Over the past several decades the public opinion about cannabinoids and marijuana has changed a lot. Cannabinoids, marijuana, and THC products are now allowed for medical usage in many states. The concept that some states (fewer) even allow the recreational usage of pot would have been unimaginable 10 years ago.
Cannabinoids are any compounds produced by the cannabis plant (essentially, the marijuana plant). And we’re still discovering new things about cannabis in spite of the fact that it’s recently been legalized in several states. We frequently view these particular compounds as having widespread healing qualities. There have been contradictory studies about cannabinoids and tinnitus but research indicates there might also be negative effects like a strong connection between the use of cannabinoids and the development of tinnitus symptoms.
Various forms of cannabinoids
There are numerous forms of cannabinoids that can be utilized today. It isn’t just 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 topical spreads, as inhaled mists, and others.
The forms of cannabinoids available will differ state by state, and most of those forms are still actually illegal under federal law if the amount of THC is above 0.3%. That’s why many people tend to be rather careful about cannabinoids.
The long-term complications and side effects of cannabinoid use are not well understood and that’s the problem. Some new research into how cannabinoids affect your hearing are perfect examples.
Research into cannabinoids and hearing
Whatever you want to call it, cannabinoids have long been associated with improving a wide range of medical conditions. Seizures, vertigo, nausea, and more seem to be improved with cannabinoids, according to anecdotally available evidence. So researchers made a decision to find out if cannabinoids could help with tinnitus, too.
Turns out, cannabinoids may actually trigger tinnitus. According to the research, over 20% of study participants who used cannabinoid products documented hearing a ringing in their ears. And tinnitus was never previously experienced by those participants. And tinnitus symptoms within 24 hours of consumption were 20-times higher with marijuana users.
And for people who already experience ringing in the ears, using marijuana may actually exacerbate the symptoms. In other words, there’s some fairly compelling evidence that cannabinoids and tinnitus don’t really mix all that well.
The research is unclear as to how the cannabinoids were consumed but it should be pointed out that smoking has also been linked to tinnitus symptoms.
Causes of tinnitus are not clear
Just because this connection has been found doesn’t automatically mean the underlying causes are all that well comprehended. That cannabinoids can have an impact on the middle ear and on tinnitus is pretty clear. But what’s causing that impact is much less clear.
There’s bound to be additional research. Cannabinoids today are available in so many varieties and types that understanding the underlying connection between these substances and tinnitus might help individuals make smarter choices.
Beware the miracle cure
Recently, there has been lots of marketing hype surrounding cannabinoids. That’s in part because mindsets about cannabinoids are quickly changing (this also shows a growing desire to get away from opioid use). But some negative effects can come from cannabinoid use, particularly with regards to your hearing and this is demonstrated in this new research.
Lately, there’s been aggressive advertising about cannabinoids and you’ll never escape all of the cannabinoid enthusiasts.
But a strong connection between cannabinoids and tinnitus is certainly implied by this research. So if you are dealing with tinnitus–or if you’re worried about tinnitus–it may be worth avoiding cannabinoids if you can, no matter how many adverts for CBD oil you might come across. The connection between cannabinoids and tinnitus symptoms is unclear at best, so it’s worth exercising some caution.
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References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855477/
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aaohnsf/82180