Your Hearing Loss may be a Result of Common PainkillersLisa Garber The researchers began their study in 1995, examining 62,261 female subjects, all under 50 years of age. By 2009, women experiencing reduced hearing capability numbered 10,012. Statistics are as follows: Women on acetaminophen showed similar results, though aspirin did not seem to result in hearing loss in this research. Women are not alone in the risk. French, Finnish, and Danish scientists found that taking more than even one mild painkiller at a time during pregnancy could affect an unborn male child by increasing its risk of undescended testicles by 7 times. Cited mild painkillers include ibuprofen, aspirin, and paracetamol. Taking more than one painkiller at a time in the second trimester more than doubled the risk to 16-fold. NSAIDS and Hearing Loss Dr. Sharon Curhan, author of the study on hearing loss, says that painkillers, while found in most family medicine cabinets, are not as benign as we think. Possible mechanisms might be that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may reduce blood flow to the cochleathe hearing organand impair its function. She added, Acetaminophen may deplete factors that protect the cochlea from damage. Painkillers more Dangerous than Illegal Drugs Painkillers pack a heftier punch than most people know. The punch is enough, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to rack up more deaths than cocaine and heroin combined, as well as traffic accident fatalities. Aspirin alone has been tied to: Think twice before turning to your medicine cabinet. Additional Sources: Explore More: 