LOS ANGELES — New research suggests that regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and other analgesics can substantially increase the risk of hearing loss, especially in men younger than 50.
Researchers report in the American Journal of Medicine that use of acetaminophen more than twice a week by such men doubles the risk of hearing loss; use of ibuprofen and related nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increases the risk by nearly two-thirds; and regular use of aspirin increases it by about a third.
Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in the United States, afflicting more than 36 million people. It is prevalent in the elderly, but about a third of those ages 40 to 49 already suffer some hearing loss.
Common risk factors include loud noises, alcohol, hypertension, diabetes and the use of the diuretic furosemide.
Studies in animals and anecdotal reports in humans indicate high doses of the analgesics can interfere with hearing, but there have been few studies looking at regular use and none studying acetaminophen (one brand name is Tylenol), according to the authors.
The researchers cautioned that the study group involved only men and that most of them were Caucasian.
