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For some men, hearing loss could be an unexpected consequence of using OTC pain relievers.
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Men who regularly use readily available, over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin and acetaminophen, may be putting their hearing in jeopardy. New research, published in the American Journal of Medicine, found that men who took analgesics just two or more times a week on a regular basis were at greater risk of hearing loss than those who took the drugs less frequently.
THE DETAILS: In the study, researchers assessed 26,917 men aged 40 to 74 starting in 1986. Study subjects completed detailed questionnaires that year and every two years thereafter. Results showed that each of the analgesics under review was independently associated with hearing loss, which occurred as early as a year after subjects began taking the drugs. With nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, risk increased the longer the men used the drugs. What’s more, the analgesic association with hearing loss was stronger among men age 50 or younger than it was with older men.
WHAT IT MEANS: The study is a reminder that routine use of medicines, even ones sold without a prescription, can have unexpected consequences. Fortunately, the odds of significant hearing loss remain low even with regular analgesic use. “The overall risk of diagnosed hearing loss in the U.S. is about 1 percent per year, or one in a hundred individuals,” says study coauthor Sharon G. Curhan, MD, of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “Regular use of analgesics pushes the incidence higher, but in terms of absolute numbers, it’s still a relatively low risk." She and her team are not trying to overemphasize the impact of analgesics, she says. However, she notes that they may have identified one of the few preventable causes of hearing loss.
Read on to see how to protect your hearing.
Pills placebos
As a New York city fireman after a debilitating injury and taking many pain killers ,I found a wonderful therapy called the Feldenkrais method.After three private lessons my pain was totally gone and I didn't have to resort to taking pain medication.After a 4 year training program I became a practitoner and have found great joy in helping others to move and feel better.
lost my pain without pills
Many of our aches and pains are caused by poor movement and postural habits. They could stem from well meaning parents putting us sitting or standing before our muscular skeletal system was ready for the load - therefore causing compensatory patterns which can become problematic, causing another layer of compensatory issues....
They could stem from accidents and their compensations. Residual maladjustments even if small can cause havoc in the long run.
There is one method your doctor might not have heard of but is very effective in helping to (re-)learn new/forgotten movement sequences to alleviate pain. The Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Reeducation might do the trick for you. It did for me. The loss of the cartilage in my right knee caused by poor alignment was very painful. Through the Feldenkrais Method I learned to align myself differently and organize my movements more efficiently without unnecessary deviations and effort. I'm pain free now without any medication and move better than ever. I even seem to get a handle on my occational migraines now. It's not 100% yet, but I see that coming too.
So, for any muscular/skeletal issues I'd try Feldenkrais (rhymes with nice) first. After my knee recovery I even took the Feldenkrais Training and am a practitioner now myself.
For elevated blood pressure there is another easy thing to learn out there: The Sounder Sleep System. Designed for insomniacs it relaxes the body, calms the mind and as it turns out as a nice side effect lowers high blood pressure.
For anyone eager to actively take part in their healing/recovery/ or simply want to improve their performance/skills in sports, work…, these are two enjoyable, easy and affordable ways to do it and ditch the pills.
Dead Men Don't Go Deaf.
This is useful information, but I think I'll continue taking aspirin daily to lower my risk of heart attack and stroke.