Ototoxic Drugs

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 affected. […]

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 […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Doctors overprescribe medications, especially ototoxic ones. That is no secret. A doctor’s real job is to root out the source of your health problems and fix them. His job is not supposed to be that of a “band aid applier”—one who covers up the real problem with a band aid solution […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady asked, What options do those of us have when we have pain but have a significant history of problems with ototoxic drugs? This is a common question people ask me. For minor aches and pains, we just need to tough it out. That is what I do. For more […]