Women who consumed two or more over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers per week had more risk of developing hearing loss.

A recent study conducted in the United States of America show that women who consumed at least two or more over-the-counter painkillers per week for a period of 6 years developed hearing loss.  The study was conducted on 56,000 women who were on either one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen.

The OTC drugs do not require any prescription restriction for the sale, but people taking these drugs have an increased risk of developing side effects.  They require monitoring of various parameters.  However, they have a higher risk of developing hypertension and hearing impairment.

The OTC drugs were safe when they were used for a short period of time, but turned out to be harmful over a long duration of time.  During the course of the study, 19,000 women developed a hearing loss due to over usage of OTC drugs.

The hearing loss that occurred due to OTC drugs may also be associated with other co-existing conditions.  Hence, people suffering from hearing loss should relieve pain by performing exercises and physical therapy to prevent the adverse effects of OTC drugs.