The use of marijuana is currently legal in many states for medical applications and in numerous other states for recreational usage.
So, what are cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are classified as a group of compounds found in the cannabis or marijuana plant.
Cannabinoids are frequently considered to provide extensive healing qualities, but established research suggests there could also be adverse impacts like a strong link between cannabinoid usage and the development of hearing loss or tinnitus symptoms.
How many kinds of cannabinoids exist?
Cannabinoids are now available in a variety of formats and usages.
Beyond its many colloquialisms, like weed, ganja, or reefer, marijuana has more comprehensive value that exceeds its nicknames.
Cannabinoids are presently available in formats consisting of oils, sprays, capsules, and more.
The types of cannabinoids available will vary state to state, and under federal law, many types are still illegal if the THC concentration is greater than 0.3%.
So it’s not unusual for people to remain quite wary of cannabinoids.
The issue is that we don’t yet grasp some of the lasting side effects or consequences of cannabinoid use.
For example, new findings reveal how cannabinoids can affect your sense of hearing.
Cannabinoids and hearing loss
Cannabinoids are believed to be beneficial for a wide range of health issues and medical conditions.
Seizures, nausea, vertigo, and more seem to be helped by cannabinoids, according to some studies.
So scientists decided to see if cannabinoids could assist with tinnitus, too.
While research is continuing, cannabis use could also potentially impact your hearing:
- High Blood Pressure: Cannabis use can possibly lead to elevated blood pressure as one of its side effects.
Sustained high blood pressure can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the inner ear. This can lead to hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). - Ototoxicity: Some compounds found in cannabis could be harmful causing hearing problems and ringing in the ears due to their ototoxic nature.
Cannabinoid use can indeed result in the progression of tinnitus.
Studies have shown that more than one in five people who used cannabis-based materials reported experiencing tinnitus, characterized by a persisting ringing sound in the ears.
Prior to the study, the individuals involved did not experience any symptoms of tinnitus. Furthermore, people who used marijuana were significantly more prone to documenting tinnitus symptoms within 24 hours.
Additional research revealed that marijuana use may exacerbate ear-ringing symptoms in those who already deal with tinnitus.
Put simply, there’s some very strong evidence that tinnitus and cannabinoids don’t really mix all that well.
The possible negative impact of cannabinoids on tinnitus symptoms
Cannabinoids can intensify your tinnitus in a few concrete ways.
At first, episodes of tinnitus symptoms might occur more often, and the persistent humming or ringing sound in your ears might become increasingly noticeable.
Also, your bouts of tinnitus can become more severe when you’re employing cannabinoids. More extreme ringing that can be harder to disregard can be the result.
The beginning of tinnitus symptoms has also been connected to cannabinoids.
Or, said differently: after you begin using cannabinoids you could experience tinnitus symptoms even if you didn’t notice them before.
It’s still not clear what actually causes tinnitus
While we recognize a connection between tinnitus and specific triggers, we’re still uncertain what the actual underlying causes are.
Cannabinoids might affect the middle ear and symptoms of tinnitus, but it’s still uncertain why.
Clearly, research is continuing.
People will be equipped to make a practical decision concerning which of the many forms of cannabinoids to select from as we acquire deeper insight into their connection to tinnitus.
The treatment that’s too good to be real
There’s been no lack of advertising hype involving cannabinoids in recent years.
A major factor is the changing public opinion regarding cannabinoids, which also demonstrates a growing interest in looking into alternatives to opioids.
However, new research has illuminated the potential downsides of cannabinoids, especially for people who value their hearing health, showing that these substances can have adverse impacts on hearing.
Tinnitus and cannabinoids are clearly connected based on current research.
So no matter how much marketing you see for CBD oils, if you’re worried about tinnitus, you should most likely stay away from them.
It’s worth being careful when the link between cannabinoids and tinnitus has been so solidly established.
If you are experiencing tinnitus or hearing loss, you shouldn’t wait to schedule a hearing test, your hearing health is so essential.
