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Do you ever find yourself at the end of a busy day with a headache and reach for the Tylenol or Motrin? Often all it takes is drinking more water or getting rest to relieve symptoms of aches and pains, however, in our busy world with work and other obligations we don’t always have the option to take the time we need to self-heal. Over the counter (OTC) pain medicines such as acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen have become incredibly commonplace in our lives as quick fixes to help take the pain away—however, they may have greater implications for our health than we suspect. New data analysis from the large Nurses’ Health Study II recently discovered that women who reported frequent use of over-the-counter painkillers were more likely to report a history of tinnitus, as well.
What is Tinnitus?
Have you ever settled into bed or found a quiet place to rest and reflect only to be confronted front and center with a ringing in your ears that won’t quit? This is tinnitus, a phantom sound which has no external source and can take a wide range of forms from a whoosh, roar, hum, whistle or even music.
Tinnitus—All too Common
It’s estimated that in the United States alone, around 50 million people report some degree of tinnitus. 1 in 10 people report frequent tinnitus while around 2 million report tinnitus symptoms so severe that they are debilitating. What starts as just a persistent hum or buzz can become progressively more stressful as symptoms refuse to subside. With its arrival, symptoms bring on chronic stress, interrupting sleep and interfering with concentration during the day. Chronic stress releases cortisol in the body- which signals fight or flight. This means your body is in constant panic, raising blood pressure to dangerous levels, increasing your risk of heart issues or stroke.
What Causes Tinnitus?
There is no solid answer to this in scientific communities, however, the leading theory revolves around its connection to damage in the inner ear. While not everyone with hearing loss has tinnitus, at least 90 percent of people with tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss. Have you ever left a loud night club or concert with a ringing in your ears? This signifies that you’ve sustained some degree of noise induced hearing damage. There are tiny hair-like cells in your inner ear which are tasked with delivering soundwaves to your brain. When they become damaged due to loud noise, certain chemicals, impact to the head or chronic infection, they can send a sort of intentional feedback to the brain. This feedback is perceived as the symptoms of tinnitus.
A Study on OTC Painkillers on Tinnitus
Certain medications are ototoxic, meaning that they can damage the hair cells of the inner ear. Among this list of medications are OTC pain medications. In a longitudinal study led by Dr. Sharon G Curhan, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, researchers examined an overlap between women who take common OTC pain relievers and a history of tinnitus. The pain relievers included aspirin and acetaminophen and other NSAIDs like naproxen. “Frequent use” was defined as taking the medication every day or almost every day. The results of the study found:
- Frequent use (6 to 7 days per week) of aspirin was associated with a 16 percent higher risk of tinnitus among women aged younger than 60 but not among older women.
- Frequent use of acetaminophen was associated with nearly a 20 percent higher risk of developing tinnitus.
- Regular use (two or more days per week) of prescription-only COX-2 inhibitors (such as Celebrex) was associated with a 20 percent higher risk of developing tinnitus.
Ototoxic drugs can be harmful to hearing
“OTC analgesics clearly have benefits with short-term use. However, frequent use of these medications and use over long periods of time may increase the risk of tinnitus and may cause other adverse health effects,” says Curhan, “Therefore, it is important to take these medications mindfully and to limit their use as much as possible, and to discuss any change in medication use, whether prescription or non-prescription, with your health-care provider.”
If you think you’ve sustained some type of tinnitus from OTC medications, it could denote a hearing loss. Schedule a hearing exam with us today and stay on top of your hearing health.