Headache? Backache? At the first signs of pain, hurry to calm the bodily suffering and take painkillers?
According to a study by American researchers, women who took acetaminophen or ibuprofen several times a week were at an increased risk of hearing loss. The more women took any of these analgesics, the higher the risk of hearing loss.
Moreover, the relationship between these drugs and hearing loss was more common in women under the age of 50, especially those who took ibuprofen almost daily. As for aspirin, no connection between its use and hearing loss has been identified.
“Perhaps the mechanism is that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs interfere with the full supply of blood to the auditory cochlea and interfere with its functioning,” said study leader Sharon Kurhan, MD from Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Although analgesics can be bought over the counter everywhere, they are still drugs that have potential side effects, researchers warn. If someone needs to take such medications regularly, they should consult a doctor, discuss the risks and benefits, and consider other possible options.
More than 50% of adult Americans aged 60 years already suffer from high frequency hearing loss (partial hearing loss). One-third of women over the age of 50 and almost two-thirds after the age of 60 experience a certain degree of hearing loss.
World Health Organization statistics are menacing: hearing loss is the sixth most common adult disease in high-income countries.
