Opioid use can lead to ototoxicity and trigger deafness, finds study
Opioid-associated ototoxicity is a known complication of opioid exposure, although the mechanism remains unclear.
Opioid use, particularly in high doses, can cause deafness, according to Rutgers researchers.
The study, published in The Journal of Medical Toxicology, reviewed records from the New Jersey Poison Control Center, based at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, from 1999 to 2018 to determine the association between opioid use and degrees of hearing loss.
Researchers identified 41 people with opioid exposure who experienced full or partial hearing loss or tinnitus, likely caused by toxicity to the ear. More than half had used heroin, followed by oxycodone, methadone and tramadol; 88 percent had only one known exposure. Most people reported the condition affecting both ears, with 12 people experiencing deafness, 15 partial or total loss of hearing acuity, 10 tinnitus and four a mix of symptoms.
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