Public opinion surrounding marijuana and cannabinoids have changed incredibly over the past few decades. Most states now allow the use of marijuana, THC, or cannabinoid compounds for medicinal purposes. A decade ago it would have been unthinkable for pot to be legal for recreational use but some states have even taken this step.
A group of compounds derived from the cannabis plant (the marijuana plant, essentially) are known as cannabinoids. New things are being uncovered about cannabinoids all the time despite their recent legalization in some states. We usually think of these particular substances as having universal healing qualities, but existing research reveals there could also be negative effects such as a strong link between cannabinoid use and the occurrence of tinnitus symptoms.
There Are Several Kinds of Cannabinoids
There are lots of forms of cannabinoids that can be taken now. It isn’t just weed (or ganja, or pot…..ok, there are lots of nicknames for marijuana so let’s move on). Pills, oils, mists and other forms of cannabinoids are currently obtainable.
The varieties of cannabinoids available will vary depending on the state, and many of those varieties are still technically illegal under federal law if the THC content is more than 0.3%. That’s the reason why some people are very careful about cannabinoids.
The concern is that we don’t yet know much concerning some of the potential side effects or complications of cannabinoid usage. A good example is the new information about how cannabinoids impact your hearing.
New Research Into Cannabinoids And Hearing
A wide range of illnesses and medical conditions are believed to be improved by cannabinoids, regardless of what you like to call it. Based upon evidence that is anecdotally available, conditions such as Nausea, seizures, vertigo, and countless more appear to be improved by cannabinoids. So investigators resolved to see if cannabinoids could help with tinnitus, too.
Turns out, cannabinoids could actually trigger tinnitus. Based on 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 dealt with tinnitus before. Furthermore, marijuana users were 20-times more likely to report experiencing tinnitus symptoms after 24 hours.
Further research suggested that marijuana use could exacerbate ear-ringing symptoms in individuals who already deal with tinnitus. So, it seems rather certain that tinnitus and cannabinoids aren’t very compatible.
How Cannabinoids Make Tinnitus Worse
Your tinnitus can be intensified by cannabinoids in a couple of tangible ways. First, the incidents of tinnitus symptoms can become more consistent, you may experience the buzzing or ringing in your ears more persistently. Cannabinoids can also make those tinnitus episodes more extreme. The discomfort from the ringing could get louder or harder to just ignore.
The study also appears to suggest that cannabinoids are capable of causing the onset of initial tinnitus symptoms. To put it another way: if you didn’t have tinnitus before, you may develop tinnitus after using cannabinoids.
Uncertain Causes of Tinnitus
We understand that there’s a connection between tinnitus and certain triggers but we’re still uncertain what the actual underlying causes are. That cannabinoids can have an impact on the middle ear and on tinnitus is pretty clear. But it’s much less evident what’s causing this impact.
But we can say for certain that marijuana is one of the few commonly used mood-altering substances that causes tinnitus (alcohol, as an example, hasn’t been shown to have a strong connection to tinnitus).
Of course, we will keep doing research. Cannabinoids today come in so many kinds and forms that understanding the underlying link between these substances and tinnitus would help people make smarter decisions.
Beware The Miracle Cure
There has certainly been no shortage of marketing hype concerning cannabinoids in recent years. That’s partly because perceptions are changing about cannabinoids (and, to some extent, is also an indication of a desire to move away from opioids). But this new research makes it clear that cannabinoids can and do bring about some negative effects, especially if you’re worried about your hearing.
The marketing about cannabinoids has been extremely assertive and you can’t completely escape all of the enthusiasts.
But this new research certainly indicates a strong link between tinnitus and cannabinoids. So if you suffer from tinnitus, or if you’re concerned about tinnitus it might be worth steering clear of cannabinoids if you can, regardless of how many advertisements for CBD oil you might encounter. It’s worth being cautious when the link between cannabinoids and tinnitus has been so firmly demonstrated.