Health

Increased risk of tinnitus with regular use of pain relievers


Millions of Americans suffer from tinnitus, often to a disabling degree.

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Often described as “tinnitus,” tinnitus can also occur when there are various perceptions of sounds, such as humming, hissing, whistling, pinching, and clicking. Tinnitus can be transient or temporary, or it can be a persistent, long-term condition.

Aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen are some of the most commonly used medications, widely available without a prescription, and considered safe.

Researchers investigated whether regular use of common doses of pain relievers was associated with an increased risk of developing chronic persistent tinnitus.

Lead author Sharon Curhan, MD, ScM, of Brigham’s Channing’s Division of Network Medicine, said: “Our findings suggest that people who use pain relievers may be at higher risk for tinnitus and can provide detailed information about the causative agent of this difficult disorder.

Researchers conducted the study on 69,455 women who participated in a large, ongoing longitudinal investigation that looked at the risk factors for hearing loss and tinnitus among participants in several studies. Potentially large cohort studies are underway.

The women were between the ages of 31 and 48 at the time of admission and were followed for more than 20 years. The primary outcome examined was a persistent (new-onset) incident tinnitus, defined as tinnitus experienced by participants several days per week or more.

They also examined alternative definitions of tinnitus, including persistent tinnitus lasting 5 minutes or longer and daily tinnitus.

Participants answered questions (before developing tinnitus) about their use of over-the-counter pain relievers as well as their use of a COX-2 inhibitor, a prescription NSAID with similar properties. Similar to other NSAIDS but with fewer gastrointestinal side effects.

Research results show that Regular use (6 to 7 days per week) of moderate-dose aspirin was associated with a 16% higher risk of tinnitus in women younger than 60 years but not in older women..

Regular use of an NSAID or regular use of acetaminophen was associated with an almost 20% higher risk of developing tinnitus, and the high levels of risk tended to be greater with more frequent use.

Regular use (2 or more days per week) of a COX-2 inhibitor was associated with a 20% higher risk of developing tinnitus.

The authors note that information about the use of tinnitus pain relievers was self-reported by the participants. Due to the nature of the condition, subjective tinnitus is felt only by the individual, so researchers should base their own reports on their own reports.

Source: Medindia



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