance problems and tinnitus after 5 years on Atenolol.
Compared to others who have had weird things happen to their ears after years on Atenolol, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if your problems can be traced back to your taking Atenolol.
You might want to get off the Atenolol and see if your symptoms lessen or go away. If so, that would be a good indication that Atenolol is indeed the culprit.
Regards
Neil
Thanks so much for the reply. I have SVT and no other medications have worked in the past. The doctors don’t want to do surgery so when I’m off the Atenolol my heart rate goes up over 200 and I end up at the ER right back on it (this is after very slowly trying to wean off). Besides calcium channel blockers (which don’t work for me) and beta blockers, is there any other safer medications used to control tachycardia that you know of? I tried asking my cardiologist and he said if I’ve gone through trying other medications and they didn’t work then I’m stuck taking the Atenolol because my condition can be life threatening.
Another funny this is years back when the Atenolol stopped working for awhile I was switched to another beta blocker, Toprol XL and my symptoms were amplified until I got off it and back on the Atenolol. That makes me think this whole class of medicines could be causing my issues or making them worse.
If people are on them for years after they have symptoms with balance and/or hearing and they are able to come off the medication, is there a chance the symptoms might go away or is damage sometimes done?
Thanks again.
Have been taking Metroprolol for 5 months and last week started having tinnitus in both ears and noticeable hearing loss. Discontinued Metroprolol quickly tapered off over the course of 5 days. Went to leading local hospital and was seen by head Otologist. Had a hearing, pressure test with visual inspection. He did not think that Metroprolol caused my sudden condition… however I related that many people have written that this drug can cause hearing loss and tinnitus. I was prescribed oral steroids, Clonazepan and Melatonin to sleep. Is there anything else I should do or pursue to improve my outcome?
Hi Dr Neil
I read your piece with interest and not a little alarm. I have been taking Propanalol for about 5 months now for high pressure. I did notice a slight hissing in one Ear a couple of months ago but having had this on the odd occassion over the years did not think anything of it though suspected that it might be the tablets. I have been rather busy over the last week and realised that I have not taken a tablet for that week and now find myself with quite bad hissing in my left Ear and a slight amount in my right. When lying in bed last night I rolled over and my Ear popped and the sound changed and lessened though writing this it is very noticable. I don’t know whether I have had any hearing loss as I have been slightly deaf in one Ear for years.
Could the Tinitus have been caused by the tablets and then got worse as I came off them suddenly?
Rather worrying as I don’t know whether to stay on the drug or try to come off it slowly.
Hi Dan:
It’s never a good idea to stop a drug suddenly. Sometimes unwanted side effects pop up–especially if you are on a psychotropic drug. In the case of Propranolol (a beta blocker) it is possible that your tinnitus is caused by suddenly stopping the drug, but it’s not a given. Perhaps your tinnitus is a reaction to the stress in your life (if you are so busy you can’t find the time to take a pill) and will calm down when you slow down and relax more.
Propranolol is only mildly ototoxic–but it is still ototoxic and does cause tinnitus in some people.
Only you can make the decision whether you want to stay on the drug or taper off it. If you know it is benefiting you and not causing untoward side effects you may want to stay on it, but if you haven’t seen any clear benefits in the past 6 months, maybe you’ll want to think about getting off it.
Regards
Neil
Hi Dr Niel
What is the best tapering off regime?
Hi Dan:
I’m not an expert on this but I think it depends on the dose you were taking, the length of time you were on the drug and how much dependence your body has placed on this drug.
For some drugs such as the Benzodiazepines, if you have formed a dependence on the drug, you might want to taper VERY slowly–about 1/3 of 1% per day. That taper would take 300 days.
For drugs that you have not built up much on any dependence on, perhaps a taper of reducing the dose by 25% every week or two weeks might be reasonable. I’d think this might be the way to taper off Propranolol.
If you see ototoxic side effects appearing when you are tapering, I’d think that indicates you are tapering too fast. It’s better to taper of more slowly than you need to, rather than too fast.
Regards
Neil
Hi Dr. Neil,
I am 45 years old and a few years ago I have been diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse. After a very stressful event I started having too many ectopic heartbeats (6 per minute). For the last 12 months I have been on 2.5mgr of Bisoprolol Fumarate. The last 20 days I developed tinnitus and ear fullness and the ENT doctor informed me that there was fluid behind the eardrum. So I am on Prezolone for 5 days and I feel much better. I cannot help but wonder if Bisoprolol contributed in the development of tinnitus even at this rather low dosage. I am worried and wish to quit the medication. My doctor says I should not. What is your opinion? Also, is ototoxicity related to dosage?
Hi Demetra:
I don’t know at what dosage tinnitus can appear. I’m sure it is different for each person. Tinnitus is listed as a side effect of Bisoprolol for 1.4% of the people taking it–so a lot of people have tinnitus from taking this drug.
Typically, I’d say that the appearance of side effects is related to drug dosage. Thus a low dose may not result in tinnitus, whereas a higher dose could.
One of my ru]es of thumb is to take drugs at the lowest dose that will work in order to reduce the chances of any ototoxic side effects appearing. Also, take any drug for the shortest possible time. This also reduces the risk of ototoxic side effects appearing since for some drugs tinnitus won’t appear until you have been taking the drug for as long as three or more years.
Regards
Neil
I started taking Metoprolol for rapid heartbeat, one 25 mg. tab per day. After 45 days, I woke up one morning with a loud ringing in both ears. LOUD, drove me nuts. Finally did some research and found out it was most likely the Metoprolol. I stopped immediately, and ringing stopped within 48 hours. I waited a week and took one more, ringing was back the next morning. I have since threw them away and the tinnitus never came back.
Four people I know have taken this drug and three of them got tinnitus from it.
Beware of this drug. I think the side effects are downplayed significantly.
I was prescribed metropropol…took 25mg for 3 weeks and suddenly got ringing in my ear…some high pitch electrical or insect sound noise…i then stopped this medication one month later …wondering if this caused the issue like all say …hearr when u stop the ringing go away but when woll it go away….will it ever go away….any results from anyone??
Hi Tin Tin:
The good news is that for numbers of people, when they stop taking Metoprolol, their tinnitus goes away within 2 weeks–some just 2 days later. Unfortunately, for some people, their tinnitus seems to be permanent. Let’s hope you are in the first group.
Cordially,
Neil
One more vote for metoprolol possibly causing (or worsening) tinnitus. I’ve had it for years, but barely noticeable. Also been taking atenolol for years for tachycardia and frequent PVCs, and more recently losartan (Cozaar) for HTn.I recently switched from atenolol to metoprolol, because of various reasons (wanted to see if the metoprolol caused fewer memory effects, also absorption of atenolol is decreased by fruit juices); after about four months, the tinnitus is WAY louder than it’s ever been. No way to know if it’s that, or the losartan, or the combination. (Or even something else.) So now I’m back on the atenolol, and reduced the losartan as much as I could without sending my BP through the roof, but the tinnitus hasn’t gone away.
I have no choice but to stay on a beta blocker, and need some other BP med as well, but checking your list, pretty much EVERY cardiovascular drug in the pharmacopoeia is in there. Have you any suggestions as to which of the beta blockers (and similarly the ARBs) would cause the LEAST tinnitus?
Thanks.
Hi Shalom:
If I had to take a Beta-blocker and didn’t want resulting tinnitus, I’d suggest Levobunolol, Nebivolol, Labetalol or Sotalol (in that order because of other ototoxic side effects although none of them are very ototoxic). These 4 are not listed as known to cause tinnitus.
The one ARB that is not listed as causing tinnitus (as far as I know) is Olmesartan.
Regards
Neil
Can any of these three medications cause a 50% hearing loss affecting the region where a person picks up other persons speech patterns? The medications are Metoprolol,Bystolic or Clonidine HCL.
Hi Carolyn:
Just a point of correction before I answer your questions. You cannot measure hearing loss in percentages. You measure hearing loss in decibels. Percentages don’t work because we hear on a logarithmic scale which is open-ended. You need a closed scale in order to use percentages. You never hear of percentages used in the Richter scale used for explaining how bad an earthquake was for a very good reason. You can’t, because the Richter scale, like the decibel scale is open-ended.
I suspect what you are really asking is what drugs could cause a 50 decibel (dB) loss.
Metoprolol can cause hearing loss in some people, but mostly it causes tinnitus.
Nebivolol (Bystolic) is not listed as causing hearing loss or tinnitus.
Clonidine is not listed as causing hearing loss either, but can cause tinnitus.
So of the three, the most likely candidate is Metoprolol although I don’t know how likely it really is. However, no one knows how these three drugs interact together, so they may cause hearing loss when each of them separately may not.
The hearing loss may be caused by some other factor you’ve not mentioned.
Regards
Neil
Hi,
A few weeks ago I was having trouble sleeping (always been a light but good sleeper before now) and went to my GP who prescribed a week of Zopiclone. This gave me anxiety to start with. I stopped taking it after a week. I was then prescribed an anti depressent (metazapine) but as I’ve never been depressed or has anxiety apart from then I decided not to take it. I then went back to the Dr as I reslised Tittinus had started to keep me awake a week or so after coming off Zopiclone. He then prescribed Propronlol as a beta blocker was recommended to help with mild anxiety I now still have. I had very mild Tinnitus before now (I think from concerts as a teen) and now it’s keeping me up. Should I not take the beta blocker Propronolol? I’d appreciate advice
Hi Amy:
Zopiclone is known for causing anxiety. In fact the most common side effect of Zopiclone reported to the FDA is people so anxious that they attempt suicide. Obviously not the kind of drug you want to take to help you sleep!
Mirtazapine could have made your tinnitus ever so much worse, so its a good thing you didn’t take it.
Propranolol can cause tinnitus, so probably not a wise idea to take it if you are worried about tinnitus.
If it were me, I wouldn’t take any drugs. They are just going to make things worse one way or another. If I had trouble sleeping because I was a bit anxious, etc., I’d probably try the herbal Valerian. It will help calm you down without causing a bunch of side effects. You can get it on-line or at pretty much any health food store. So that’s something you might want to look into.
Cordially,
Neil
had a heart attack taking2.5mg raised it to 3.75 getting bad ringing in aircan this be from bisoprolol
taking bisoprolol 2.5mg up dose to 3.75 now getting ringing in ear
Hi Carole:
Yes Bisoprolol can cause tinnitus. If you didn’t have tinnitus at 2.5 mg, but now have it at 3.75 mg, then quite likely you have crossed the “magic threshold” above which you get tinnitus and below which you do not. If you want to get rid of your tinnitus, you could have your doctor put you back on the lower dose and hopefully your tinnitus will fade away in a few days to a few weeks.
However, if the tinnitus was a delayed reaction to the Bisoprolol as opposed to finding and crossing your “magic threshold”, then your only solution is to drop the Bisoprolol and take a different drug that doesn’t cause tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
I have been taking metoprolol tartrate 25mg for over five years. In the last two months, I am now experiencing high pitched buzzing in my head, sometimes quieter and sometimes louder. Could this be caused by the metoprolol even though the buzzing hasn’t happened until now? Also, within this time have recently refilled my prescription. Could this also be the issue?
