If you are in the habit of taking over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen or aspirin, you may be at risk of hearing loss. Gaurav Upreti, 45, a bank executive, was living a normal life when, after a brief illness in 2016, he started taking painkillers.Also read – What is covid ear and how can coronavirus lead to symptoms of tinnitus, vertigo or hearing loss?
The following year he began to suffer from hearing loss, but he operated with many hearing aids until 2020 when he suffered permanent hearing loss. Also read – Coronavirus New Symptoms: The second wave brings 3 new signs of COVID-19 that should not be taken lightly
Hearing loss had a profound effect on their communication skills, married life and career. He then underwent bilateral cochlear implantation on the advice of doctors. Also read – Coronavirus: Symptoms of tinnitus, vertigo, or hearing loss associated with COVID-19
Cochlear implant surgery is effective in patients who are congenitally deaf and who have hearing loss due to a variety of external factors, including drug-induced hearing loss and infection.
“Upreti is an excellent example of where the use of painkillers leads to hearing loss. Excessive drug abuse, use of painkillers, patients on dialysis or anti-cancer drugs, persistent noise pollution are high risk factors for hearing loss, said Sumit Mrig, Principal Consultant and Head ENT at Max Smart Super. Specialty Hospital, who performed the surgery.
“Sometimes, patients get to the point where no hearing aid can help them and then only cochlear implants are the solution. The message is that one should not rely on over-the-counter painkillers that can cause hearing loss, “he added.
Upreti has improved significantly after surgery and rehabilitation, the doctor said.
A recent study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that people who frequently use over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen have a 20 percent increased risk of developing tinnitus.
Dr. According to Atul Kumar Mittal, Director, Ear Nose and Throat, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, drug-related hearing loss is known as autotoxicity.
“It causes sensorineural hearing loss where the hearing nerve hair cells are affected. It can cause sudden hearing loss or slow hearing loss, ”Mittal told IANS.
“However, autotoxicity only occurs if painkillers are taken in large doses over a long period of time,” he added.
Some drugs, especially some antibiotics and chemotherapy agents, also cause autotoxicity.
But it is usually found to be reversible after stopping the drug, Mittal said.
In another study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers at Harvard University speculated that pain may damage the cochlea, a snail-shaped hearing system in your inner ear.
“Ibuprofen can reduce blood flow to the cochlea, which can lead to cellular damage and cell death. Acetaminophen can eliminate the antioxidant glutathione, which protects the cochlea from damage, “said Dr. Sharon Kurhan, a medical instructor at Harvard Medical School.
But does this mean you should think twice before taking a pill for a headache or back pain?
Experts note that the key is to use drugs carefully and to limit their use as much as possible.
(Inputs via IANS)
