• image.alt
  • With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist

    Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.

    read biography

Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Question

Tinnitus causes: Could my antidepressant be the culprit?

Can Zoloft and other antidepressants cause ringing in the ears? If so, what can I do about it?

Answer

from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.

Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) can be caused by many medications, including antidepressants such as Zoloft. If your antidepressant causes tinnitus, switching to another medication may alleviate the problem.

Because there are many potential tinnitus causes — including aging, allergies, aspirin, certain infections, and certain autoimmune, neurological and psychiatric disorders — talk to your doctor if you experience ringing in your ears. He or she can help determine whether your antidepressant or another factor is causing your tinnitus.

In addition to managing your medications, other tinnitus treatments may include hearing aids, hearing aid-like devices that deliver low-level sounds to reduce the perception of ringing (masking), cognitive therapy, biofeedback, tinnitus retraining therapy, and treating conditions that are causing your tinnitus.

Next question
Antidepressant side effects: Is bone loss a concern?

AN01842

May 8, 2008

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger