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Regular analgesic use increases hearing loss in men
Elsevier Health Sciences ^ | Mar 1, 2010 | Unknown

Posted on 03/01/2010 4:31:32 AM PST by decimon

According to new study published in the American Journal of Medicine

New York, NY, March 1, 2010 – In a study published in the March 2010 issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers determined that regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of hearing loss in men, particularly in younger men, below age 60.

Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in the US, afflicting over 36 million people. Not only is hearing loss highly prevalent among the elderly, but approximately one third of those aged 40-49 years already suffer from hearing loss. Even mild hearing loss can compromise the ability to understand speech in the presence of background noise or multiple speakers, leading to social isolation, depression, and poorer quality of life.

Investigators from Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Vanderbilt University and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston looked at factors other than age and noise that might influence the risk of hearing lose. Aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen are the 3 most commonly used drugs in the US. The ototoxic effects of aspirin are well known and the ototoxicity of NSAIDs has been suggested, but the relation between acetaminophen and hearing loss has not been examined previously. The relationship between these drugs and hearing loss is an important public health issue.

Study participants were drawn from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, which tracked over 26,000 men every 2 years for 18 years. A questionnaire determined analgesic use, hearing loss and a variety of physiological, medical and demographic factors.

For aspirin, regular users under 50 and those aged 50-59 years were 33% more likely to have hearing loss than were nonregular users, but there was no association among men aged 60 years and older. For NSAIDs, regular users aged under 50 were 61% more likely, those aged 50-59 were 32% more likely, and those aged 60 and older were 16% more likely to develop hearing loss than nonregular users of NSAIDs. For acetaminophen, regular users aged under 50 were 99% more likely, regular users aged 50-59 were 38% more likely, and those aged 60 and older were 16% more likely to have hearing loss than nonregular users of acetaminophen.

Writing in the article, Sharon G. Curhan, MD, ScM, Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, and colleagues state, "Regular use of analgesics, specifically aspirin, NSAIDs, and acetaminophen, might increase the risk of adult hearing loss, particularly in younger individuals. Given the high prevalence of regular analgesic use and health and social implications of hearing impairment, this represents an important public health issue."

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The article is "Analgesic Use and the Risk of Hearing Loss in Men" by Sharon G. Curhan, MD, ScM, Roland Eavey, MD, Josef Shargorodsky, MD, Gary C. Curhan, MD, ScD. It appears in The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 123, Issue 3 (March 2010) published by Elsevier.


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Science
KEYWORDS: aspirin; health

1 posted on 03/01/2010 4:31:32 AM PST by decimon
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To: neverdem; DvdMom

NSAID but not heard ping.


2 posted on 03/01/2010 4:32:23 AM PST by decimon
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To: decimon

There’s something to it, I suspect. I take an aspirin a day and often have trouble hearing Mrs ComputerGuy.


3 posted on 03/01/2010 4:33:44 AM PST by ComputerGuy (0bamas IQ = (100 + 85) / 2)
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To: decimon

I wonder what “regular” use is, exactly.


4 posted on 03/01/2010 4:33:50 AM PST by Tax-chick (Cheeseburgers, parrots, volcanos, boats, rum, kittens, machine guns ...)
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To: decimon

I believe listening to crap music in cars where it rocks my car sitting next to it causes much more hearing loss.


5 posted on 03/01/2010 4:36:24 AM PST by Venturer
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To: Venturer; decimon

I can see a cumulative effect happening - a guy listens to loud music (especially with headphones), gets a headache, takes aspirin or Tylenol, suffers hearing loss, turns the music up, gets a headache, etc.


6 posted on 03/01/2010 4:37:40 AM PST by Tax-chick (Cheeseburgers, parrots, volcanos, boats, rum, kittens, machine guns ...)
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To: decimon
approximately one third of those aged 40-49 years already suffer from hearing loss.
I wonder about the contribution of longer exposure to personal "noise makers" to this age group like headphones, Walkmans, ridiculously loud car stereos, etc.

7 posted on 03/01/2010 4:43:45 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: decimon

Huh?


8 posted on 03/01/2010 4:43:53 AM PST by Adder (Proudly ignoring Zero since 1-20-09! WTFU!)
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To: decimon
McCartney tried to warn us years ago.....

