Q. I have taken Advil for years for inflammation or pain. I have stopped because I began to have ringing in the ears, ear pain, dizziness and loss of hearing. This all disappeared when I stopped the Advil.
I just assume that I can’t take NSAIDS anymore. What do you recommend I take for problems with heel spurs, disc problems and torn cartilage in the knee? I am an RN and do a lot of walking and lifting at work.
A. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) include pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc) and naproxen (Aleve) or prescription drugs like Celebrex, diclofenac or meloxicam. Such medications can cause ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and even hearing loss (Drug Safety, March, 1996).
Dealing with arthritis, bone spurs, back and knee inflammation can be challenging if you can’t take regular pain relievers. You may find topical NSAIDs safer, along with herbal approaches such as turmeric, boswellia, stinging nettle or ginger. We discuss these and other home remedies in our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis.
