Study Finds Link Between Hearing Loss and Painkillers

A study conducted by researchers from Harvard University, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Vanderbilt University and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary found that regular use of pain killers such as aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of hearing loss in men below 60.
 
Investigators compiled responses from participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, which tracked over 26,000 men every two years for 18 years. A questionnaire inquired about analgesic use, hearing loss and a variety of physiological, medical and demographic factors. The data showed that men below 60 were a third more likely to have hearing problems if they regularly took aspirin. However there was no greater risk in those over 60, the findings suggest. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include Ibuprofen, were found to increase the risk by 61 per cent for those under 50, 32 per cent for those in their 50s and 16 per cent for those aged 60 and over. The results were published in the American Journal of Medicine.

One of the authors of the study, Dr Sharon Curhan from the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, noted that "Regular use of (these drugs) might increase the risk of adult hearing loss, particularly in younger individuals.  Given the high prevalence of regular analgesic use and health and social implications of hearing impairment, this represents an important public health issue."

As always, consult your physician if you have questions about the risks of using any prescription or over-the-counter medication.