Cannabis Use and Hearing Health

Many states now permit the utilization of marijuana, THC, or cannabinoid compounds for medicinal purposes, and many states have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes.

Let’s take a look at what characterizes cannabinoids.
A particular group of substances that are found in the marijuana or cannabis plant are known as cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids are frequently believed to possess universal healing qualities, but established research implies there could also be adverse impacts like a strong connection between cannabinoid use and the progression of hearing loss or tinnitus symptoms.

What are the different forms of cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are currently available in a variety of forms and applications.
It’s not just weed (or ganja, or reefer … ok, there are a bunch of nicknames for marijuana so let’s move ahead).
Oils, mists, pills, and other forms of cannabinoids are currently obtainable.

Depending on the state, and according to federal regulations, various forms of cannabinoids will be available, while numerous varieties remain restricted if their THC concentration exceeds 0.3%.
So it’s not unusual for people to be very wary of cannabinoids.

The issue is that the full magnitude of the potential risks and repercussions related to cannabis use over an extended period is still unclear.
For example, new findings demonstrate how cannabinoids can impact your ability to hear.

Exploring the relationship between cannabinoids and hearing impairment

Cannabinoids are thought to be beneficial for a variety of health problems and medical conditions.
Some studies indicate that cannabinoids might alleviate nausea, vertigo, seizures, and other symptoms.
Researchers then looked into whether cannabinoids could also provide reprieve for people suffering from tinnitus.

Ongoing research suggest that making use of cannabis could have an impact on your auditory health.

• High Blood Pressure: Cannabis use can potentially lead to elevated blood pressure as one of its side effects.
  Prolonged elevated blood pressure has the potential to damage blood vessels in various regions of the body, including those within the inner ear. Consequently, this damage can cause hearing impairment and the sensation of ringing in the ears known as tinnitus.
• Ototoxicity: Some of the compounds in cannabis might be ototoxic, meaning they are harmful to the inner ear. This can also result in hearing loss and tinnitus.

Using cannabinoids can certainly result in the development of tinnitus.
According to the research, more than 20% of study participants who used cannabinoid materials documented hearing a ringing in their ears.
And, these participants had never had tinnitus symptoms before the study. Additionally, marijuana users were 20-times more likely to report having tinnitus symptoms after 24 hours.

Additional studies have indicated that using marijuana might intensify the ringing experience linked to tinnitus in individuals who already cope with this condition.
Simply put, research reveals that tinnitus and cannabinoids might not be a great mix.

The possible negative impact of cannabinoids on tinnitus symptoms

Cannabinoids can worsen your tinnitus in a few specific ways.
At first, episodes of tinnitus symptoms might happen more frequently, and the persistent buzzing or ringing sound in your ears may become increasingly apparent.
Additionally, employing cannabinoids might exacerbate your tinnitus episodes, resulting in louder and more relentless ringing that can be harder to disregard.

The onset of tinnitus symptoms has also been linked to cannabinoids.
Or, said differently: after you begin using cannabinoids you could develop tinnitus symptoms even if you didn’t notice them before.

It’s still not well understood what actually causes tinnitus

Though we acknowledge the relationship between tinnitus and specific triggers, we have yet to identify the distinct governing reasons.
Cannabinoids may influence the middle ear and tinnitus symptoms, but it still remains unclear why.

Clearly, research is continuing.
As we get a better sense of how cannabinoids are linked to tinnitus, people will have the information necessary to make an informed decision on which form of cannabinoid to pick.

The treatment that’s too good to be true

Cannabinoids have garnered substantial interest and publicity in the market over the last several years.
A major factor is the shifting public opinion concerning cannabinoids, which also reflects a growing interest in looking into alternatives to opioids.
However, new research has illuminated the potential drawbacks of cannabinoids, particularly for individuals who value their auditory health, revealing that these substances can have undesirable impacts on hearing.

Tinnitus and cannabinoids are unmistakably connected based on current research.
So no matter how much advertising you see for CBD oils, if you’re concerned about tinnitus, you should most likely avoid them.
It’s worth being careful when the connection between cannabinoids and tinnitus has been so solidly established.

If you are experiencing tinnitus or hearing loss, don’t wait to schedule a hearing assessment, your hearing health is so important.