Hearing Loss Archive

When you think of risk factors for hearing loss, over-the-counter pain relievers probably aren't among them. But a Harvard study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that frequent use of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be an important contributor. In the study, women who took the pain relievers at least twice a week were more likely to experience hearing loss, and more frequent usage increased the risk by up to 24%. The findings are similar to a study of men and hearing loss, although aspirin was also found to contribute to risk in that study.

Researchers speculate that the pain relievers may be damaging the cochlea, the snail-shaped hearing mechanism in your inner ear. "Ibuprofen can reduce blood flow to the cochlea, which could result in cellular damage and cell death. Acetaminophen may deplete the antioxidant glutathione, which protects the cochlea from damage," says study author Dr. Sharon Curhan, instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Does this mean you should think twice before popping a pill for headache or back pain? These medicines do provide good pain relief for many people. "However, frequent use of these medications and use over long periods of time may increase the risk of hearing loss 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," says Dr. Curhan. As always, talk to your doctor before making any changes in your medication use.

To learn more about the things that can threaten your hearing, and what you can to do keep this sense sharp and clear, buy Hearing Loss: A guide to prevention and treatment, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. 

When you sense the ground spinning under your feet, it could be vertigo. But there may be a simple remedy.

An episode of dizziness is one of the things most likely to drive you to the doctor—and for good reason. The sense that you're literally losing your footing can be terrifying.

A loss of volume and clarity can interfere with your ability to understand conversations.

Tinnitus can't be cured, but find out about proven treatments for persistent and bothersome sounds.

Look for one that offers ample volume and the ability to turn it up and down as needed.

Q. Over the past few months, I have noticed a constant low-level ringing in my left ear. How can I make it stop?

A. It sounds like you have tinnitus, caused by a malfunction in the hearing nerve, either from loud noises or age-related changes. Pulsatile tinnitus, in which the sound changes in time with your heartbeat, is a special situation often related to blood vessel problems.

People with hearing loss are more likely to have depression. This is particularly true in women.

Don't live in silence, when a hearing aid can restore the sounds you're missing.

Getting older comes with several new challenges. Sight isn't as clear as it used to be. Joints don't move as effortlessly, or as painlessly, as they once did. And hearing everything from conversations to concerts can become more difficult. By age 65, one in three of us will have more trouble hearing the sounds around us. By age 75, that percentage will jump to nearly half.

When everyone around you is mumbling, it may be time for a check-up.

Q. I have positional vertigo and use the Epley maneuver for that. Will the Epley maneuver also help my tinnitus?

A. The Epley maneuver is a series of head movements that can help many people with positional vertigo—a condition that causes dizziness, including a feeling that you are spinning, tilting, off-balance, or about to pass out. This type of vertigo often arises from the inner ear, which is part of the body's balance mechanism. Calcium specks (canaliths) can collect in the inner ear, causing vertigo. The Epley maneuver is intended to reposition these canaliths and diminish or eradicate vertigo. Most benign vertigo gets better with time, medications, the Epley maneuver, or a combination of all three.