Public opinion about marijuana and cannabinoids have changed incredibly over the past several decades. THC, cannabinoids, and even marijuana are legal for medical use in most states. A decade ago it would have been unthinkable for pot to be legal for recreational usage but some states have even taken this step.
A group of compounds originating from the cannabis plant (the marijuana plant, basically) are known as cannabinoids. New things are being discovered about cannabinoids all the time despite their recent decriminalization in some states. While we now are beginning to recognize the numerous medical positive aspects of these compounds, it has been well known for a while that tinnitus may be triggered by cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids Come in Several Forms
Today, cannabinoids can be taken in lots of forms. It isn’t just weed (or ganja, or refer…..ok, there are lots of nicknames for marijuana so let’s move on). Pills, oils, mists and other variations of cannabinoids are currently obtainable.
The forms of cannabinoids available will vary state by state, and under federal law, many forms are still illegal if the THC content is more than 0.3%. That’s the reason why some people are quite careful about cannabinoids.
We still require more study and experience before we will truly comprehend the long lasting and side effects of cannabinoids. Some new research into how cannabinoids affect your hearing is a prime example.
New Research Into Cannabinoids And Hearing
Whatever you want to call it, cannabinoids have long been associated with improving a wide range of medical ailments. Vertigo, nausea, seizures, and more seem to be improved with cannabinoids, according to available anecdotal evidence. So investigators resolved to see if cannabinoids could help with tinnitus, as well.
Turns out, cannabinoids could actually trigger tinnitus. Based on the research, more than 20% of study participants who used cannabinoid products reported hearing a ringing in their ears. And these participants had never had tinnitus symptoms before the study. Furthermore, marijuana users were 20-times more likely to report experiencing tinnitus symptoms after 24 hours.
And for individuals who already suffered from tinnitus, marijuana usage caused it to get worse. In other words, there’s some very persuasive evidence that tinnitus and cannabinoids don’t really mix all that well.
How Cannabinoids Make Tinnitus Worse
Your tinnitus can be worsened by cannabinoids in a couple of tangible ways. To start with, the incidents of tinnitus symptoms can become more consistent, you may notice the ringing or buzzing in your ears more persistently. Cannabinoids can also make those tinnitus episodes more overwhelming. The discomfort from the ringing might become more intense or harder to ignore.
The study also seems to suggest that cannabinoids can cause the onset of the initial symptoms of tinnitus. Or, stated another way: after you start using cannabinoids you could start to experience tinnitus symptoms even if you didn’t have them before.
It’s Still Unclear What Causes Tinnitus
We know that there’s a connection between tinnitus and certain triggers but we’re still not certain what the actual root causes are. That cannabinoids can have an affect on the middle ear and on tinnitus is fairly clear. But what’s causing that impact is far less obvious.
But we are aware that marijuana is one of the few commonly used mood-altering substances that brings about tinnitus (alcohol, as an example, hasn’t been shown to have a direct connection to tinnitus).
Of course, we will continue to do the research. Cannabinoids these days come in so many varieties and forms that discovering the fundamental connection between these substances and tinnitus should help individuals make better decisions.
Beware The Miracle Cure
There has certainly been no shortage of marketing hype associated with cannabinoids lately. Partly, that’s the result of changing mindsets surrounding cannabinoids themselves (and, to an extent, is also a reflection of a desire to turn away from opioid use). But cannabinoids can and sometimes do produce unwanted effects, based upon this new research, and this is especially true concerning hearing.
The marketing about cannabinoids has been very assertive and you can’t entirely steer clear of all of the enthusiasts.
But this new research certainly reveals a strong link between tinnitus and cannabinoids. So if you have tinnitus, or if you’re worried about tinnitus it may be worth steering clear of cannabinoids if possible, no matter how many advertisements for CBD oil you may come across. It’s worth being careful when the connection between cannabinoids and tinnitus has been so solidly demonstrated.