Hi Jeanne:
Metoprolol can and does cause tinnitus. The tinnitus doesn’t have to start right away. I may start after a week or two or a number of months later. I haven’t heard of anyone ascribing their tinnitus to Metoprolol after taking it for 5 years without any tinnitus, but I suppose it could happen.
However, if you changed your dose to a higher level, that could certainly cause tinnitus to start, even though you didn’t have tinnitus after a number of years on a lower dose.
Cordially,
Neil
I have ringing in both ears. Have stopped the Toprol after reading this. Is there anything to try to reverse this. I am going to have testing done next week at Boystown clinic. I am going to try the B3 and the Ginko Biloba you mentioned, with prayers. When reading all the fine print for side effects I missed seeing the “ringing in the ears”, but it is listed. Is there is any med or alternative med out there to help all of us with the Cicada bug band playing all time:)
57 year old female w/ hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, GERD, and Hypothyroidism (r/t Thyroidectomy d/t thyroid cancer).
Several months ago, I developed palpitations. After testing, it was determined that the palpitations were benign. However, they were problematic for me because of my anxiety. My cardiologist discontinued my Atacand and started me on Metoprolol Succinate ER 25mg. I have since have experienced loud, shrill ringing in my ears ( mostly my right ear). What other beta block could I try that would keep my palpitations (and B/P) under control but won’t cause this insidious ringing.
Hi Sandra:
I’ve heard from several other people that got tinnitus from taking Metoprolol. The good news is that for some at least, their tinnitus went away when they stopped taking this drug.
If you want a beta-blocker that is not listed with tinnitus as a side effect, the only one of which I know at this point is Levobunolol. So if it will do the job, you might ask your doctor to try that one.
Other beta blockers that have a low risk of causing tinnitus include Acebutolol, Celiprolol, Dilevalol, Oxprenolol and Pindolol. One of these would also probably be a good choice if you want to avoid tinnitus as a side effect.
Cordially,
Neil
I started taking a beta blocker and I got tinnitus within the first week. I was looking for a solution to my migraines, which cause terrible vomiting for me, several times a month. The tinnitus got worse, and 10 days after starting, I stopped the beta blocker. According to my FitBit, my resting heart rate dropped from the usual 52 beats per minute down to 48. The day after stopping the beta blocker, I felt a pop and lost all hearing in my left ear. The next day I got vertigo, vomiting, and loss of balance. I have been suffering now for close to 6 weeks. Most of the symptoms are going down, but I am left with total hearing loss and tinnitus, sometimes loud and sometimes soft. How long should I have to wait for the hearing loss to return? If it hasn’t changed in 6 weeks, is it gone forever? Are there any allied therapies that might help bring it back? Thank you for your response.
Hi Linda:
As you know, beta-blockers can cause tinnitus. I’m not convinced that your hearing loss was specifically related to the beta-blocker.
You state that you felt a pop and lost all hearing in your left ear. What may have happened is that you had an endolymphatic fistula. When this occurs people typically hear a pop and that’s the last thing they hear in that ear. What happens is that the membrane in your cochlea that separates the endolymph from the perilymph ruptures and the two fluids mix and essentially short out–hence the pop. Your cochlear fluids operate at different and opposite voltages–much like a battery does. When you short them out, the battery dies. In your case, if this is what happened your cochlear battery shorted out and died.
The good news is that when the rupture repairs itself and the fluids in each compartment return to normal, your cochlear battery begins to work again and your hearing (or some of it) returns.
Since the two fluids are common to your balance (vestibular) system as well, this could also cause the vertigo and loss of balance.
I’m only guessing that this is what may have happened to you. You really should seek out an ear specialist called an otologist and have him examine you. Maybe he will find a different cause. If anyone can help you from a medical standpoint, it will be an otologist (or neurotologist). If he says that your hearing loss is permanent, then an audiologist can help you get a special hearing aid–called a CROS aid–to let you hear from your deaf side via your other ear.
It’s always possible that your hearing loss was the result of taking the beta-blocker. My rule of thumb is that the hearing you have at the end of 30 days or so is what you will be left with. So if 6 weeks has now gone by, I’m not hopeful that any more hearing will come back.
Cordially,
Neil
I have been taking Metoprolol 25 mg for 3 1/2 yrs. From the outset I noticed ringing of the ears, it has progressively gotten worse. Thanks to you, I will now try Levobunolol. With lots of prayer, I am hopeful the tinnitus will go away.
Very helpful in understanding why I developed buzzing in my ears after starting metoprolol. Have stopped and buzzing better today.
I am a woman, 77 years old. I developed tinnitus years ago when a doctor put me on Digitek 2003. After three days I stopped it. It was scarey. I was put on Lopressor until it was not manufactured anymore. My hearing and Tinnitus worsened. I was switched to Metroprolol and my hearing and Tinnitus even worsened more on my left ear and some in my right as both ears are effected and seem even now to these horrible sounds one can’t get rid of. Due to constant Afib for almost a year, I was put in a hospital last week to be monitored for Sotalol Betapace. I was told to stop my Metroprolol immediately when I went into the hospital. Could stopping that abruptly make my ears worse? I am home now for a week. My ears are even worse. I feel mostly in the morning “Foggy”, off balance, my tinnitus and hearing worse. It feels also like putting your fingers in your ears with the loud noise. You list Sotalol as one of the medicines that don’t hurt your ears.. Mine is called Sotalol Betapace. This is such a dehibilitating condition. I do not do well in crowds due to my poor hearing and tinnitus. I ask people to repeat and I can see it is annoying to them even though they know my condition. I feel that they do not think I am intelligent as I don’t know they may be speaking to me. I don’t participate in conversations hardly anymore. It has changed my life to stay alone and go on with life. Even one of my doctors is annoyed because I can’t hear him giving me instructions. I was hoping for the Sotalol Betapace to take roots with the hopes my ears would quiet down some. How long does it take Sotalol Betapace to get into my system? I swear my ears have worsened on Sotalol Betapace but maybe it could be because I stopped Metropolol abruptly. Have you heard of any other people complain about the Sotalol Betapace concerning the ears? My Afib has improved though. My Blood Pressure is low. My Pulse from 50 to 53. It is a wonderful feeling my heart is not beating constantly out of my chest. But my ears are another story. I had them tested and was told I didn’t need hearing aids. My family and friends couldn’t believe that and neither do I. Do you have any other ideas for people like me? Thank you so much.
Hi Rosemary:
For your information, Lopressor and Metoprolol are the same drug. Lopressor is the brand name, and Metoprolol is the generic name–but the active ingredient, no matter what you call it is Metoprolol.
I don’t really think stopping Metoprolol suddenly will make tinnitus worse. I’ve heard of people doing so and their tinnitus got better in a few days. But I suppose anything could be possible. Perhaps there were other factors at that time that made your tinnitus worse.
Sotalol (Betapace is the brand name) is listed in my drug book as being ototoxic. Where did you see that I said it was not ototoxic?
When you feel “foggy” and off balance, that indicates that some drug is affecting your vestibular (balance) system. This can result in exactly those symptoms. If this began soon after you began taking the Sotalol, then this drug is likely the culprit. It can affect both your hearing and tinnitus, as well as your vestibular system.
I think you should tell your doctor to get you off the Sotalol and try a different drug and see if your “foggy” and other symptoms clear up. If they do, you know it was the Sotalol. But you still have to be careful that the new drug doesn’t do the same.
After you are on the new drug for a few weeks, I think you need to go to someone else and have your hearing rechecked. Get a copy of your audiogram. If you send me a copy, I can look at it and see whether I agree that you don’t need hearing aids or not.
Cordially,
Neil
Hello Doctor.
I was diagnosed with ETD 4 yrs ago, I had tinnitus, then tinnitus gone. After 4 yrs is now back but my doctor said is a consequence of my sinusitis. Can this be true? Can Sinusitis cause tinnitus and why some day is nearly gone and then is back ?
Is all part of the healing of my sinusitis?
Thank you
Hi Alex:
Anything that blocks your ears to any degree so you don’t hear as well can result in tinnitus. If you have sinusitis, you probably also have blocked Eustachian tubes and that can result in tinnitus. Once your Eustachian tubes clear, then your tinnitus may go away. This is assuming your doctor is right in his assessment that your sinusitis is causing your tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
Hello Dr. Neil,
First of all, you are truly an angel for keeping this forum alive. I’ve been reading for an hour now since the start all your replies.
I’m a 64 yo female and my case is that I started taking Betacor (sotalol HCL) 80mg twice a day almost two years ago due to diagnosis of heart palpitations and mild high blood pressure.
My heart rate and blood pressure is normal since taking it, so much so that when I forget to take it in the morning, my heart beats irregularly and I become unwell.
I began suffering from tinnitus around the same time and never made a connection, however as my tinnitus is getting worse, I found this website and wondering – could it be it?
However, in one of your replies you recommended Sotalol as one of 3 beta-blockers that do not have tinnitus or hearing loss as side effect.
What do you think?
Also, I understand that anesthesia worsens tinnitus or causes it, also ibuprofen after a surgery I had to undergo, my tinnitus did get significantly worse. Are there any types of anesthesia that do not affect tinnitus?
Forgot to ask accordingly, what other beta-blockers would you recommend?
Many many thanks once again and I wish you a very happy new year.
Hi Sue:
Thanks for the kind words.
Unfortunately, since I wrote that article, I have found that Sotalol, Labetalol and Nebivolol all can cause tinnitus in some people, but I think it is a very low percentage so they are still top choices if you want to avoid tinnitus.
The only beta blocker for which I currently do not have tinnitus listed as a side effect is Levobunolol.
If your tinnitus started just after you began taking the Sotalol, that is a good indication that it may be the cause (as long as you weren’t taking other drugs at that time or had other tinnitus factors crop up in you life at that time).
However you don’t indicate that this tinnitus was a problem for you–so, since the Sotalol works for you and that level of tinnitus wasn’t a problem, I see no reason to stop taking it at this point.
Now, since your tinnitus is getting worse, and assuming that you are on the same dose of Sotalol that you were always on, I’d look for other causes.
My money is on the Ibuprofen. I’ve had more people tell me their stories of getting tinnitus from taking Ibuprofen than from almost any other drug. It’s certainly in the top three that people bring to my attention. I’d quit the Ibuprofen and hope your tinnitus returns to its old level. No guarantees it will, but the chances are good that it will.
The anesthesia drugs are unlikely to be the cause of your increasing tinnitus, but it is not outside the realm of possibility–just not likely.
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you so so much Doctor Neil. I will try to find this beta blocker you mention and let you know should the tinnitus subside.
All the best wishes to you for a happy new year.
I don’t understand as my doctor has just prescribed me beta blockers (propranolol) to see if it works to dampen tinnitus. Ive tried alternative remedies with no avail so far
Hi Vicky:
Doctors can prescribe whatever drug they want for whatever condition you have–whether it has been approved by the FDA for that purpose or not.
