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Clarithromycin, Noise and Permanent Tinnitus

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.

A man wrote:

A year ago I developed permanent, severe tinnitus from the antibiotic Clarithroymcin (Biaxin). I took the 500mg sustained release tablet twice a day for two weeks. The amazing thing is that this macrolide antibiotic seems to act the same way as the aminoglycosides. By this I mean that it displays delayed ototoxicity combined with a danger of synergistic and permanent side effects after being exposed to loud sound.

This is what happened. I developed tinnitus 4 days after finishing the drug. Three days later the tinnitus went away completely. Three days after that, I attended a Christmas Eve service and was exposed to 90 db of music for 25 minutes. The next day my ears were badly stuffed. The following day I had incredible tinnitus. The rest is history. Permanent damage which would have reversed if I had not been exposed to the sound.

Have you heard of others who had hearing loss or tinnitus from taking Clarithromycin (Biaxin)?

Clarithromycin can cause either temporary or permanent tinnitus and hearing loss (among other things). See Ototoxic Drugs Exposed. However, your story is the first one I have heard demonstrating that taking Clarithromycin can leave your ears supersensitive to noise damage. Supersensitivity to noise damage is a known side effect of taking Aminoglycoside antibiotics such as Gentamicin, Neomycin and Tobramycin. They can leave your ears super sensitive to noise damage for up to a year after you stop taking the drug.

If anyone has experienced Clarithromycin causing tinnitus and/or hearing loss, I’d love to hear from you? Also, did you notice any tie-in with subsequent loud noise?

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Hearing Loss Research & Resources

Free Visor Cards

Download your free Visor Cards for hard of hearing or deaf people here.

Loop Systems

Loop your home or meeting room. Discover how you can hear wonderfully clear sound again when listening to the TV/radio, etc, or when listening to a speaker at a meeting.

Loop systems are one of the best-kept secrets in town. To learn more about Loop Systems and what they can do for you, click here.

Take Control of Your Tinnitus—Here’s How

If your ears ring, buzz, chirp, hiss, click or roar, you know just how annoying tinnitus can be. You do not have to put up with this racket for the rest of your life. This book teaches you many things you can do to help bring your tinnitus under your control so it no longer bothers you.

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Sounds Now Too Loud for You?

Hypersensitive to Sound front coverIf some (or all) normal sounds seem so loud they “blow the top of your head off”, or make you wince or jump, or cause you headaches or ear pain, or affect your balance, or result in fear or annoyance of sounds so you feel you have to avoid these sounds, this book is for you!

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Hearing Phantom Sounds?

When hard of hearing people begin hearing phantom voices or music, they immediately worry they are going crazy. It never crosses their minds that they are sane and are just experiencing Musical Ear syndrome.

To learn more about the strange phantom sounds of Musical Ear syndrome and what you can do about them, click here to read a comprehensive article about Musical Ear Syndrome.

Or get the book—Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

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Center for Hearing Loss Help

Neil G. Bauman, Ph.D.

1013 Ridgeway Drive, Lynden,
WA 98264-1057 USA

Email: neil@hearinglosshelp.com

Phone: 360-778-1266 (M-F 9:00 AM-5:00 PM PST)

© 2025 Center for Hearing Loss Help – Help for your hearing loss, tinnitus and other ear conditions

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life [which also includes perfect hearing] through Jesus Christ our Lord." [Romans 6:23]

"But know this, in the last days perilous times will come" [2 Timothy 3:1]. "For there will be famines, pestilences, and [severe] earthquakes in various places" [Matthew 24:7], "distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring"—tsunamis, hurricanes—Luke 21:25, but this is good news if you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, for "when these things begin to happen, lift up your heads [and rejoice] because your redemption draws near" [Luke 21:28].