by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man asked, Is there anything that is not ototoxic that I can take for pain? A woman queried, What is a good pain-killer alternative to take since all pain-killer drugs are known to be ototoxic to some degree? There are a number of pain-killing drugs available, but as you […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady wrote, I have been on Lyrica for about 4 years now. I started at 25 mg a day and now I’m up to 1200 mg a day. This drug has done some terrible things to me. I want to come off Lyrica. I have tried and failed due to […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady asked, Please be so kind and help me answer this question. Does the application of Tobramycin on a piece of gauze inserted in the ear canal (in contact with the ear drum) pose risks for the health of the ears? I’ve been prescribed this antibiotic to help a perforated […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man explained, I have been taking Inderal for over 30 years, originally for migraines which went away after a sinus operation several years ago, but have continued to take it for mildly-high blood pressure. I also have taken a baby Aspirin a day for the last 15 years or so. […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A person wrote, I have residual tinnitus from sudden hearing loss that occurred about ten years ago. Fortunately, most of my hearing came back. However, I was exposed to a smoke alarm about a year and a half ago that aggravated my tinnitus. That, too, is under control as long as […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man explained, I have pica. I found that Aspirin filled my pica cravings. So I started chewing up 5 or 6 Aspirin (325 mg each) a day. I was also temporarily taking Hydrocodone (10 mg). That’s when the ringing and buzzing started. I’m not surprised that your ears ring and […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man explained, I just purchased your book “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed” (3rd Edition). It’s really a revelation and has opened my eyes to the amount of drugs that can cause damage to our ears. I recently went to an ear doctor (ENT). My diagnosis was wax impaction and congestion (I did […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man asked, For those of us with tinnitus (20+ years in my case) who need anti-inflammatory medications to address back pain, nerve pain/weakness/impairment etc, and would like to take NSAIDs/Ibuprofen, is there anything out there that would do the trick without adverse tinnitus impact? I just looked at all the […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady wrote, I have been having terrible ringing in my ears for the last six weeks. Can you please help me. I have been on the following drugs: Prozac Tegretol Phenergan Zimmervane My tinnitus started approximately two weeks before Christmas. My Tegretol had been increased to 800 mg in November […]

  by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady reported, I was prescribed Wellbutrin (150 mg) several weeks ago, but when I moved the dose up to 300 mg I developed very obvious tinnitus. I have now been off the Wellbutrin completely for more than a week and still the tinnitus persists. I had a large improvement […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man explained, I have been prescribed the following drugs for migraine with aura. As I already have tinnitus I’d like your opinion on the following drugs as regards tinnitus, sound sensitivity and hearing loss. 1) Divalproex/Valproate 2) Flunarizine 3) Migranex 4) In cases of acute headache, the following are to […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. © December, 2012 Numbers of people have asked me if I know of any drugs that are not ototoxic that can help them with their depression and anxiety. If you are one of them, I trust this article will help you. Here’s a shocking statistic. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 35% […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man wrote, I have some questions regarding the drug listings in your book Ototoxic Drugs Exposed. First, there is no reference to the standard dosage used. Is the dosage related to the severity of the ototoxic side effect? Also, is dosage a key player in assessing the potential ototoxic side […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man explained, I have recently been a victim of a vicious assault which has injured, among other parts, the skin of my face. Dermatologists have recommended that I undergo Botulinum toxin treatment to aid healing. There are anecdotal reports on the Internet that the use of Botox on the face […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A doctor, wrote, I feel that your article on benzodiazepines is irresponsible and may cause those with disabling anxiety disorder to avoid treatment. There are many patients with panic disorder that are well-maintained on Alprazolam for decades without the anxiolytic effect being lost or diminished or the need to increase the […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady wrote, I have recently developed tinnitus. What should I take for headaches since I have read that taking Aspirin and Ibuprofen can cause tinnitus. I do not want mine to be more severe. Not knowing your situation, my first reaction is to suggest you work at finding and eliminating […]

  by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. © June, 2012 A man wrote, 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 […]

Part I of this series presented an overview of the hundreds of ototoxic drugs currently available and how their potential side effects relating to hearing and balance turn countless lives upside down. Part I also detailed risk factors that predispose people to ototoxic effects and concluded with what individuals can do to reduce their risk. […]

  by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. I am sometimes asked: “Are generic drugs the same as brand name drugs?” The simple answer is “yes” and “no”. Let me explain. To receive FDA approval, generic drugs must meet a variety of criteria, including: A generic drug must have the same active ingredient or ingredients as the brand-name […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. If you have ever looked at the numerous side effects that can result from taking a given prescription drug, perhaps, like me, you have wondered how one drug, such as the antidepressant Sertraline (Zoloft), for example, can, in addition to causing a number of psychiatric side effects, also cause diverse side […]