Consuming ibuprofen or paracetamol regularly for more than 6 years increases the risk of hearing damage. In high doses, aspirin also carries risks.
Tinnitus, wheezing, deafness… More than half of people over 65 suffer from these disorders. Hearing loss that can be related to illness, trauma, or drug toxicities. A study published in theAmerican Journal of Epidemiology confirms, in fact, that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, contribute to the destruction of cells essential for hearing. A negative impact is also observed with a long intake of Doliprane.
Researchers at Harvard School of Medicine came to these conclusions by studying health data from more than 54,000 women aged 48 to 73. Analysis of this information suggests that prolonged use (over 6 years) of paracetamol or ibuprofen is linked to hearing loss of 10% and 9%, respectively.
Results that have also been observed in men. A study published in 2010 conducted among 26,000 volunteers showed that regular users of paracetamol between the ages of 50 and 59 have a 38% higher risk of hearing loss than men who do not take this medicine regularly.
No confirmed link for aspirin
On the other hand, this study does not shed light on a link between the use of aspirin and the occurrence of deafness. However, the scientific literature has shown that at doses between 10 and 15 mg per 100 mL of blood, the dosage taken to calm a migraine or toothache, mild hearing deficits could occur. However, this hearing loss is hardly noticeable. But if the dose reaches close to 20 mg / mL of blood, patients with normal hearing may complain of wheezing or tinnitus.
The National Research and Safety Institute (INRS) explains that aspirin causes this damage by modifying the behavior of the outer hair cells present in the cochlea. These cells play a crucial role in hearing by contracting under the effect of sound vibrations, which amplifies the signal.
The researchers speculate that they did not observe this association because these high dosages of aspirin have become rare over the past two decades. In fact, they are more worried about the risk of deafness linked to the consumption of paracetamol and ibuprofen, two drugs widely prescribed.
“Although the increase in risk is moderate, it should be noted that a low dose of these drugs has an effect and could have important repercussions, underlines Gary Curhan, head of the work. If we assume that there is a cause and effect relationship, that would mean that about 16.2% of hearing problems in women are due to the use of ibuprofen or paracetamol ”. The authors stress, however, that these conclusions must be validated in other independent cohorts and by other teams of researchers.
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