Since the FDA has NOT approved ANY drug as proven effective to alleviate tinnitus, it is just a shot in the dark. Some people have gotten tinnitus from taking Propranolol, so there is a risk that it could make your tinnitus worse, not better. Besides, Propranolol is one of the drugs that messes up your hearing so you don’t hear notes at the right pitch. This really bugs musicians.
It may be true that taking Propranolol may “slow your brain down” so you don’t worry so much about your tinnitus, but at the same time you open yourself up to other ototoxic side effects such as hearing loss, dizziness and vertigo–and you never get to the root of your tinnitus problem. That’s the other side of the story.
You need to decide for yourself whether the hoped-for benefit outweighs the very real side effects that may occur.
What kinds of alternate remedies have you tried that didn’t work? Have you read my latest edition of my tinnitus book, “Take Control of Your Tinnitus”? This is what I have done to control my tinnitus and it works for me. You might want to consider this technique for yourself too. I explain it in Chapter 16. I explain numerous other strategies in the other chapters. You can get this book at http://hearinglosshelp.com/shop/take-control-of-your-tinnitus-heres-how/
Cordially,
Neil
Never took metropolol until this morning. All day i have had trouble hearing. I can hear a loud WHOOSH WHOOSH heartbeat sound and I feel like my ears are stuffed with cotton. I sure hope this goes away. No more metoprolol.
Hi Linda:
Sounds like you have pulsatile tinnitus as well as some degree of hearing loss. Fortunately, at least for some people, the ototoxic side effects are only temporary. So you have a good chance that it will clear up in a few days.
Cordially,
Neil
I have taken Propranolol (for orthostatic tremor) for 1 month (first 14 days increasing the dose from 1 x 10 mg to now 2 x 40 mg). It helped reduce the tremor a little and the accompanying anxiety a lot. But two days ago I woke up with a strong sense of reduced hearing in my right ear – especially the high frequency sounds and s- and f-sounds in speech. Tests confirmed more than 20 db difference between ears. My ear doctor sent me on to have more tests. But she didn’t think the Propranolol is the reason – said it would more likely be in both ears.
I have also had an intermittent low frequency buzzing sound – tinnitus – in my left ear for more than 2 years – my theory, maybe related to the tremor. That has been either unaffected or maybe slightly less since I started medication.
Do you think the Propranolol is the reason for the hearing loss? Will my hearing return to normal if I stop taking it?
Thank you for taking the time
Best regards Birgitte
Hi Birgitte:
Your doctor, quite logically I might add, assumes that if the Propranolol was the culprit, you would have the hearing loss in both ears not just one. However, a lot of times drugs don’t act logically and can (and do) affect one ear without the other. I think this is what is happened in your case.
I also think that this happened when you increased the dose, since this occurred soon after you increased the dose. One possibility is to reduce the dose back to its old level for a couple of weeks or so and see how your ear responds. Run it by your doctor of course.
Propranolol is listed as causing hearing loss in a few people. Another characteristic of this drug is that it messes up your pitch perception. If you are a musician you will particularly notice that if it happens to you.
If your hearing loss is due to the Propranolol, I wouldn’t be surprised if your hearing returns if you stop taking it. Of course, there are no guarantees.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Dr. Neil,
I have been reading your comments since morning, as obviously I have a ringing in the ear.
I am 47M, and was diagnosed with essential hypertension about two years back. My family physician had put me on Atenolol initially for about 12 months. There was no ringing as such – except for some palpitations when I moved suddenly.
Since Feb this year, I was switched to Metoprolol + Telmisartan (50 + 40), together with Metformin (500mg) in the morning, and Telmisartan (40) and Aspirin (75) in the night.
I have developed ringing in the ear with moderate hearing loss (about 20 dB). I consulted my physician who prescribed these drugs, and he said a firm NO to the drugs causing the ringing.
I visited a ENT specialist and he also ruled out the drugs causing it, and named it Otosclerosis, which no one in our family has a history of.
Now after reading this, I am pretty sure it is the drugs, but not sure what has a more contribution – Metoprolol, Telmisartan, Metformin or Aspirin ? I am confused. Can you please suggest where to start with ?
regards,
Sudhir.
Hi Sudhir:
Your doctors sure are ignorant about the side effects of drugs. ALL of these drugs are ototoxic and could have caused your tinnitus. However, some are much more likely culprits than others. For example, Aspirin can and does cause tinnitus in thousands of people, but typically you’d have to take 5 or 6 adult aspirin per day–in the neighborhood of 1,500 mg–not the paltry (in comparison) 75 mg you are taking. So I’d eliminate the aspirin as the cause of your tinnitus.
Telmisartan can cause tinnitus, but it is the least of the other three drugs you are on. Metformin is 525% more likely to cause your tinnitus and Metoprolol is 1,000% more likely to cause tinnitus than Telmisartan. Atenolol is between Metoprolol and Metformin.
So if I were you, I’d dump the Metoprolol and try a different beta-blocker. There is a good chance that it is the culprit. I’ve heard from numbers of people that got loud tinnitus when their doctors put them on Metoprolol.
And don’t take Atenolol anymore in the future either.
Cordially,
Neil
Been taking 81 milligrams of baby aspirin, 25 milligrams Metoprolol and 40 mg Pravastatin. started a year after my open heart surgery in 2014. All of a sudden my ears started ringing in 2015 September. I don’t know what caused it. it been reading to be Metroprolol also hearing some music with earbuds but not that much and not that long if I start Metroprolol after 3 years could that fix this problem or I’ve been reading about the other beta blocker that wouldn’t cause this or even thinking about your ticket Metroprolol how many days a week I’m not sure what to do can you please help me
Hi Ron:
I doubt that the aspirin is causing your tinnitus unless you are particularly sensitive to salicylates. Typically, you have to take 5 or 6 ADULT aspirin a day to get tinnitus from Aspirin.
Pravastatin can certainly cause tinnitus and hearing loss.
Metoprolol can also cause tinnitus and hearing loss. In fact, in causes about 550% more cases of tinnitus and hearing loss than Pravastatin.
Therefore, my money is on the Metoprolol as the probably and primary cause of your tinnitus. In fact Metoprolol is the worst Beta Blocker to take as regards to damaging your ears. Much safer ones in this order are Dilevalol, Levobetaxolol, Oxprenolol, Levobunolol, Celipr0olol, Esmolol, Pindolol and Carteolol.
So try to get your doctor to switch you to one of these.
Cordially,
Neil
My cardio doc is recommending one of several choices for my AFib and PVCs. I have Sjgorgrens syndrome other than that reasonably healthy. Also taking Coumadin for stroke prevention. He’s strongly leaning towards Flecainide. What are your thoughts on this drug? I already have severe tinnitis, I’ve acclimated to it; however I do not want to take anything that will make it worse. I don’t want heart issues to develop, but also don’t want more ringing either.
Hi Peggy:
Flecainide does cause tinnitus in some people, but not very many from what I have researched. Thus, there is a risk, but I think the risk of getting worse tinnitus from taking it is low. Furthermore, I don’t have any anecdotal reports of people getting tinnitus from taking it. This again confirms my belief that the risk is low.
If you think it will help you, go for it. If your tinnitus gets worse, stop toking it immediately and hope it will drop back to its old level. However, I don’t really expect you to have any problems with this drug.
Cordially,
Neil
I have mild intermittent tinnitus with 120 mg daily of sotalol. It took three years on sotalol for the tinnitus to appear. I was checked out by oto-ent specialist and have no hearing loss or other issues. The ENT didn’t seem to think sotalol could cause what I was experiencing, fyi.
Hi Robert:
Sotalol can indeed cause tinnitus. There have been a number of cases reported to the FDA. So that is a definite possibility. I don’t know how likely it is in your case. As you know, there could be other factors that are causing your tinnitus rather than the Sotalol.
Cordially,
Neil
i have been on bisoprolol 7.5 mg my dose was increase to 10mg plus 200mg cordorone daily ,since dose was increase to 10mg i have bad tinnitus ,on talking to my cardiologist i mentioned cordorone could be causing this ,but he said there is no history of this ,Could the increased dosage of bisoprolol from 7.5 to 10 mg cause my tinnitus ??
Hi Tony:
Both Bisoprolol and Cordarone can cause tinnitus–in spite of what your doctor says. Roughly the same number of tinnitus reports were sent to the FDAs database for each of these drugs.
Neither one is a high risk of getting tinnitus, but if you do get tinnitus as far as you are concerned, the risk is 100%.
If you were already on the Cordarone before the Bisoprolol was raised, then I’d suggest that the Bisoprolol increase was the cause of your tinnitus.
I explain it that each drug for each person has a magic threshold below which you don’t get side effects and above which you do. The reason I call it a magic threshold is no one knows where that threshold is for any given person. If your Bisoprolol magic threshold is just above 7.5 mg, then taking the 10 mg dose would put you above the magic threshold and voila–your tinnitus appears.
Sometimes when that happens, if you drop the drug back to its old level, your tinnitus may also disappear. So that would be the first thing I’d try. If your tinnitus goes away, then you know it was the increased dose of Bisoprolol. Note: tinnitus doesn’t always go away when you drop the dose, but often it does.
There is also the possibility that the interaction of the two drugs caused your tinnitus. Almost nothing is know about such interactions and tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
A couple of months after starting Metoprolol 100 mg, I developed dangerously high potassium, caught a chest cold and experienced an acute high frequency sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally. The hearing loss was bizarre; voices were distorted and sounded frightening. The ENT prescribed Prednisone (7 days, no taper) which seemed to work, although I felt my hearing was coming back before the Prednisone. At the moment my hearing was restored, I noticed a whooshing type of tinnitus bilaterally. It sounds like a very high pitched power plant operating constantly in the background. After reading all of these posts, my plan is to taper off of Metoprolol and switch back to the Norvasc, which had never bothered me previously. I’ve never been troubled by tinnitus before this in my life (64 now), including while taking many of the different meds you’ve mentioned here and elsewhere, including Amitriptyline, Ibuprofen, Amoxicillin, etc. I realize I may not lose the tinnitus now, no matter what I do, but is my plan worth trying? My doc and I ditched other meds recently that I’d been taking concurrently that we also thought might be contributing, including Norvasc 10, Crestor 40 and Olmesartan 20, but they’d never bothered me for years. The potassium level has since normalized after ditching these. I also have been on anti-retrovirals Raltegravir + Abacavir + Nevirapine for 11 years with no side effects, but can’t really ditch those. We’ve been reluctant to ditch the Metoprolol since it’s worked so well to reduce and maintain a lower BP.
Hi Phil:
Metoprolol certainly can cause hearing loss and distorted hearing. In fact, more people report to the FDA about getting hearing loss from taking Metoprolol than for almost any other drug. It’s certainly right up there, so it is a good idea to get off this drug in order to save you hearing from deteriorating any more.
