PAIN KILLERS & HEARING LOSS

Whenever a patient tells me that they've stopped using pain pills, I always tell them that their stomach, liver, and kidneys will also be grateful. Surprisingly, it turns out that less pain pills will also help preserve your hearing. A study published recently in the American Journal of Medicine found an association between regular use of over the counter pain killers and hearing loss. The researchers from Harvard and Vanderbilt in the U.S. concluded that "regular use of aspirin, NSAIDs, or acetaminophen increases the risk of hearing loss in men, and the impact is larger on younger individuals." For men that were taking more than 2 pain pills every week the risk of hearing loss was much greater than those taking less than 2 per week. Remember, that covering up symptoms like pain may help you feel better temporarily, but you are potentially creating other long-term problems. Specific chiropractic care helps you function and feel better, which often results in less pain, naturally.