Medications That Can Affect Your Balance

Medication can be lifesaving, especially when you’re recovering from a surgery or a particularly bad illness, but some medications can also increase your risk of harmful falls, which accounts for a large number of hospitalizations for older adults each year. 

These medications can help you cure illness and pain, but they can sometimes cause blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, impaired alertness or judgment, poor balance, and weakened muscles. 

Taking multiple medications at once can increase your risk and the severity of your side effects, no matter your age, but older adults are especially vulnerable to negative side effects, as we absorb and respond to drugs differently as we get older. 

If you’re concerned about whether your medication is leading to feeling unsteady on your feet, our balance specialists can help address your imbalance and help you get back to steady walking once more. 

Medicines That Can Cause Dizziness and Imbalance 

There’s a lengthy list of medicines that can lead to side effects affecting your balance, including but not limited to: 

• Antidepressant drugs, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) 

• Anti-anxiety drugs, such as benzodiazepines 

• Anticholinergic/antispasmodic drugs, which are used to treat stomach cramps 

• Antihistamines, typically used to address allergies 

• Blood pressure medication, like diuretics, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) 

• Diabetes drugs, such as insulin, glipizide (Glucotrol), and glyburide (diabetes and others) 

• Heart medication, such as beta blockers and nitrates 

• Painkillers, such as opioids and gabapentin (Neurontin) 

• Sleep aids, such as zolpidem (Ambien) 

Some medications are more likely to affect your balance than others – but many of these drugs are surprisingly difficult to avoid when you’re in need of medication to address a health issue. 

How Do I Avoid Dizziness While Taking Medication? 

If you’re taking medication to recover from an illness or pain, it’s wise to keep the number of medications you’re taking to a minimum and try not to mix them to avoid side effects that could lead to harmful falls and dizziness. 

Routinely discussing your medications with your doctor will help you manage side effects and monitor changes as needed. 

Address Balance Disorders with West Coast Hearing & Balance 

If you’re concerned about your balance or feel unsteady on your feet as you walk, our specialized team is here to help. 

We offer state-of-the-art technology that only a few clinics in the US provide for balance testing, so you can rest assured that our team of experts will help you address your balance concerns with the latest technology and knowledge around!