painkillers

Here’s another reason to limit the use of common  painkillers: a higher risk of hearing loss.

Ten years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that the widely used nonaspirin painkillers ibuprofen and naproxen — including over-the-counter brands such as Advil, Motrin and Aleve — may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

A small study of obese men found their metabolism improved when they took a daily supplement of resveratrol, the ingredient that's thought to give red wine its health-promoting powers. And the number of overdose deaths from prescription painkillers more than tripled over the last decade, with middle-aged adults leading the pack.

I've never heard that one before. But it may be a reality, according to new research just published in the American Journal of Medicine. The LA Times covers these new findings that the use of aspirin, acetaminophen and other analgesics can potentially double the risk of hearing loss: