Everyday
Pain Relievers May Be Linked to Hearing Loss in Some Women
Long-term use of
over-the-counter pain relievers may be associated with increased risk
of hearing loss in some women, a new study says.
Women who used ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for six years or more were more likely to
suffer hearing loss than those who used the pain relievers
for a year or less, said researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in
Boston.
"Although the magnitude of
higher risk of hearing loss with analgesic use was modest, given how commonly
these medications are used, even a small increase in risk could have important
health implications," study senior author Dr. Gary Curhan said in a
hospital news release.
"Assuming causality, this would
mean that approximately 16.2 percent of hearing loss occurring in these women
could be due to ibuprofen or acetaminophen use," said Curhan, a physician
in the division of network medicine.
The study doesn't establish a
cause-and-effect relationship, however.
For the study, Curhan's team
analyzed data from more than 54,000 women, ages 48 to 73, in the Nurses' Health
Study.
Longer use of ibuprofen or
acetaminophen was associated with potentially higher risk of impaired hearing.
The researchers noted that most of
the women in the study were older and white. They said larger studies that
include other groups of people are needed to learn more about the possible link
between pain relievers and hearing loss. The research team previously found
that higher use of acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) was associated with increased risk of hearing loss
in men and younger women.
"Hearing loss is extremely
common in the United States and can have a profound impact on quality of
life," Curhan said. "Finding modifiable risk factors could help us
identify ways to lower risk before hearing loss begins and slow progression in
those with hearing loss."
The study
results were published Dec. 14 in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
23.12.2016
Accept
what is, let go of what was and have faith in what will be
Sonia
Ricotti
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