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From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems)
Newsgroups: net.bio,net.misc
Subject: Re: Re: Does aspirin inhibit oxidative phosphorylation?
Message-ID: <2574@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 15-Jan-86 13:38:21 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2574
Posted: Wed Jan 15 13:38:21 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 20-Jan-86 03:44:47 EST
References: <1038@bnl44.UUCP> <688@kitty.UUCP> <2500@amdahl.UUCP> <704@kitty.UUCP>
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Xref: watmath net.bio:341 net.misc:9145
Summary: Aspirin does cause increased risk of hearing loss, despite ringing...

In article <704@kitty.UUCP>, larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) writes:
> > > 	The major pharmacological action of aspirin is inhibition of various
> > > prostagladins, resulting in:
> > ... list of effects ...
> > 
> > Not listed was another:  aspirin sensitizes the inner ear to nerve
> > damage and deafness.  If you take lots of aspirin, don't go to loud
> > places!! The length of time you need to be exposed and the loudness
> > to which you must be exposed to cause deafness are reduced.
> > Why?  I don't know.
> 
> 	The effect of aspirin is that of producing "ringing" in the ears,
> which is properly called tinnitus (not to be confused with tinea cruris :-) ).
> Aspirin - and other drugs like quinine, streptomycin, neomycin - cause tinnitus
> by irritating (and injuring) hair cells and nerve cells in the spiral ganglion
> of Corti in the inner ear.
> 	I believe that tinnitus caused by aspirin and other drugs generally
> disappears following discontinuance of the drug - unless excessive dosages
> were used which caused irreversible nerve cell injury.  However, having this
> type of tinnitus should not make the ear more susceptible to damage from loud
> sound.
The tinnitus may or may not be related to the increased susceptiblity
of the inner ear to damage.  I cannot speak to that.  It is true,
however, that aspirin *DOES* increase the susceptiblity of the
inner ear to damage by *high sound levels*.  (Source?  My M.D. when
warning me about things that might further damage my already
reduced hearing...).

-- 
E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

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