Jan 06, 2019
Greg asked
Can gabapentin cause ringing in the ear? Been on drug for 3 weeks at 300mg and 1 week at 400mg. Ringing appeared after increasing my dose.
At a glance
- Even though gabapentin can cause tinnitus, it is sometimes used off-label to treat it. Most studies suggest that it isn't very effective.
Answer
Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is a listed side effect of Neurontin (gabapentin).
Interestingly enough, even though gabapentin can cause ringing in the ears, it is sometimes prescribed off-label for the treatment of it. Nevertheless, the vast majority of studies report that the drug is no more effective than placebo in this regard.
Just how often gabapentin causes ringing in the ears isn't known. The prescribing information for the drug simply lists it as an 'infrequent' side effect, with no incidence rate:
References
- Elsevier ClinicalKey: Gabapentin Monograph (Accessed 1/7/19)
- Prescription Medications, Drugs, Herbs & Chemicals Associated with Tinnitus. Link (Accessed 1/7/19)
- Relief of Idiopathic Subjective Tinnitus Is Gabapentin Effective? Link (Accessed 1/7/19)
- Gabapentin for Tinnitus: A Systematic Review. Link (Accessed 1/7/19)
- Ototoxicity: The Hidden Menace. PubMed (Accessed 1/7/19)
- A probable case of gabapentin-related reversible hearing loss in a patient with acute renal failure. PubMed (Accessed 1/7/19)
- Effect of gabapentin on the sensation and impact of tinnitus. PubMed (Accessed 1/7/19)