Surely there must be some other beta-blocker that will reduce your blood pressure besides Metoprolol. It’s worth trying. Some beta-blockers that have a much lower risk include Betaxolol, Acebutolol, Nadolol, Labetalol and Nebivolol. Would any of these work for you?
Cordially,
Neil
Hi. Have had tinnitus for 4 years but was in the background and never bothered me. I started taking propranolol 4 days ago and it spiked. I have asked the doctor for Nebivolol. Is this better? I am scared to rage them. Thanks
Hi Tamara:
Nebivolol is definitely less ototoxic than Propranolol. Other less ototoxic choices inclued Labetalol, Nadolol Acebutolol and Betaxolol.
Cordially,
Neil
I have been on Bisoprolol for some time now and I’m reasonably sure that my tinnitus started after beginning to use them.. My dosage was increased to 3.75mg and whilst it works well to control my BP the tinnitus is now persistent and continuous. It is at a high pitched single tone.
I go back to see my ENT in three weeks (post OP for FESS sinus surgery) and he has arranged a nearing test prior to that appointment.
I hadn’t considered that the beta blocker could be a cause to that.
Thinking that it might be and then slowly tapering of this drug is not easy, the side effects of doing so are immense. I am part of a support group of people who have and are trying to taper of it, it does take considerable time.
Overall I do wish that I never started a beta blocker for BP control, there are other drugs to consider that might have been more appropriate for my needs.
Not sure which other beta blocker could be added as I taper off these, with my doctors support of course.
Hi Morgan:
Bisoprolol certainly does cause tinnitus in some people. Hearing loss too. But it is not the worst of the beta-blockers. I currently have it ranked 5th worst in ototoxicity of all the beta-blockers.
Increasing the dose obviously caused an increase in your tinnitus, so if you can go back to the old level, you may find your tinnitus goes back to its old level too.
You may find that you can switch to a lesser-ototoxic beta-blocker or another class of anti-hypertensive drugs without having to slowly taper off the bisoprolol. See what your doctor thinks.
To help you choose the least ototoxic drug in these classes of drugs, you can read my special report “The Relative Ototoxicity of Anti-Hypertensive Drugs” where it lists these drugs in ascending order of ototoxicity (to the best of my knowledge). You can get this report at http://hearinglosshelp.com/shop/the-relative-ototoxicity-of-anti-hypertensive-drugs/ .
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Neil
Many thanks for your comments.
I will read that report.
I have an hearing test arranged by my ENT specialist this week. I will mention to him what you have written and then consider making an appointment with my doctor concerning the probability that bisoprolol may well be responsible for my tinnitus.
I just hope that this isn’t a permanent condition, it is most intrusive and annoying.
Best wishes
Morgan
I am a 45 year old male. I can hear my heart beat in my left ear only when I get hot from being outside. I take 50 MG of Atenolol daily. Once I cool down it goes away. Anyone else have this issue?
Propranolol was working for anixety for few weeks, last few days ago I got severe tinnitus . Stopped it tinnitus stopped,took it again tinnitus came back,whats a better beta blocker for me.
Hi Arnold:
Acebutolol, Betaxolol, Labetalol, Nadolol and Nebivolol in the order would all be better choices if you want to reduce the risk of tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
Hello,
I found your website as I’m trying to do extensive research to make sure I’m going to the right doctor.
I am a 34 yr old female with hypertension. I am fit and healthy and because of all the testing I have had done, doctors are just settled on the fact that I will always have to be medicated to treat the unknown cause of my hypertension.
I was taking labetalol for about 10 years and switched to -Lisinopril-hydroCHLOROthiazide 10-12.5 MG Tabs and amLODIPine Besylate 10 MG Tabs after a dire need to reduce my blood pressure. I started taking this combination about 2 years ago and started noticing unilateral pulsatile tinnitus in my left year about a year ago. It seems to have gotten progressively worse in the last few months. I should mention I have moderate to sever hearing loss in both ears and wear hearing aids.
Do you think its the blood pressure medicine causing this maddening pulsatile tinnitus?
If its caused by the medicine does it make sense that I can get the swhooshing to stop when I lightly compress on my cartoid (or Jugular) vein?
Thanks for your help. I’m wondering if I should go back on labetalol. I have an appointment with my general physician in a few days to discuss this issue. I went to an ENT doctor and they couldn’t find anything wrong, suggested a cartoid doppler but I don’t want to waste money if I’m just being poisoned by my blood pressure medicine.
Thank you,
Jamie
Hi Jamie:
I don’t see how you can say you are fit and healthy and in the same breath say you have high blood pressure and are on various drugs and have been taking them for 12 years now.
How high does your blood pressure get when you are not taking these drugs?
When did your hearing loss begin? Before or after you began taking the drugs 12 years ago?
Pressing on the blood vessels in your neck just proves that the pulsatile tinnitus is caused by turbulent blood flow in your neck. It doesn’t necessarily point a finger at the drugs you are taking, but nor does it get them off the hook either.
Lisinopril is moderately ototoxic and there have been hundreds upon hundreds of reports of people having hearing loss and tinnitus from taking this drug. Incidentally, taking Lisinopril can reduce blood potassium levels. Since the inner ear is highly sensitive to potassium levels, low potassium can result in hearing loss. Bringing potassium levels back to normal may alleviate the hearing loss.
Labetalol is MUCH less ototoxic than Lisinopril so it would seem a better choice. Amlopidpine is quite ototoxic–much like Lisinopril. So these two drugs could be doing a number on your ears.
What is the fundamental cause of your high blood pressure? The drugs you are taking are not addressing the fundamental cause–just trying to hide the symptoms. You need a doctor that can get at the cause an fix that. I’d suggest a naturopathic doctor (ND, not MD), or a doctor that practices alternative medicine and has a track record of helping those with high blood pressure.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Neil,
Your first a sentence hit a soft spot. I guess I consider myself fit and healthy because I workout a lot and eat healthy food. I am 5’3 and 110 pounds. I Am not overweight and never have been.
I was born 6 weeks prematurely and have had hearing loss since birth.
I had high blood pressure (preeclampsia) during pregnancy at age 21 and had an emergency c-section and since then it never got better. I will say this- even as a young teen my blood pressure always read high at the doctor but they wrote it off as white coat syndrome.
I’ve been to two different nephrologists who have done every test they can to try and find to cause of my blood pressure. My blood pressure is extremely high – I’ve been hospitalized 2 times in the last 12 years. Without my medicine my blood pressure fluctuates between 200/110 to 120/80. On the pills I mentioned I am at a constant 120s/90s.
Every doctor I go to just shakes their heads and medicates me because they don’t know what else they can do.
I will look into a naturopathic doctor per your suggestion. I am constantly scared for my future.
Thank you for your reply, it’s honestly the most help I feel I received after all these years.
I am 68 year old female with pulstate tinnitus in one ear , had ramipril, lostaran and canserstan full high blood pressure , my pulstate tinnitus gets louder when I take these , would a beta blocker been kinder to my ears
Hi Teresa:
Hard to say. It depends on the ACE inhibitor you are taking and the beta-blocker you are proposing. For example, Ramipril (ACE inhibitor) at 141, Losartan at 255 and Candesartan at 91 would be better than beta-blockers such as Metoprolol at 695 or Atenolol at 409. But some of the beta-blockers have smaller numbers (small numbers are better) such as Nadolol at 16, Labetalol at 11 and Nebivolol at 29.
Is it all the drugs that you take that make your tinnitus worse? Looking at the numbers, if you stopped taking the Losartan, would that make any difference?
Or substitute say Nadolol, Labetalol or Nebivolol for the Losartan.
Is your tinnitus only pulsatile, or do you have a constant tinnitus from taking these drugs?
Cordially,
Neil
Im 16i have been taking propranalol for about 3 to 4 months because off anxiaty and i know have a loud whisling in my ear which i suspect is tinnitus but both my ears are also blocked so could this cause tinnitus
Hi Connor:
Are you sure you are taking Propranolol. It’s a beta-blocker and is normally use for heart/circulation problems, not anxiety as far as I know.
But Propranolol can cause tinnitus–and one kind of tinnitus sound is whistling.
Also, if your ears are plugged up, that could be the reason for the tinnitus as plugged ears give hearing loss and tinnitus often accompanies hearing loss.
Cordially,
Neil
I woke up with tinnitus after starting Metoprolol 25mg, a beta blocker. I contacted my doctor and stopped taking it after three doses. Will it fade away or be permanent? It’s been 4 days now and its so loud,( seems as loud as a 50db A/C) its keeping me up at night. Thanks
Hi Jason:
For some people at least, when they stop taking the Metoprolol, their tinnitus goes away in a few days. Hopefully, by the end of 2 weeks or so, your tinnitus will also fade away. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees that it will, but there is hope.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi I’m very prone to sidefects of medical drugs and I’ve been on bisprorolol for a just over a week at 2.5mg and I’ve been expirencing tinitis, feeling sick, headaches, nausea, upset stomic and paranoia and anxiety. Is it normal to have this that quickly.
Hi Klayton:
Everyone is different. So you don’t really care what “normal” is for the average person. You really care what the side effects are on you–and they have obviously appeared fairly quickly. Some drugs can cause side effects such as tinnitus just 7 minutes later. Other drugs take years before side effects show up. And of course a lot of side effects show up in the first two weeks. So I’d say you are fairly “normal” in this.
If I had all those side effects show up, I’d dump the drug and tell my doctor to find a drug or treatment that didn’t cause all those side effects.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Guy
Thank you for all these post. I find it troubling that so much can be published on hearing loss and the doctors just look at you as being stupid. I suffer most of the published notes posted here. Metoprolol causes the hearing problem. If I can help anyone reply to my email. Almost stopping metoprolol
Has been a great help.
Hi James:
It is troubling, but that is the way our medical system is set up, unfortunately.
Cordially,
Neil
I always had low blood pressure, 110/70. As I entered menapause, it started to increase. I am Avery healthy eater, weigh 128 lbs, don’t drink or smoke. One day I woke up with a blood pressure of 198/101. Went right to doctor and started on amplodimine. Wi5hin 2 months got tintinitis. Changed over to lorsartan. Started on bioidentical hormones 3 months later and my bp was back to normal. Got off lorsartan happily. As hormones dosages were being adjusted, bp increased again. Had to go back on lorsartan. After 3 months tintinitis and Eustachian tube dysfunction returned. Tried altenonol but lowered my pulse too low. Did I mention I teach aerobic classes 5 days a week. . I asked for a non ototoxic bp med and she recommended hydralazine 25 mg 2-3 times a day. been on it 2 days and still have tintinitis, probably because I was only off lorsartan 1 day before I started this med. will this med still cause my hearing issues? Can you recommend any blood pressure medicine that does not have this side effect as I am now prone to this most likely?
Hi Merrel:
Hydralazine is probably one of the least ototoxic blood pressure medicines. Certainly less ototoxic than Losartan and Amlodipine.
You should give it at least two weeks to get out of your system before you worry that your tinnitus won’t go away.
