Using painkilling drugs every day can increase the risk of developing tinnitus by 20%

Using over-the-counter pain relievers regularly can have an unexpected, potentially debilitating, side-effects to a person’s hearing, a new study finds.

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, found that women who use over-the-counter drugs like Advil or Tylenol frequently days a week are up to 20 percent more likely to suffer from tinnitus.

Younger women included in the study were found to suffer a higher risk, researchers found. 

Tinnitus is a condition suffered by around 20 million Americans that causes them to hear sounds that are not present. It is most frequently associated with ringing in the ears, but it can also manifest itself as other ambient sounds.

The condition can be debilitating to some, and cause major negative impact on their way of life.

Researchers warn that overusing ‘safe’, easily accessible, drugs can still cause problems down the line and people should make sure they are only using what they need.

‘Our findings suggest that analgesic users may be at higher risk for developing tinnitus and may provide insight into the precipitants of this challenging disorder,’ Dr Sharon Curhan, lead author of the study and a physician at Brigham, said in a statement. 

‘Even though these analgesics are widely available without a prescription, these are still medications, and there are potential side effects.’

The researchers, who published their findings last week in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, gathered data from nearly 70,000 women who took part in a Conservation of Hearing Study – a large-scale investigation into hearing loss and tinnitus.

The study began 20 years ago, where a group of women aged 31 to 48 were regularly screened for hearing loss or other auditory conditions.

Women were also regularly asked about daily lifestyle choices and activities, and for this specific study, data about over the counter medications was used.

They found that women who regularly used COX-2 inhibitors like Celecoxib, twice or more per week have a 20 percent increased risk of developing tinnitus.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, often called NSAIDs, like Aleve and Advil used frequently with acetaminophen – Tylenol – can increase risk of tinnitus by 20 percent as well.

Using moderate doses of aspirins six or seven days out of the week was also found to elevate tinnitus risk by 20 percent. 

‘Based on these findings, it will be informative to examine whether avoidance of analgesics may help alleviate tinnitus symptoms,’ Curhan said. 

‘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.’

‘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.’ 

While cases of tinnitus are usually mild, more severe cases can lead to disrupted sleep cycles, cause anxiety, irritability, concentration issues and depression (file photo)

Tinnitus is a generally overlooked condition that can have severe negative effects on a person’s overall quality of life.

The Mayo Clinic warns that the condition can disrupt sleep cycles, cause anxiety, irritability, concentration issues and depression.

There is no ‘cure’ for the conditions, can it can be treated using hearing aids and some relaxation therapies have also showed promise combating the condition. 

A majority of cases, while annoying, never reach the extent to which any of these measures are required.