Pain Medications and Hearing Loss

[Guest guest]

Lately, Vicodin and Oxycodone have made the news because several

well-known people have come out publicly to announce their addictions.

But there's a new reason Vicodin is news. Vicodin is one of the most

commonly prescribed painkillers in the U.S. - and its also one of the

most addictive.

It is a synthetic opiate, meaning it falls in the same drug family with

heroin and morphine - and apparently it shares some of these drugs

dangerous qualities. Usually, Vicodin is first prescribed to treat

chronic pain, often in the back. Over time, the regular dosage stops

helping, and patients start taking more. It becomes a vicious cycle, and

an addiction is born.

Doctors at the House Ear Institute (HEC) in L.A. are reporting on a

disturbing trend:

dozens of patients on Vicodin are experiencing sudden hearing loss.

Since April 1999, doctors at HEC have identified at least 48 cases of

sudden, severe hearing loss that they believe are linked to prolonged

painkiller use. (Although Vicodin is the most common drug of its type,

the hearing loss can be caused by any other brand name that combines

acetominophen with hydrocodone. Other brand names include Hyrdrocet,

Lorcet, and Norco.)

The doctors are still studying the trend, but at this point the real

risk seems to be for people who take these painkillers for prolonged

periods of time and who take too much. But with a drug like Vicodin,

that's easy to do. And the thousands of people who fall into that

category are not likely to consider themselves addicted, until it is too

late.

HEC has reported its findings to the FDA, and in response, the

manufacturers are now required to include a warning on the label about

the potential side effect. But critics say this has done little to

inform the public or doctors of the potential risks.

The FDA says it considers deafness from Vicodin " very rare, " considering

the number of people that take opiate painkillers and the numbers HEC

has found. But HEC is quick to point out that there are probably many

more doctors out there who aren't making the connection, and a lot more

Vicodin abusers out there who don't know - or don't want to admit - that

they have a problem.