Cordially,
Neil
Dr. Neil- I was placed on co-reg 3.25 last November. The Dr increased the dosage to 6.25 and I took the higher dosage for one day and experienced Tinnitus and immediately went back to the lower dosage. At the same time I went cold turkey off of .25 Trazadone. I experienced severe withdrawal symptoms and got back on .25 and still have tennitus. I need to wean off co-reg and be laced on something else for HP and fast pulse and taper off Trazadone. My concern is that the tinnitus is still with me. Any suggestions?
Hi Sharon:
Numbers of people have reported to the FDA’s data base that they got tinnitus from taking Carvedilol (Coreg) so you are not alone in that. Even so, of the beta blocker class of drugs, Carvedilol is the second least likely drug to cause tinnitus as a side effect. The least likely is Labetalol, so if you feel the Carvedilol is the culprit, talk to your doctor about switching to Labetalol if that drug will do the job.
Stopping Trazodone cold turkey isn’t a wise thing to do as you risk a number of withdrawal side effects–as you now know.
You probably have to taper off the Trazodone very slowly. What I call a slow taper would take up to a year. You want to go slow enough that withdrawal symptoms don’t appear. A good place to start for a safe taper would be a 10% taper per month based on the descending balance.
Cordially,
Neil
It is now 4 months later and the tinnitus is still with me. I have very sensitive hearing and at times my ears ache. I went back on the .25 trazadone and my doctor placed me on .10 Lotensin. I’m at a liss
Hi Sharon:
When you go off a drug that caused your tinnitus, there is no guarantee that the tinnitus will go away. It can be permanent. That’s why you don’t want to take a drug at a level that causes tinnitus in the first place. Nor do you want to quit a drug cold turkey that can result in tinnitus as that tinnitus can be most difficult to get rid of.
If your tinnitus won’t go away by changing/getting off drugs, then you have to learn how to successfully deal with your tinnitus. If your tinnitus isn’t too bad, you can just ignore it and focus on the loves of your life and let it fade into the background in time.
If it bothers you, then you need to seek professional help from an audiologist that runs a tinnitus clinic, or you can try dealing with it yourself. A great place to start is to get my book “Take Control of Your Tinnitus” https://hearinglosshelp.com/shop/take-control-of-your-tinnitus-heres-how/ and particularly study chapter 16. Then choose any of the various tinnitus treatments that deal with sound therapy. Between the psychological counseling contained in this book and sound therapy, you can work to bring your tinnitus under your control so it no longer bothers you.
Cordially,
Neil
Hello, I have been taking Metropolol Succinate at 25 mg since June 4th with no problems. After ablation I was put back on 25 mg with no issues. On Aug 25th I added 25 mg a day to my dosage. I started having tinnitus by Aug 28th. Could upping the dosage cause this so quickly 2-3 days. Has it even into my system to make a difference that quickly? I am also taking 325 mg of aspirin (off of it by now). And, was on Paxil for 2 weeks, but the ringing started in my ears 30 minutes after I took the Paxil so I stopped it. And, have been dealing with incredible stress due to my health. Would love to hear your opinion on my situation. I will need to be on Metropolol for at least 1 1/2 month before I can get off of it. Thank you,
Dee Dee
Hi Dee Dee:
I like your name. It is my pet name for my older daughter!
Yes, tinnitus can indeed appear that quickly when you increase your dose like that. I like to tell people they have a magic threshold and as long as they keep their dose below that magic threshold they don’t get any obvious ototoxic side effects–they fly under the ototoxic radar so to speak. But as soon as they increase their dose to above their magic threshold–wham–they get ototoxic side effects. (I call it a magic threshold because you don’t know exactly where this magic threshold lies and everyone is different.)
You may find that if you drop back to 25 mg a day, your tinnitus will go away. It does for some people, but not for others. It’s certainly worth a try.
Taking 325 mg of aspirin a day is highly unlikely to affect your tinnitus. Normally you have to take 5 or 6 aspirin a day to get tinnitus from that drug. And the good news is that when you stop taking the aspirin, almost always your tinnitus goes away in a few days.
In any case, you need to get your stress and anxiety under control as that can certainly exacerbate your tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you! How is Zoloft for tinnitus?
Dee Dee
Hi Dee Dee:
Sertraline (Zoloft) has hundreds and hundreds of reports of causing tinnitus, so it sure wouldn’t be my first choice for an SSRI, or any other drug.
If you are depressed, I’d rather take the herbal, St. John’s Wort. It is very, very mildly ototoxic so should not affect your tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you for taking the time to respond. It is much appreciated. Two more questions – could the Paxil possibly be causing the tinnitus and if so, how long could it take to get out of my system? If you had to pick an SSRI, which one would be best? What about a beta blocker?
Thank you,
Dee Dee
Hi Dee Dee:
Hundreds and hundreds of people have reported Paroxetine (Paxil) as causing their tinnitus, so it is quite possible that it caused your tinnitus. It can fade away in time. You might see results in two weeks or so, or it could take a lot longer. So much depends on your psychological makeup.
For example, if you think of your tinnitus as a threat to your well-being and thus focus on it, it probably won’t go away, nor will you habituate to it. However, if you think of it as a totally unimportant, useless, background sound that is NOT a threat to your well-being and thus is safe to ignore, over time you will very likely habituate to it and it will no longer be a problem whether you hear it or not. Thus it won’t make any difference to you whether you have it or not.
Why would you be taking an SSRI? If it is for depression, I wouldn’t take one. Instead, I’d take the herbal St. John’s Wort. It is only very minimally ototoxic, and is available without a prescription at many drug stores, health food stores or On-line.
A number of studies have shown that it works as well as, or better, than prescription drugs for mild to moderate cases of depression.
If you choose to get it, just be sure it says on the bottle “standardized” and then give what it is standardized to. You want something that says, “standardized to 0.3% (or up to 0.7%) hypericin” which is the active ingredient.
As for beta-blockers, in terms of ototoxicity, of the main ones used, I’d ask for Labetalol, Carvedilol, or Nebivolol in that order.
Cordially,
Neil
Hello,
I’m taking the SSRI for anxiety. Really, I have never dealt with that except for recently with the health issue I had this summer. I’m feeling much better now (after the ablation), so I’m just now dealing with the tinnitus and trying to figure out where it’s coming from and what I can do about it. Will St John’s Wort help with anxiety? If not, is there something else? Also, the pharmacist said I may never know what is causing it, which is tough. I was just hoping to get your opinion between it being the Paxil – which caused ringing almost 30 minutes after I took it (and had been taking it for 2 weeks leading up to that) or the Metropolol – which I have been taking all summer but upped the dosage 3 days before my first tinnitus episode. Thank you!!!
Hi Dee Dee:
St. John’s Wort is for depression, not for anxiety. You might want to try the herbal Valerian to help calm you down. It is especially good for calming you down in the evening so you can get to sleep.
Both drugs could have caused your tinnitus, but the Metoprolol seems the most likely candidate–as you upped the dose just three days previous to the tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
I just wanted to say thank you for all of your input and help. It is much appreciated!
Take care,
Dee Dee
I’ve recently been put on metoprolol succinate ER 25 mgs once a day for high blood pressure…I’m on day 10 of taking it..and on day two I had experienced
hissing in my left ear and pressure headaches from this medication the headaches have gone away But the ear hissing in left ear is still there…does it ever go away or become less?
Hi KayT:
Numbers of people have found that stopping this drug lets their tinnitus fade away.
Since Metoprolol is causing your tinnitus, why not ask your doctor to switch you to a different Beta Blocker. I’d suggest Labetalol, Carvedilol or Nebivolol (in that order) as being less likely to cause tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Dr. Bauman, I was given Concor (bisoprolol) for my higher pulse and palpitations that developed after the medication (but I had also low blood pressure – 85/55). I was taking 2,5 mg of bisoprolol for a week (my weight is 46kg) and my tinnitus appeared. Unfortunately, I was continuing taking bisoprolol for another week because I had no idea it can cause such a problem. My blood pressure also dropped even more and my pulse was 45 so I didn’t feel good after that. So I stopped bisoprolol and blood pressure and puls was okay. After two weeks of stopping bisoprolol tinnitus in the right ear disappeared but in the left ear is staying (it’s been 7 months now, it’s fizzing sound). Before (after 5 weeks of tinnitus) I was given Prednisone for 11 days. I tolerated just 20 mg so it didn’t help. I was also on medium-level laser therapy but because I was told it has no risk, I let them aply it to both ears and I developed bad high-tone tinnitus in the almost recovered right ear. The left ear stayed how it was after bisoprolol. I’m 41 and I was fully healthy prior to these complications. If I can, I would like to ask you what do you think about my case. Do you think my tinnitus will go away ? Thank you so much, Hana
Hi Hana:
I don’t understand–what medication were you on previously that required you to take the Bisoprolol? If your blood pressure drops too much, you don’t get an adequate supply of oxygen to your inner ears and this can result in some degree of hearing loss and/or tinnitus.
Prednisone isn’t an approved drug for tinnitus so don’t expect much improvement in your tinnitus due to taking Prednisone.
I’ve not heard of medium-level laser therapy on ears, but low-level laser therapy can certainly help some people with tinnitus. For example, one study revealed that after treatment, their tinnitus disappeared in 26% of the participants! An additional 36% reported their tinnitus reduced by more than 50%. Another 19% reported some reduction in their tinnitus—up to 50%. This gives a success rate of 81%. Unfortunately, this low-level laser treatment doesn’t work for about the one in five that try it.
Based on this, I don’t see that the laser treatment brought on the tinnitus or made existing tinnitus worse. However, I don’t know about medium-level laser therapy.
There could have been other factors that caused the increased tinnitus. What medications were you taking at this time? Did you start any new drugs or changed the dose on any around this time?
Have you had a hearing test? That would tell you whether you have some hearing loss that could account for your existing tinnitus?
If your tinnitus is now due to hearing loss, then you could expect it to last as long as your hearing loss.
If your tinnitus is going to be permanent, I can help you learn to deal with it so it no longer bothers you and becomes a non-issue.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Dr. Bauman,
Thank you very much for your reply. Unfortunately, I got an adverse effect after the vaccine (something like cardiovascular dysautonomia and lower blood pressure – I used to have around 117/78 and after the vaccine around 85/55 but this blood pressure didn’t make me feel bad). But after taking Bisoprolol for a week I didn’t feel well because the pressure went probably much down and then my tinnitus appeared. After discontinuing Bisoprolol at the beginning of April, I didn’t take any other medications (except Prednisone) and I’m still completely medication-free. When I was at the ENT ambulance, they told me I have 0,3 % hearing loss in both ears (it was before the laser). For that laser – later I found an article where are claimed some side effects but I didn’t know it before and they are probably very rare cases. I would be happy to hear how you can help me with tinnitus. But what I would like the most is for my tinnitus to go away and my life back. Thank you so much again, Hana
Hi Hana:
Getting bad tinnitus is one of the side effects of getting the COVID jab. Thousands upon thousands of people have reported this side effect to their sorrow. Heart problems are another fairly common side effect as you have also discovered.
