Persistent Tinnitus after Inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – November 26, 2020
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
A unique case links hallucinogen use to persistent ear ringing. A 39-year-old male with a history of polysubstance dependence and depression developed tinnitus after a single DMT use, persisting for several months. The context included weekly LSD microdosing. Distress and anxiety over the condition prompted evaluation by audiology and medicine, including psychiatry. Psilocybin microdoses exacerbated symptoms on two occasions. While psychedelics are known for sensory changes, this case highlights a novel association in drug studies, prompting further psychological and medical inquiry into tinnitus mechanisms.
Abstract
This case report describes a 39-year-old male with remote history of polysubstance use disorder and depression who developed tinnitus after use of inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Although development of ear ringing was attributed to use on a single occasion, tinnitus occurred within the context of a larger self-experiment involving weekly microdoses of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Distress and anxiety over the ear ringing prompted evaluation by an audiologist, primary care physician, and consultant psychopharmacologist. Tinnitus persisted for several months, although intensity and ability to cope with symptoms improved over time. A microdose of psilocybin mushrooms exacerbated tinnitus on two separate occasions, after which psychedelics were discontinued. Psychedelics are associated with a range of acute sensory changes including auditory phenomenon, although have not previously been associated with tinnitus in medical literature. Here, we present a probable case of tinnitus associated with DMT use and review potential underlying mechanisms connecting psychedelics and tinnitus.