Is Hearing Loss Lurking in Your Medicine Cabinet?
Jun 19, 2023

Medication Related Hearing Loss

Many people recognize the link between hearing loss and exposure to loud sounds. Noises we experience in daily life like booming music, the drone of a lawnmower or leaf blower, traffic, even your hair dryer can damage the delicate, microscopic hair-like cells located inside the cochlea of your inner ear. These hair cells are responsible for converting sounds entering your ear into electrical signals that are relayed to and interpreted by your brain.


But did you know that more than 200 common medications on the market today also can cause damage to your inner ear that can result in hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance issues? These drugs are considered ototoxic (oto means ear and toxic means poisonous). Many over-the-counter medications you know and use are on the ototoxic drug list, such as common pain relievers and anti-inflammatories. Others are drugs used to treat serious illnesses like heart disease, infections, parasites, and cancer. It is important to be aware of medications that affect hearing, and speaking with your audiologist can help.

 

Temporary or permanent ear issues?
Look inside your medicine cabinet. If you see aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen, those are on the ototoxic list, but usually only cause temporary hearing issues while you are taking them. The same is true with quinine used to treat malaria and loop diuretics taken by those with heart and kidney conditions.


Ototoxic medications known to cause permanent damage include certain drugs in the aminoglycoside class that are used to treat serious infections caused by bacteria that are difficult to treat with other medications or that multiply quickly.

How Do Certain Medications Affect Hearing Loss?

Cancer chemotherapy drugs, such as platinum-based cisplatin and carboplatin, are highly ototoxic. This class of drugs is commonly used for the treatment of bladder, ovarian, testicular, and head and neck cancers. The drug’s ototoxicity has been known for many years, but a recent study led by researchers from the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sought to explain why these drugs cause lasting hearing loss.


Findings released in 2018 establish that cisplatin can be found in the ear’s cochlea months and even years after treatment has ended. This continued exposure puts the cochlea at considerable risk for damage and medication-induced hearing loss as the drug resides there. By contrast, other body organs tend to eliminate the drug within days of being administered. The study also revealed that forty to eighty percent of adults and fifty percent of children experience significant permanent hearing loss that can continue to worsen over time after a cancer battle. This research is important because understanding how platinum-based chemotherapies affect hearing may lead to methods for blocking or lessening the long term effects on the ear.


A drug’s ototoxicity can depend on many factors like the dosage, duration of time you take it, whether you are taking other ototoxic medications, the amount of hearing damage you already had before starting it, family history, and more.

How to Prevent Medicine-Induced Hearing Loss

What can you do to reduce your risk?

Granted, the benefits of many ototoxic medications far outweigh the potential side effects and should not be a reason, in and of itself, to decline these drugs. Johnson Audiology encourages you to research the medications you are prescribed and to talk with your primary care physician, your medical specialists, and your pharmacist so that you can fully assess your risk and discuss ways to mitigate ototoxic effects and practice ototoxicity prevention. For instance, visiting your audiologist for a hearing test before beginning treatment for cancer, kidney disease, heart disease and many other health issues gives you a baseline for comparison later so that you can be proactive about treating your hearing loss at the first signs of loss. Being an informed, aware, and educated patient puts you in the best position for controlling and managing your own health and well-being.



Do you have questions or concerns about ototoxicity and hearing loss? Call today to schedule an appointment at Johnson Audiology or book online at www.johnsonaudiology.com/schedule.

Move from the Gunbarrel Road office to a new and larger office will allow Johnson Audiology to help even more people in the Chattanooga region