Your ENT was lying to you when he said you had 0.3% hearing loss. Hearing loss CANNOT be measured in percentages just as earthquakes CANNOT be measured in percentages because both of these are logarithmic events and are measured logarithmically. In the case of hearing loss, you measure hearing loss in decibels (dB) as shown on your audiogram. 0.3% hearing loss is totally meaningless.
I understand you want to get rid of your tinnitus, but if it was caused by the COVID jab, that may not be possible. That is why you need to learn how to habituate to your tinnitus so it no longer bothers you. This is a two-step process. First you learn to habituate to the annoyance of your tinnitus. Second, you learn to habituate to the volume of your tinnitus.
When you do this, whether you hear your tinnitus or not makes no difference as hard as it may be for you to understand at this point. For example, my ears are ringing away as I write this because I am thinking about tinnitus (an occupational hazard of helping people with tinnitus when you have tinnitus yourself), but within 5 minutes of finishing this reply, I won’t even be aware I have tinnitus. That’s what habituation can do for you. And even not, although I hear my tinnitus quite loud, it’s no big deal. I don’t let it bother me. In case you’re interested, I’ve had tinnitus for more than 70 years now, yet tinnitus is NOT a factor in my enjoying life.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Dr. Bauman,
I was vaccinated in January and tinnitus appeared a week after taking Bisoprolol in April. So I’m sure Bisoprolol and maybe also too low blood pressure after taking it are the reasons for my problem. And really, after my laser therapy session, my right ear was something like congested, painful with a high tone. Also, this ear is from that time very sensitive to sounds compared to the left one. It can get very easily worse. And I understand I should habituate to it. But it takes probably many years. So to that point life seems to be very difficult when one was completely healthy before. So that’s why I wish and hope there is still a chance my tinnitus will go away. Thank you, Hana
Hi Hana:
Bisoprolol is the Beta Blocker with the second highest risk for getting tinnitus. It seems that it did your ears in. The Beta Blocker with the lowest risk of tinnitus in my opinion is Labetalol. It might not have caused you the ear problems.
Habituation can occur “naturally”, but if you have problems with tinnitus, it is best to get on a program that teaches you to habituate to your tinnitus. Habituation can takes from a few months to 3 years or so. So much depends on your psychological make-up–meaning how you see your tinnitus. If you see it as a threat to your well-being, it will be very difficult to habituate to it. However, if you see it as just another unimportant background sound that you can safely ignore, and then ignore it, you will find that you will successfully habituate to your tinnitus (and often, relatively fast).
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you very much, Dr. Bauman. Still I strongly hope and wish my tinnitus will go away.
.. and may I also ask if there is some safe medication for anxiety and sleeping? Thank you so much… Hana
Hi Hana:
I’d suggest taking calming herbals. Herbals typically don’t have a harsh action on your body that cause all sorts of harmful side effects pop up. One such herbal is Valerian. It works for many (but not all) people. I’d say it is worth trying and see if it works for you.
Getting more exercise can also make a big difference.
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you so much again, Dr. Bauman, it would be probably the best choice.
Kind regards, Hana
Dear Dr. Bauman,
I’m sorry for so many questions but if you allow, I would like to ask also some practical things, about how to live life safely with tinnitus. Lately, I’ve realized that almost every cafe or restaurant plays pretty loud music. Is it safe to go to these places with earplugs? And if yes, what about some concerts? Is it safe to visit some live music with earplugs? And what about flights, especially transcontinental ones? I bought some earplugs that should balance the pressure so I hope I can safely fly with them. Or I don’t need earplugs on the airplane? Thank you very much, Hana
Hi Hana:
Basically, just ignore your tinnitus and go on about living your life. However, you don’t want to do anything to make your tinnitus worse. Thus you want to avoid really loud venues or wear ear protectors at such times.
I don’t think cafes and restaurants are dangerously noisy so that the noise would affect your tinnitus, but then, I don’t go to noisy ones myself, or go at “off” times so they are reasonably quiet.
Music concerts are typically much too loud, so if you want to protect your hearing when in such venues, you’d definitely want to wear ear protectors.
As a general rule, when the sound level rises above 85 dB or so, you want to consider ear protection.
I wouldn’t expect flying would bother your tinnitus. It’s never bothered my tinnitus. If the loud level of sound (depends where you are sitting in relation to the engines) begins to bother you, there is nothing wrong with wearing ear protectors for the duration.
It sounds like the ones you purchased are “Ear Planes” which help slow down pressure changes. They are excellent for people whose ears are affected by pressure changes or are congested.
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you very much, Dr. Bauman, I will follow your recommendations.
Kind regards, Hana
Dear Dr. Bauman,
I would like to ask if Trazodone, Mirtazapin, and Clonazepam are ototoxic or can cause tinnitus from different reasons or hurt hearing. I mean when taken in low doses for sleeping (trazodone 25mg to 75mg; mirtazapin 7,5mg to 15 mg; clonazepam just occasionally 0,2mg. I’m not sure if dosing also depends on body weight (mine is 46kg). Unfortunately non of the herbal or other supplements work for me and I’m sleeping 0 or around 4 hours.
I would like to clarify that I tried clonazepam 0,2mg probably 5 times in December but I’ve never taken it two days in a row. And in January 5 times, the last time on Saturday and then Monday. And from this Wednesday my tinnitus seems to be much worse. But I’m also very much sleep deprived. I’m just wondering if such small separated doses could cause any harm and if it will improve. I have from my doctor those other two medications (trazodone and mirtazapine) and I should again take them as needed in small doses for sleep but now I’m worrying if even such a regimen can potentially cause harm. I would like to avoid such medication but I just stopped sleeping even when I do everything that I’m supposed to do for a good sleep and trying herbal medicine and vitamins.
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Hana
Hi Hana:
Trazodone, Mirtazapine and Clonazepam are all moderately ototoxic. They all can (and do) cause hearing loss and tinnitus in numbers of people.
When taken occasionally in low doses, probably they will not exhibit any ototoxic symptoms–but there are no guarantees since everyone’s body reacts differently. So the trick to avoiding the risk of ototoxic reactions is to take the lowest dose that will do the job for the shortest time you can.
I’d also take the drug with the shortest half-life so the drug has less chance to build up in your body. Thus Trazodone (3-6 hrs) would be the safest in this respect, then Clonazepam (8-12 hrs), and finally Mirtazapine (20-40 hrs).
However, instead of focusing on drugging yourself to sleep, you should be focusing on why you are not sleeping and correcting this underlying problem, then you’ll be able to sleep without taking drugs.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Dr. Bauman,
Thank you for the information and advice. I can’t sleep from April because I’ve developed some chest spasms after a pulmonary CT scan with contrast and it still didn’t stop. Also when tinnitus gets worse, it makes me feel very anxious and I can’t sleep.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Hana
Hi Hana:
Can’t help you with the chest spasms, but I can help you deal with your tinnitus. You do not have to become anxious just because of your tinnitus. You can choose to remain calm knowing that tinnitus is just a useless, unimportant background that you can safely ignore–so you can focus on other things and thereby ignore your tinnitus.
If your tinnitus bothers you at night so you have trouble sleeping, you can have some soft background sound on (such as a fan) to reduce the contrast between your tinnitus and silence. Or play some soft relaxing music. That can make a lot of difference.
My tinnitus is ringing away as I write this, but it’s no big deal. It’s just there. I don’t get anxious or emotional about it and get on with my life. I’ve been doing this for more than 70 years now. You can learn to do this too.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Dr. Bauman,
Thank you for your advice, I understand. But for now I’m not much succesful in it and strongly wish my tinnitus just goes away.
Sincerely,
Hana
Hi Hana:
Almost all people wish their tinnitus would just go away, but that’s not the way it typically works. You have to do the right things to bring it under control and hopefully cause it to disappear.
Cordially,
Neil
Do you think my tinnitus will go away? I was taking bisoprolol 2,5 mg for 14 days, it also caused me very low blood pressure. And then unfortunatelly I’ve developed bad tinnitus also after laser therapy. It’s been 10 months now.
Hi Hana:
Since you’ve had tinnitus for 10 months now, I rather doubt your tinnitus will just magically disappear. To bring it under your control, you’ll have to work at it using one of the many tinnitus reduction programs that are out there. At the very least, you need to stop thinking of your tinnitus as a threat to your well-being as this just causes your limbic system to bring it to your attention and keep it front and center.
In contrast, if you think of your tinnitus as a totally useless, unimportant background sound that it is safe to ignore–and then do so, you give your limbic system permission to let it sink into your subconscious and not bother you with it anymore. This is known as becoming habituated to your tinnitus. When you do this successfully (like I have), whether you hear your tinnitus or not, it will not be a problem–just another background sound you sometimes hear.
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Hana
Dear Dr. Bauman,
To be honest, I don’t know how to habituate to it because it is much loud. When I don’t sleep, it gets extremely loud. I feel I’m living in horror. I loved music, silence, enjoing soft sounds in nature and now everything is killed by my sounds in head and ears. Also after that laser I’m very sensitive to all only a bit louder environments. It gets very easy worse so I must wear often earplugs so then I hear my tinnitus even more.
So if I understand well, you think that after 10 months it can’t go away. Only way is habituation?
Thank you so much for your information and time to write me.
Sincerely,
Hana
Hi Hana:
The volume of your tinnitus has nothing to do with whether you can habituate to it or not. What counts is that you get on a program to habituate to your tinnitus and you persevere with it. It may take you 3 years, but you will get there if you persevere.
However, note that if you take any benzodiazepine drugs (and probably any kindred drugs), that prevents you from habituating, so you need to stay off the Benzos.
You also need to quit doing things that cause your tinnitus to get worse. Do you have more laser treatments coming up as that seems to make things worse.
If you are very sensitive to sounds, then you have loudness hyperacusis on top of the tinnitus and it seems that they work together–louder background sounds make your tinnitus even louder–is that correct? If so, you have reactive tinnitus. When you have reactive tinnitus, you need to treat the hyperacusis component first as treating the tinnitus component first will just make the hyperacusis component worse.
You need to find an audiologist that is skilled in successfully treating people with hyperacusis (and reactive tinnitus).
My comprehensive book, “Hypersensitive to Sound?” explains the various kinds of hyperacusis and how to treat them, and also how to treat reactive tinnitus. If you are interested, you can get it from my website at https://hearinglosshelp.com/shop/hypersensitive-to-sound/ . Since I think you live outside the USA, choose the eBook version as postage elsewhere is more than the cost of the printed book itself.
Cordially,
Neil
Hana mine is very loud also. Mine is in ears and head buzzing-static it’s like electricity 24/7 my head is the worst I havnt even been able to work. It’s so debilitating and I think I have hyperacusis also so noises are really making my Tinnitus worse. I can’t even sit and relax because my head is so loud. Please message me back.