Oh -- Yes, Indeed We Know
That People Will Find A Way To Go
No Matter What The NSAID
And Love Is Fine For All We Know
For All We Know, Our Love Will Grow
-- That's What The NSAID
So Won't You Listen To What The NSAID

9 posted on 03/01/2010 5:12:51 AM PST by edpc (Those Lefties just ain't right)
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To: decimon

“...particularly in younger men, below age 60.”

Woo Hoo! It’s official, I am a “younger man”. In your face, grandkids!


10 posted on 03/01/2010 5:30:10 AM PST by pappyone (New to Freep, still working a tag line.)
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To: decimon

I think it startling to learn that hearing loss is so prevalent in our country among younger individuals, and that none of these Havard types think to address that directly. A study like this is compromised unless you take into consideration some of the reasons people are taking aceteminophin on a regular basis. Is it the Tylenol causing the hearing loss or ,as many have suggested here, the initial reason ( loud music, loud noise) for taking the medicine?


11 posted on 03/01/2010 5:30:13 AM PST by sueuprising
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To: decimon

I can tell when I have taken aspirin or other pain reliever for a little too long. It kicks up the volume of my tinnitus.


12 posted on 03/01/2010 5:48:52 AM PST by Grammy (Politics. .......( poli ) many ( tics ) blood suckers)
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To: decimon

I have a severe hearing loss due to auto-immune disease. When I take aspirin/NSAID for pain, my ears ring like crazy! I know first hand the effects of these medications have on hearing. Hearing loss is currently considered an epidemic. Most people see it as a sign of aging and in severe denial. Future generations will be better at handling this.


13 posted on 03/01/2010 6:07:49 AM PST by crymeariver (Good news...in a way)
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To: decimon

ANOTER BS ARTICLE, another bogus tax funded study. Hubby’s hearing loss is due to working around jet aircraft on a Navy carrier (20 year Navy Vet). He takes advil 3 times a day for arthritis. Hearing loss started BEFORE he was advised to take the advil.

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Rename, repackage, rewrite it a tad smaller, and sell another pig in a poke. NO COLAs for granny, retired Military or retired fed employees. BIG NEW fees for Tricare for Life retired over 65 Military’s secondary health ins.
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Friday, February 19, 2010

Obama says slight fix will extend Social Security
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Health Care Rationing for Seniors Another Problem in New Obama Plan http://www.lifenews.com/bio3058.html
Medicare tax may apply to investment income (ObamaCare tax hike)
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SOCIALIZED MED THREAD http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2461394/posts
TRI CARE FOR LIFE This from a google search:

http://economicspolitics.blogspot.com/2009/05/tricare-for-life-is-obama-trying-to.html

This option would help reduce the costs of TFL, as well as costs for Medicare, by introducing minimum out-of pocket requirements for beneficiaries. Under this option, TFL would not cover any of the first $525 of an enrollee’s cost-sharing liabilities for calendar year 2011 and would limit coverage to 50 percent of the next $4,725 in Medicare cost sharing that the beneficiary incurred. (Because all further cost sharing would be covered by TFL, enrollees could not pay more than $2,888 in cost sharing in that year.) http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9925/12-18-HealthOptions.pdf

http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/hcva09/hcva110609-1.htm
Bill Would Restrict Veterans’ Health Care Options 11/06/09
Buyer and McKeon Offer Amendments to Protect Veterans and TRICARE Beneficiaries

Congress plans to block Tricare fee increases
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/military_tricarefees_blocked_100709w

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/10/military_tricarefees_blocked_100709w/

By Rick Maze - Staff writer, Oct 7, 2009

Tricare fee increases imposed last week by the Defense Department will be repealed by a provision of the compromise 2010 defense authorization bill unveiled Wednesday by House and Senate negotiators.
Snip The fee increases were announced on Sept. 30 and took effect on Oct. 1, but the defense bill, HR 2647, includes a provision barring any fee increases until the start of fiscal 2011.

Snip

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Bill Matz, president of the National Association for Uniformed Services, said the announcement of fee increases was shocking considering that the Obama administration promised earlier this year to hold off on any new fee Tricare fee increases until fiscal 2011.

“President Obama and DoD assured NAUS and the entire military family earlier this year that there would rightly be no increases in any Tricare fees” in fiscal 2010, Matz said. “We took them at their word, and I can’t believe that a co-pay increase like this was allowed to go forward,” he added.


14 posted on 03/01/2010 6:31:50 AM PST by GailA (obamacare paid for by cuts & taxes on most vulnerable Veterans, disabled,seniors & retired Military)
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