Public opinion surrounding marijuana and cannabinoids has changed significantly over the last several decades. Many states now allow the use of marijuana, THC, or cannabinoid products for medicinal purposes. Far fewer states have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes, but even that would have been unthinkable even just ten or fifteen years ago.
Any compounds derived from the cannabis plant (the marijuana plant, basically) are known as cannabinoids. And we’re still discovering new things about cannabis in spite of the fact that it’s recently been legalized in numerous states. We often view these particular compounds as having universal healing qualities. There have been conflicting studies about cannabinoids and tinnitus but research indicates there may also be negative effects like a direct connection between cannabinoid use and the development of tinnitus symptoms.
Numerous forms of cannabinoids
At present, cannabinoids can be used in lots of forms. It’s not just pot or weed or whatever name you want to give it. Other forms can include topical spreads, edibles, pills, inhalable vapors, and more.
Any of these forms that have a THC level over 0.3% are technically still federally illegal and the available forms will differ depending on the state. So it’s important to be careful with the use of cannabinoids.
The problem is that we don’t yet know much about some of the long-term side effects or complications of cannabinoid use. Some new research into how cannabinoids affect your hearing are prime examples.
Research into cannabinoids and hearing
A myriad of disorders are believed to be effectively managed by cannabinoids. According to anecdotal evidence vertigo, nausea, and seizures are just a few of the conditions that cannabinoids can help. So the researchers wondered if cannabinoids could help manage tinnitus, too.
But what they found was that tinnitus symptoms can actually be activated by the use of cannabinoids. Ringing in the ears was documented, according to the study, by 20% of the participants who used cannabinoids. And that’s in individuals who had never experienced tinnitus before. Furthermore, marijuana users were 20-times more likely to describe experiencing tinnitus symptoms within 24 hours of consumption.
And for those who already experience ringing in the ears, using marijuana could actually worsen the symptoms. Put simply, there’s some pretty convincing evidence that cannabinoids and tinnitus don’t really work well together.
It should be mentioned that smoking has also been associated with tinnitus and the research wasn’t clear on how participants were consuming cannabinoids.
Causes of tinnitus are unclear
Just because this connection has been discovered doesn’t necessarily mean the underlying causes are all that well known. It’s pretty clear that cannabinoids have an influence on the middle ear. But what’s causing that impact is much less clear.
Research, obviously, will continue. People will be in a better position to make better choices if we can make progress in comprehending the link between the numerous varieties of cannabinoids and tinnitus.
Beware the miracle cure
In recent years, there has been lots of marketing publicity surrounding cannabinoids. In part, that’s the result of changing perceptions associated with cannabinoids themselves (this also shows a growing desire to get away from the use of opioids). But this new research makes clear that cannabinoids can and do cause some negative effects, especially if you’re uneasy about your hearing.
Lately, there’s been aggressive marketing about cannabinoids and you’ll never escape all of the cannabinoid enthusiasts.
But this research undeniably indicates a strong link between tinnitus and cannabinoids. So if you are dealing with tinnitus–or if you’re concerned about tinnitus–it may be worth steering clear of cannabinoids if you can, no matter how many advertisements for CBD oil you might come across. The connection between cannabinoids and tinnitus symptoms is unclear at best, so it’s worth using some caution.
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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