Dear Dr. Bauman,
Thank you so much for all the information. I did just one session of laser treatment in late April and it caused me some weird kind of tinnitus in the right ear that is very sensitive and influences also original tinnitus in the opposite ear. Sometimes it makes all my head resonate. In beginning, it was just hell. And it gets easily “literally” worse, not just more loud but worse like there is a new acoustic trauma. I had a feeling tinnitus is getting slowly better, sometimes it got more silent, but now last months I’m doing very bad with sleep so it’s not improving. And before I didn’t mean that tinnitus will magically disappear but if it will gradually improve.
Sincerely,
Hana
Hi Dr Neil,
I have both somatic and pulatile tinnitus in my right ear since 5 years, and according to the ENT its a mild hearing loss caused it. I have also developed night palpitations and have high blood pressure for which my cardiologist recommended Bisoprolol. After reading the side effects here I am reluctant to go on these beta blockers.
Based on my situation needed your recommendations. I am also thinking of considering meeting with a naturopath for my palpitation and BP.
Thanks,
Hi Rob:
I can’t see how pulsatile tinnitus is a result of hearing loss, nor is it likely that somatosensory tinnitus is a result of hearing loss. I think your ENT doesn’t know the difference between these kinds of tinnitus and the more common neurophysiologic tinnitus that is often a result of some degree of hearing loss.
I’m all for seeing a naturopathic doctor and using natural means to control your blood pressure. Changing your diet and getting more exercise are two things that can make a big difference.
However, if you do need to take BP medications of this class, I’d suggest Labetalol would be the least ototoxic followed by Carvedilol and Nebivolol. So that should put the odds in your favor, especially if you stay on a low dose.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Dr Neil,
Thank you for replying to my message.
Another strange thing my ENT specialist told me that, I was born with pulsatile tinnitus and it triggered at this age. I have no clue how that could be possible? or maybe? not sure.
However, I met with a Naturopath this morning and she started with Vinpo-15 and said this has no side effects compared to Ginko. This has helped some folks in her clinic with calming. My next follow up meeting will be for BP.
Any suggested on Vinpo-15 usage and it side effects if any.
Thanks again for your time.
Rob
Hi Rob:
That’s strange. Never heard of it either. If you’re born with it then you should hear it from the get go. No doubt you’d quickly habituate to it so you’d not notice it. So I can’t see it being “triggered” at a later date. What does trigger it is changes in your blood vessels near your ears, no matter what age you are.
As far as I know, Vinpocetine is not ototoxic. It helps improve blood flow to your brain so helps your brain function better. Not sure why that would help you calm down, but if it works, go for it.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Dr Neil,
It’s all(tinnitus) started 2 years ago when cardiologist told me that i have change CONCOR from 1,25mg to 2,50 and since then I have that tinnitus. I told that to cardiologist but we didn’t know that could be because of bisoprolol. Now this is 2 years and I still taking that but on other name – BIBLOC (7,5mg of bisoprolol – 3,75 morning and 3,75 evening), in next two week i will be in my cardiologist and i would like to suggest him a non ototoxic medicine for me. Please tell me with one is the best, maybe first 5 best ones. Do You also hear about someone who got that hissing noises from bisoprolol and tinnitus gone ? I also think to stop taking it from now but im little bit scared.
Thank You in advance and sorry for my English I’m from Poland.
Hi Mateusz:
Whenever you double the dose, you also increase the risk of experiencing ototoxic side effects. If you had stayed at 1.25 mg, you probably wouldn’t ever have experienced tinnitus.
Changing the brand from Concur to Bibloc doesn’t change anything–it is still the same drug–Bisoprolol–and so it still causes tinnitus just as much.
If you want to stay on a beta-blocker class of drugs, but one with the least risk of tinnitus, in my opinion, the beta-blocker with the lowest risk of tinnitus is Labetalol and the second lowest is Nebivolol.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Dr Neil,
Do You hear about people who stoped to take bisoprolol and tinnitus gone ? I’m taking it like 3 years and from 2 years try to deal with tinnitus.
Hi Mateusz:
I haven’t heard specifically from people that stopped taking Bisoprolol and then their tinnitus stopped, but I’m sure it happens. This often happen for people taking other beta-blockers and then stopping taking them.
However, in some cases, the tinnitus never goes away. Probably this has a lot to do with the degree of anxiety a person has. The greater the anxiety, the harder it is for tinnitus to go away.
Numbers of people have quit taking a beta-blocker and their tinnitus reduced in volume, if it didn’t go away. Did you try switching to a different beta-blocker such as Labetalol or Carvedilol and see whether your tinnitus drops in volume?
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Neil,
Yesterday i was on a visit my cardiologist and I told him that my tinnitus could be active becouse im taking bisporolol, and he changed it to IVABRADINE – You think it could help ? if not i will try to push him to give me Carvedilol
Thank You
Hi Mateusz:
I don’t have as much information on Ivabradine, but what I have indicates that it is probably a good choice in regards to your tinnitus. The kind of tinnitus reported for Ivabradine is pulastile tinnitus (pulsing in time to your heartbeat) rather than a constant tonal tinnitus which is what I think you have.
So if it works for you, hopefully your current tinnitus will fade away, but there is a chance you’ll experience pulsatile tinnitus in its place.
Cordially,
Neil
update:
I’m 7 days on Ivabradine now, sometimes I think that it is better, but for example today tinnitus i very loud. I will still waiting for results we gonna see. Its depends sometime i wakeup without tinnitus someday with very loud tinnitus. Just wondering maybe that tinnitus got connection with sleeping ?
Hi Mateusz:
You can have good tinnitus days and bad tinnitus days. But if you wake up with bad tinnitus, it is possible that you kinked your neck while sleeping (or your pillow isn’t holding your head correctly). This can cause tinnitus or make existing tinnitus worse. Then when you get up and shrug your shoulders and move your neck so things straighten themselves out, your tinnitus fades away in an hour or more. So that’s one reason why tinnitus can be worse when you wake up and goes away in a couple of hours after you get up.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Neil thank you for answer, i also take 1 x4mg per day of tert-Butylamini Perindoprilum that also could a tinnitus ? If yes what could i sugest to my cardiologist instead of that ? Thank You
Hi Mateusz:
Perinodpril can cause tinnitus in some people, but so can all of the ACE inhibitors. If the Perindopril has not caused you tinnitus, probably it won’t if you don’t increase the dose.
Lisinopril would be my choice for the lowest risk of getting tinnitus so you may want to consider switching to it, but if the Perindopril isn’t causing any problems, you might want to say on it.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Dr Neil,
I was referred to a Phycologist by my family doctor and after asking tons of question, recommended Zoloft which could ease my tinnitus after 4 to 5 weeks. I do not know if I need to start with Vinpo or Zoloft as Vinpo being the naturopath medicine. Is it safe to take Zoloft 50mg.
Thanks,
Rob
Hi Rob:
Personally, I wouldn’t take Zoloft to try to get rid of tinnitus. You see, hundreds and hundreds of people have reported to the FDA’s database that taking Zoloft caused them tinnitus in the first place. And Zoloft causes other ototoxic side effects such as hearing loss and balance problems.
In my opinion, you’d be better off with the Naturopath’s idea of taking Vinpo and related herbals.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Dr Neil,
I had an appointment with the cardiologist regarding my palpitations and he prescribed me with bisoprolol and I told him about this being ototoxic. He said my elevated BP and night palpitations will become less frequent by taking the bisoprolol 2.5mg. After reading the comments I am reluctant to take this drug, but I have severe palpitations at night and my heartbeat is around 90 to 110bpm.
Any advice and recommendations are greatly appreciated.
I have another appointment with the cardiologist end of April.
Thanks,
Sami
Hi Sami:
As far as the beta blockers go, in my opinion, the one least likely to cause tinnitus, etc side effects, is Labetalol, then Carvedilol, then Nebivolol. So ask your doctor whether Labetalol would also do the job as you’d rather take it since it is less ototoxic.
Cordially,
Neil
I have low level tinnitus in my right ear and take propanalol and felodopine for high blood pressure could these cause unilateral tinnitus?
Hi Jo:
Although drugs can cause ototoxic side effects such as tinnitus and hearing loss in both ears, it seems counterintuitive that those same drugs can cause side effects in just one ear–but that is what happens some of the time.
Of the two drugs you are taking, I’d put my money on the Propranolol as being the most likely culprit for causing tinnitus, although Felodipine can also cause tinnitus in some people.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Dr. I just randomly found this site as i was looking for ways to tame my raging tinnitus . 🙂
I am on metoprolol , eliquis, twice a day……and atavorstatin once a day…..could any of these or the combination be affecting my ears. i have been on these since a valve repair in 2019 – but the “ringing” is now the worst its ever been…… i’m 66….and in otherwise good shape…..thank you
Hi Mike:
Actually, all three of these drugs can cause tinnitus/make tinnitus worse, and who knows how they work together synergistically when it comes to tinnitus.
Of the three, the most likely candidate that is causing your tinnitus to be worse is the Metoprolol. You might want to ask your doctor to switch you to Labetalol if it will do the job as it is the least likely beta-blocker to cause tinnitus (or Carvedilol or Nebivolol).
Cordially,
Neil
I’ve been in metoprolol tartrate for about 18 years I have tinnitus very bad and severe profound extended high frequency hearing loss in right ear and mild in left and this was a higher frequency test done at the Tinnitus clinic. I got tinnnitus clinic in 2021 and 2022 when I had Covid and it went away both times and and was just ringing. It came back this year in may or June and was ringing in ears and then before I could get to dr. My ears were buzzing-static and my whole head buzzing-static. It is so debilitating I can’t even work. Do you think it could be from my metoprolol or is it from Covid and I had a very bad virus also. Please let me know what you think. Mine tinnitus is the worst I have seen. They said I have sensory tinnitus where my hair cells are damaged on the inside. They say my hair cells could be misfiring and that the brain is making sound to make up for what is missing.
Hi Sharon:
If the Metoprolol has stayed at the same dose all these years, I wouldn’t expect your tinnitus to all of a sudden get worse now. If you raised the dose recently, that would be a different matter.
I’m curious–has your hearing dropped during these 18 years on Metoprolol? More people report hearing loss from taking this drug that for tinnitus. The good news is that for numbers of people, their hearing returns when they get off the Metoprolol–and if hearing returns, you could expect your tinnitus to improve also.
My guess, since your tinnitus went away after your covid, is that your recent very bad viral attack is the likely cause of the loud tinnitus you currently have. Can your correlate the increase in your tinnitus with this viral attack? If it began in the couple of weeks after it, I wouldn’t be surprised if that is the cause.
It is true that tinnitus typically accompanies hearing loss and if you lost more hearing recently, that could be another reason for your louder tinnitus.
You have it a bit mixed up. You have sensorineural hearing loss, not sensory tinnitus. The sensorineural hearing loss is caused by dead hair cells and your tinnitus could then be the result of hair cells adjacent to the dead ones generating excess signals which your brain interprets as tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
I havnt ever notice any problems with my hearing. My hearing was fine at the ENT. My hearing loss is in the extended high frequency that we don’t normally use, but since I have tinnitus it has made it that much louder. My doctor accidentally prescribed metoprolol succinate for a few months a finally figured it out after a few months, but my regular metoprolol the dosage has always been the same. I really don’t remember about my viral attack increasing my tinnitus, but my tinnitus got worse in June or July and the virus was somewhere around that time. You don’t think it is my metoprolol right? That really scares me about my metoprolol though because I would hate to still be taking it and it causing more damage to my hearing and making my tinnitus worse, but I’ve taking it for 18 years. Thank you doctor and looking forward to hearing back from you again.
