Cisplatin Ototoxicity: Signs, Risks, and How to Protect Your Hearing

When you hear cisplatin ototoxicity, the damage to your inner ear caused by the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. Also known as chemotherapy-induced hearing loss, it’s not a rare side effect—it’s one of the most predictable and serious ones, especially in kids and people getting high doses. Unlike nausea or fatigue, this damage doesn’t go away after treatment ends. It’s permanent, often starts quietly with high-pitched ringing or trouble hearing voices in noisy rooms, and gets worse over time.

Cisplatin targets fast-growing cancer cells, but it doesn’t know the difference between a tumor and the tiny hair cells in your inner ear that turn sound into signals your brain understands. Once those cells die, they don’t come back. That’s why ototoxic drugs, medications that harm the ear. Also known as ear-toxic chemicals, it includes more than just cisplatin—gentamicin, carboplatin, and even some diuretics can do the same thing. But cisplatin is the big one, especially for testicular, ovarian, lung, and head and neck cancers. The risk goes up with higher doses, longer treatment, and if you’re already dealing with kidney problems or older age. Kids are especially vulnerable because their ears are still developing.

There’s no magic shield, but there are steps you can take. Hearing tests before, during, and after treatment aren’t optional—they’re essential. If you start noticing ringing, muffled speech, or trouble hearing the TV, speak up right away. Some doctors now use sodium thiosulfate to protect hearing in kids, and research is ongoing for others. Avoid loud noise during treatment, and skip NSAIDs like ibuprofen if you can—they make the damage worse. And don’t assume it’s just aging. If you’re on cisplatin, your hearing loss isn’t normal—it’s a side effect you can manage.

What you’ll find in the posts below aren’t just generic drug guides. These are real, practical stories and science-backed tips from people who’ve walked this path—how to spot early warning signs, what tests to ask for, how to talk to your oncologist about hearing protection, and what alternatives exist when cisplatin’s risks outweigh the benefits. This isn’t about fear. It’s about control.