Public opinion about marijuana and cannabinoids has transformed remarkably over the past several decades. Many states now allow the use of marijuana, THC, or cannabinoid products for medicinal reasons. Far fewer states have legalized pot for recreational purposes, but even that would have been unthinkable even just ten or fifteen years ago.
Any substances produced by the cannabis plant (the marijuana plant, essentially) are known as cannabinoids. And we’re still discovering new things about cannabis despite the fact that it’s recently been legalized in numerous states. We frequently think of these particular compounds as having universal healing qualities. But research implies a strong link between the use of cannabinoids and tinnitus symptoms but there are also conflicting studies.
Cannabinoids come in many forms
Today, cannabinoids can be used in lots of varieties. Whatever name you want to put on it, pot or weed is not the only form. 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 have a THC level above 0.3% are technically still federally illegal and the available forms will fluctuate by state. So it’s important to be cautious when using cannabinoids.
The issue is that we don’t yet know very 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 affected by cannabinoid use.
Studies About cannabinoids and hearing
Whatever you want to call it, cannabinoids have long been connected with helping a large number of medical conditions. According to anecdotal evidence vertigo, nausea, and seizures are just a few of the afflictions that cannabinoids can benefit. So researchers made a decision to see if cannabinoids could treat tinnitus, too.
Turns out, cannabinoids may actually cause tinnitus. Ringing in the ears was reported, according to the study, by 20% of the participants who used cannabinoids. And that’s in people who had never experienced tinnitus before. And tinnitus symptoms within 24 hours of consumption were 20-times higher with people who use marijuana.
Further investigation indicated that marijuana use may exacerbate ear-ringing symptoms in individuals who already suffer from tinnitus. Put simply, there’s some fairly compelling evidence that cannabinoids and tinnitus don’t really mix all that well.
It should be mentioned that smoking has also been associated with tinnitus and the research wasn’t clear on how participants were using cannabinoids.
Unclear causes of tinnitus
Just because this connection has been uncovered doesn’t necessarily mean the underlying causes are all that well known. It’s quite clear that cannabinoids have an influence on the middle ear. But it’s far less evident what’s producing that impact.
There’s bound to be further research. Cannabinoids today come in so many selections and forms that comprehending the underlying connection between these substances and tinnitus might help individuals make wiser choices.
Don’t fall for miracle cures
In recent years, there has been a great deal of marketing hype around cannabinoids. That’s in part because attitudes surrounding cannabinoids are quickly changing (this also demonstrates a growing wish to get away from opioid use). But this new research clearly demonstrates that cannabinoids can and do create some negative effects, especially if you’re concerned about your hearing.
You’ll never be capable of avoiding all of the cannabinoid aficionados and devotees in the world–the advertising for cannabinoids has been particularly aggressive lately.
But this research certainly suggests a powerful link between tinnitus and cannabinoids. So if you are dealing with tinnitus–or if you’re worried about tinnitus–it might be worth steering clear of cannabinoids if you can, no matter how many adverts for CBD oil you may come across. It’s not completely clear what the link between tinnitus and cannabinoids so use some caution.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855477/
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aaohnsf/82180
