Over the last several decades the public opinion about cannabinoids and marijuana has transformed significantly. Many states have legalized the use of marijuana, THC, or cannabinoid products for medicinal purposes. Far fewer states have legalized pot for recreational purposes, but even that would have been unimaginable even just ten or fifteen years ago.
Any compounds produced by the cannabis plant (the marijuana plant, essentially) are known as cannabinoids. And we’re still learning new things about cannabis despite the fact that it’s recently been legalized in a number of states. It’s a common idea that cannabinoid compounds have extensive healing properties. But research suggests a strong link between the use of cannabinoids and tinnitus symptoms but there are also conflicting studies.
Cannabinoids come in numerous forms
There are many varieties of cannabinoids that can be consumed presently. It isn’t only pot or weed or whatever name you want to give it. These days, THC and cannabinoids are available in the form of a pill, as inhaled mists, as topical spreads, and more.
Any of these forms that contain a THC level higher than 0.3% are technically still federally illegal and the available forms will fluctuate depending on the state. That’s why many people tend to be quite cautious about cannabinoids.
The issue is that we don’t yet know much about some of the long-term side effects or complications of cannabinoid use. A great example is some new research into how your hearing is impacted by cannabinoid use.
Studies About cannabinoids and hearing
A wide array of disorders are believed to be successfully managed by cannabinoids. Seizures, nausea, vertigo, and more seem to be improved with cannabinoids, according to anecdotally available evidence. So the researchers wondered if cannabinoids could help manage tinnitus, too.
But what they discovered was that tinnitus symptoms can actually be caused by the use of cannabinoids. According to the research, over 20% of study participants who used cannabinoid products reported hearing a ringing in their ears. And that’s in people who had never experienced tinnitus before. And tinnitus symptoms within 24 hours of consumption were 20-times higher with marijuana users.
And for individuals who already cope with ringing in the ears, using marijuana could actually exacerbate the symptoms. So, it would appear, from this compelling evidence, that the relationship between cannabinoids and tinnitus is not a positive one.
It should be mentioned that smoking has also been linked with tinnitus and the research wasn’t clear on how participants were using cannabinoids.
Causes of tinnitus are not clear
Just because this connection has been found doesn’t necessarily mean the root causes are all that well comprehended. It’s quite clear that cannabinoids have an influence on the middle ear. But it’s a lot less evident what’s producing that impact.
There’s bound to be more research. Cannabinoids today come in so many selections and types that understanding the fundamental link between these substances and tinnitus might help individuals make wiser choices.
Don’t fall for miracle cures
There has definitely been no scarcity of marketing hype associated with cannabinoids recently. In part, that’s the result of changing mindsets surrounding cannabinoids themselves (this also shows a growing wish to get away from opioid use). But this new research clearly demonstrates that cannabinoids can and do cause some negative effects, particularly if you’re uneasy about your hearing.
Lately, there’s been aggressive advertising about cannabinoids and you’ll never escape all of the cannabinoid enthusiasts.
But this research certainly indicates a powerful connection between tinnitus and cannabinoids. So if you have tinnitus–or if you’re concerned about tinnitus–it might be worth avoiding cannabinoids if you can, no matter how many advertisements for CBD oil you may come across. The connection between cannabinoids and tinnitus symptoms is uncertain at best, so it’s worth using a little caution.
Call Today to Set Up an Appointment
References
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/lio2.479
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855477/
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aaohnsf/82180