By Jan Hollingsworth • 09 Jan, 2024
Johnson Audiology is pleased to announce that the practice will be moving one of its Chattanooga area offices from its current location on Gunbarrel Road to a new location at 6830 Lee Highway. The move will take place January 15. “We are extremely excited to be re-locating to a much larger space later this month,” Dr. Megan Johnson, founder and owner of the award-winning practice, says. “About a year ago, we realized that we needed more room to meet the needs of our growing patient base so we could help even more people with hearing loss. We sought a place that would allow us to stay in the East Brainerd/Hamilton Place area so that the office would still be conveniently located for patients. Our Hixson office will remain at 5617 Highway 153, Suite 203 and is also being upgraded with a second sound booth and beautiful new decor. These two strategically located offices mean that we can continue to serve patients who live east and west of the Tennessee River.” Dr. Johnson says that when she identified the building on Lee Highway, she knew it was an ideal site for this next growth leap. “Our company culture is anchored on the premise of always offering an exceptional patient experience,” she says. “Thanks to our wonderful family of Johnson Audiology patients, we have outgrown our current office and have found the perfect location for offering the best care to even more of our Chattanooga neighbors.” The new location offers many positive features that will benefit patients: The office is conveniently located off Lee Highway in the area between Shallowford Road and Hickory Valley Road, directly behind Dr. Keith B. Dressler’s orthodontic practice. It is a stand-alone office that is not shared with any other businesses. The building is more than 4,000 square feet, which is double the space of the current office on Gunbarrel Road. The added square footage will accommodate a spacious patient welcome and reception area, three sound booths for hearing testing, and a private area for patient check-out. The building has exam rooms for four full time audiologists and an audiology assistant, a large front desk area, and a sizeable lab for hearing aid maintenance and repair. The office has ample space for the practice’s growing Cochlear Implant (CI) Program with a dedicated sound booth and exam area just for CI patients. The building design allows for easy circular patient flow throughout the office. The building has a dedicated, 20-space parking lot just for Johnson Audiology patients and additional parking for Johnson Audiology staff. Dr. Johnson mentions that the building was a non-medical office previously, so updates were needed to bring it up to par for a bustling hearing health care clinic. It currently is being remodeled, and the parking lot resurfaced. “We have plans to transition to the new building by January 15 with some final touches to the office’s aesthetics continuing through the spring,” she says.  Dr. Johnson wishes to assure folks that measures are in place to alleviate disruption to the service patients receive during this time and thanks patients in advance for their continued support and understanding during the transition. “The new office is going to be incredible!” she says. Initial correspondence has been delivered to patients about the move. Dr. Johnson says, “Patients who have appointments scheduled in early January or those who need walk-in service for hearing aid maintenance and supplies from now until January 15 should continue visiting the Gunbarrel Road location.” Dr. Johnson says, “In February, we will invite our friends and neighbors in the Chattanooga community to an open house celebration, where we will do an official reveal of the new space!” Johnson Audiology has been faithfully serving the citizens of Chattanooga since the practice opened its doors on October 1, 2009. “As we prepare to celebrate our 15th anniversary this year, the new office location on Lee Highway and the upgrades to the Hixson office are evidence of our commitment to patients.” Dr. Johnson goes on to say, “Chattanoogans have named Johnson Audiology Best of the Best in the category of Favorite Audiologist and Hearing Aid Clinic for 11 years straight. And they consistently name Johnson Audiology in the top three in the category of Best Customer Service among all Chattanooga businesses. We seek to live up to those accolades daily!” Dr. Johnson concludes, “One of our patients, Mr. Van Tenpenny, recently had this to say about us: ‘My visit to Johnson Audiology has been life changing! After decades of hearing loss, I am able to hear normal conversations in any environment.’ It is our highest ideal to be here for Mr. Tenpenny and the thousands of other patients like him who prioritize their hearing for the best quality of life.” Do you want to get on the road to healthy hearing? Johnson Audiology is currently accepting new patients at all locations. Call today to schedule an appointment or book online at www.johnsonaudiology.com/schedule.

What is Tinnitus? Causes and Symptoms

15 Aug, 2023
Tinnitus, often described as a persistent ringing or buzzing sound in the ears, is a common auditory phenomenon that affects millions of people worldwide. While tinnitus is not a disease itself, it can be a symptom of an underlying issue. At Johnson Audiology, we are committed to helping you understand tinnitus and guiding you through the steps to manage this often-distressing condition. Understanding Tinnitus Tinnitus can vary in intensity and pitch, and it may present as a constant sound or come and go intermittently. It can be caused by a range of factors, including exposure to loud noise, age-related hearing loss, earwax blockage, and even certain medications. Tinnitus can impact your quality of life, leading to sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and emotional distress. Steps to Manage Tinnitus Consult an Audiologist: If you're experiencing tinnitus, the first step is to seek professional help. A university-trained audiologist, a hearing health specialist, can conduct a comprehensive evaluation to determine the underlying cause of your tinnitus and its impact on your hearing. Identify Underlying Causes: Tinnitus often has an underlying cause, such as hearing loss, a medical condition, or exposure to loud noise. An audiologist can help identify these causes and recommend appropriate treatment options. Customized Treatment Plans: Based on the evaluation, your audiologist will develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. Treatment approaches may include: Hearing Aids: If hearing loss is contributing to your tinnitus, hearing aids can help by amplifying external sounds and reducing the perception of the tinnitus. More than 90% of those who have tinnitus, also, have hearing loss, even if the loss is mild. Sound Therapy: Sound therapy involves using external sounds, such as white noise or nature sounds, to mask or distract from the tinnitus noise. Counseling: Counseling and education can help you better understand tinnitus and learn coping strategies to manage its impact on your daily life. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT): TRT combines sound therapy and counseling to help you habituate to the tinnitus and reduce its perception over time. Lifestyle Modifications: Your audiologist may recommend lifestyle changes, such as managing stress, avoiding loud noise exposure, and adopting healthy sleep habits. Monitor and Adjust: Tinnitus management is an ongoing process. Regular follow-up appointments with your audiologist allow for adjustments to treatment plans based on your progress and changing needs. Seek Support: Tinnitus can be emotionally distressing. It is important to seek support from friends, family, and even support groups where you can connect with others who are experiencing similar challenges. While tinnitus can be disruptive, understanding the condition and taking proactive steps to manage it can lead to improved quality of life. At Johnson Audiology, our dedicated team of audiologists is here to guide you through the journey of tinnitus management, providing the expertise and support you need to find relief and regain control over your hearing health. Contact us today to take the first step toward a more peaceful and harmonious auditory experience.
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