Hi Sharon:
Did you ever have your hearing tested before you began the Metoprolol 18 years ago to see if you had the hearing loss in the very high frequencies? If you had and you had normal very high frequencies and now you don’t, then it could be due to the drug. This is because most drugs first attack hearing at the very highest frequency you can hear and over the months or years work down the frequency spectrum until finally it shows up on a conventional audiogram.
If you never had such high frequency testing, then you don’t know whether it was from the Metoprolol or some other factor.
Since you noticed your tinnitus got worse in June or July, think what was different back then that could have caused the increase in your tinnitus. The virus is one possibility. Covid is another. And if you get the Covid jab, that’s another factor still. Undue anxiety back then could also be a factor.
The better you can pin down the start of your tinnitus to any of the above factors (or other changes at that time), the better guess I can make as to which factor, or factors, was responsible for your tinnitus increase.
Cordially,
Neil
I go in January to get my hearing checked again. I had my hearing checked in September. If it’s worse does this mean it’s from the metoprolol? They told me noise can make my hearing worse, but I’m not around noise that will cause more damage. I can’t wear ear plugs it makes my ears buzz so much worse.
Hi Sharon:
If your hearing is worse, it could certainly be the Metoprolol. If so, you could try stopping the Metoprolol for 2 or 3 weeks and see if your hearing improves. If it does you know it was this drug. Numbers of people have found their hearing came back after getting off this drug. No guarantees, but I’d think it is worth a try if your hearing is worse after your next testing.
Loud noise can make your hearing worse, but if you are not around noise that is more than 90 dB, your hearing loss is not likely from noise exposure.
Cordially,
Neil
Well I think it’s worse than when it first started, but I was using tinnitus maskers to listen to sound therapy then I started using open ear earbuds to listen to sound therapy and I havnt used them in about a month. Not sure if the hyperacusis made it louder or not.since I have been taking it for 18 years would it really make a difference with my extended high frequency hearing loss and tinnitus? I thought after a long time taking the medicine it wouldn’t help if you quit taking it? Not sure I could quit taking it unless the doctor prescribed another beta blocker since I’ve been taking it about 18 years. Yeah I’m not around noise louder than 90 decibels . for sure I havnt been able to work because my tinnitus is so debilitating. Do you really think it would get better even though I’ve been on this medicine forever? Please reply. Thank you. My anxiety is so bad is there anything to take for it. I tried Trazadone a while back and quit taking it and the Dr. prescribed Ativan, but I was scared to take it because it’s a benzodiazepine and they said, coming off of it can give someone tinnitus and can make it worse coming off it and it is Ann addictive drug.
Hi Sharon:
Some drugs don’t kill the hair cells causing permanent sensorineural hearing loss, they just make them “sick” to use a fancy medical term. Thus, when you stop taking such a drug, the hair cells start working properly again and your hearing returns. This can happen after months or years of taking the drug. I haven’t heard of anyone getting hearing back after 18 years on the drug, but you’ll never know unless you try it and so if it works in your case.
Maybe another class of drug would work better such as Lisinopril.
I sure wouldn’t take a benzodiazepine, nor would I take an SSRI as the side effects can be worse than the original problem.
For anxiety, there are several things you can try. One is getting more exercise. Another is to practice relaxing exercises and yet another to to practice relaxing breathing exercises. You can do these almost anywhere and anytime–so whether you are anxious and can’t get to sleep, or when driving in your car or walking down the street, etc.
I can practice relaxing breathing exercises for just 5 minutes and bring my blood pressure down as much as 20 points, so I know it works. A bit of exercise can do that same for me.
Cordially,
Neil
It makes my ears and my head buzz so much worse. My whole head is like electricity all day 24/7.
Hi Sharon:
Buzzing sounds are one of the many tinnitus sounds. And numbers of drugs cause brain zaps too–but I don’t track this side effect since it isn’t an ototoxic one.
The good news is that numbers of people report getting buzzing tinnitus that goes away when they get off the Metoprolol. You may be one of the lucky ones if you try it.
Cordially,
Neil
Could I have had the hearing damage all along and then when I got Covid this 2 times and the bad virus in the summer and got tinnitus and it went away. Why would my tinnitus come back though after Covid those 2 times?
Would it come back because hearing loss got worse?
Hi Sharon:
Since tinnitus is typically tied to hearing loss, if your hearing loss got worse, you might have worse tinnitus. I’d expect this to happen if you have a sudden hearing loss–not so much if you had a slow, creeping hearing loss as you typically would habituate to it as your hearing slowly decreased so you’d not notice any difference.
For example, my hearing has dropped a lot in the past 10 yeas, but my tinnitus hasn’t changed in volume or pitch as a result.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Sharon:
Good question. One thing that can cause tinnitus to come back or get worse is anxiety and worry, also depression. So if your anxiety levels went up after COVID, that could be a cause.
Cordially,
Neil
Dr. Neil I have wrote Down alot of things to ask you from your responses. First I write down what I eat and drink everyday and I wear my Fitbit to bed so I can keep up with my sleep. When my back hurts me bad I have to take a 1/2 of flexeril 5 mg and it also helps me sleep. I also read that with sensorineural hearing loss it’s normally noise induced .
How many years does it take for side effects to show up from an ototoxic medicine?
Hi Sharon:
That varies greatly. Ototoxic side effects can show up as soon as 7 minutes and as long as 10 years or more after you take a drug.
Ototoxic side effects show up for many drugs within 2 weeks or so, but so much depends on various factors such as your age, the dose you take, the specific drug, your weight, your kidney function, etc., etc.
Cordially,
Neil
They said, my hearing wouldn’t come back because I have cochlear sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus. My hair cells are damaged. Do you know why my tinnitus was just ringing in ears went it started and then went to buzzing-static electricity in ears and head?
Dr. Neil someone on here said they didn’t see Tinnitus listed as a side effect for metoprolol, but is hearing loss listed? My audiologist said, it was only about one percent.
Hi Sharon:
The truth is that thousands of people have reported to the FDA that they got tinnitus and/or hearing loss from taking Metoprolol so anyone that says it is not ototoxic doesn’t know what they are talking about.
And even if only 1% get hearing loss, since 15,000,000 people in the USA each year take this drug that still means 150,000 people each year get hearing loss from taking this drug. The figures for tinnitus are much the same. And be aware that reported figures are ALWAYS low since fewer than 1% (more like 0.01%) are ever reported. Thus the true figures are MUCH, MUCH higher.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Sharon:
Tinnitus sounds can change from one sound to another from time to time and from hour to hour in some people. For example, I normally have a high-pitched hissy-whine tinnitus, but sometimes it changes to a low rumbling sound and other time to what sounds like a flock of birds twittering in the trees. I cannot find any apparent reason for why it changes like it does.
It can also switch from ear to ear or from one ear to both ears or to just “in your head”.
When you have static electricity experiences such as brain zaps, that is usually due to a drug you are taking.
Cordially,
Neil
How about hyperacusis? Like me driving -road. Noise makes my tinnitus so much louder , taking a shower to, so I normally take a bath, my sink, a lot of times when my husband is talking it’s to loud. Do you think sound therapy is better to listen to on your ears-like tinnitus maskers or open ear earbuds, or do you think it’s better with sound machines, fan, and I listen to it on phone and tv.
Suzanne from Treble Health told me to start with that they thought mine was noise induced because my right ear was so much worse than the left ear. She said normally it was from medicine both ears would be about the same . I have read side effects of ototoxicity like balance and I have never had that. I have never been around loud noise working , but I have always peeled rated, mowed grass, pressure washed, and I never wore ear plugs. How about sugar, salt, and caffeine? I’ve noticed decaf coffee with a little sugar and flavored creamer, different sweets, some foods with salt make my tinnitus worse. I don’t drink any caffeine. I do still smoke, but only a few a day-cut way,way back. If I have a mixed drink, it makes it worse, so I drink every great once in a while. I have a lot more I will post tomorrow.
Please respond when you get time. I have a lot more questions to ask you today also when I get time to put on here.
Dr. Neil my friend said a chemo drug Accutane used for acne caused her tinnitus and she wanted to know if you can fix med induced tinnitus is it possible?
Hi Sharon:
Isotretinoin (Accutane) certainly can cause side effects such as tinnitus and hearing loss.
Once you have tinnitus from such a drug, the first thing is to stop taking it and probably never take it again in the future.
You can’t undo what is done, so if the tinnitus doesn’t go away on its own after a couple of weeks or so, you need to learn to control your tinnitus and habituate to it by not focusing on it and worrying about it. Rather, you need to treat it as a totally unimportant useless sound that is not worth your time even thinking about and focus on the loves of your life.
Some people find that taking Arches Tinnitus Formula (https://www.tinnitusformula.com/store/?cmp=1) helps them but there are no guarantees.
Cordially,
Neil
Do you know how that medicine helps them? I’m going to send her a message and just wanted to let her know what you have said. Thank you.
Hi Sharon:
I am assuming you are referring to Arches Tinnitus Formula? It is basically a high-quality Ginkgo biloba. High-quality Ginkgo biloba increases blood flow to the cochlea, is a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent/repair ear damage, and calms the over-excited auditory nerve fibers to lessen symptoms.
Cordially,
Neil
Yes that’s what I was referring to. I’m going to send her this information now. Thanks.
Hey Dr. Neil this is Sharon. Can you work with me and help me in any way with my tinnitus to habituate? Anything you can help me with would be very much appreciated. Please let me know. Thank you.
Hi Sharon:
Sure thing. Email me privately and let’s get you on the right track.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Neil, it took metropolol 25mg for 1 month and 1 week. Despite being a small dosage I got tinnitus at night and it didn´t stop till now. It´s since July 2023, I stopped taking it for 5 months now and the tinnitus didn´t stop. I have cervical issues for 30 years, and I´m treating with phisiotherapy I thought tinnitus taking long due to this. I even quit coffee and still didn´t go away. Unfortunately my doctor didn´t care about my tinnitus and said to not stop metropolol. I´ll get another doctor
Hi Luiz:
From my experience, tinnitus from taking Metoprolol often goes away when you get off the drug. However, that is not true for everyone. You may be one of those people whose tinnitus is more or less permanent for whatever reason.
If that is the case, then you want to learn how to habituate to your tinnitus so it no longer bothers you.
You could also have tinnitus from your cervical issues, independent of taking the Metoprolol and just taking the Metoprolol was coincidental. I can’t tell from what you have said.
Of course, you could have both kinds of tinnitus–neurophysiological tinnitus from the Metoprolol and somatosensory tinnitus from your cervical issues.
Cordially,
Neil