Persistent Tinnitus after Inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT)

A 39-year-old man with past polysubstance use disorder and depression developed tinnitus after inhaling DMT, though he was also microdosing LSD weekly. The ringing caused distress and anxiety, leading him to seek help from an audiologist, primary care doctor, and psychopharmacologist. Tinnitus lasted several months, but its intensity and his ability to cope improved over time. Taking psilocybin mushrooms worsened the tinnitus on two occasions, after which he stopped using psychedelics. While psychedelics are known to cause acute auditory changes, this is the first probable case linking DMT to persistent tinnitus. The report reviews possible mechanisms connecting psychedelics and tinnitus.

Study at a glance

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.