Cannabis Use and Hearing Health

Researcher Taking a Few Cannabis Buds for Scientific Experiment.

The use of marijuana is now legal in a number of states for medical applications and in numerous other states for recreational use.

Let’s have a look at what defines cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids are classified as a group of compounds found in the cannabis or marijuana plant.
Some believe that cannabinoids have broad healing properties, but existing studies indicate that there could be unfavorable effects, including a considerable link between using cannabinoids and experiencing hearing problems like hearing loss or tinnitus.

What are the different kinds of cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are currently available in a variety of forms and usages.
Beyond its many colloquialisms, such as weed, ganja, or reefer, marijuana has more comprehensive significance that goes beyond its nicknames.
Cannabinoids are now available in forms consisting of oils, sprays, capsules, and more.

Depending on the state, and according to federal regulations, different types of cannabinoids will be available, while several varieties remain prohibited if their THC density exceeds 0.3%.
So it’s not unusual for individuals to be quite cautious of cannabinoids.

The issue is that the full magnitude of the potential risks and consequences associated with cannabis use over an extended period remains uncertain.
For instance, new findings show how cannabinoids can impact your hearing ability.

Cannabinoids and hearing loss

A wide variety of health problems and medical conditions are believed to be helped by cannabinoids.
Seizures, nausea, vertigo, and more seem to be helped by cannabinoids, according to some research.
So researchers decided to find out if cannabinoids could help with tinnitus, too.

While research is continuing, cannabis use could also potentially affect your hearing:

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

Using cannabinoids can indeed result in the development of tinnitus.
Based on the research, more than 20% of study subjects who used cannabinoid products 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.

Added research suggested that marijuana use may exacerbate ear-ringing symptoms in people who already cope with tinnitus.
Put simply, there’s some very strong evidence that tinnitus and cannabinoids don’t really combine very well.

How cannabinoids worsen tinnitus

Cannabinoids can worsen your tinnitus in a few specific ways.
First of all, the occurrences of tinnitus symptoms can become more frequent, you might observe the buzzing or ringing in your ears more persistently.
Also, your bouts of tinnitus can become more extreme when you’re using cannabinoids. More extreme ringing that can be harder to disregard can be the outcome.

The beginning of tinnitus symptoms has also been connected to cannabinoids.
Or, said differently: after you start employing cannabinoids you could experience tinnitus symptoms even if you didn’t notice them before.

The underlying cause of tinnitus remains unclear

Though we recognize the connection between tinnitus and specific triggers, we have yet to ascertain the distinct governing causes.
Cannabinoids might influence the middle ear and tinnitus symptoms, but it still remains unclear why.

Clearly, research is ongoing.
People will be equipped to make a practical choice concerning which of the many forms of cannabinoids to select from as we obtain deeper insight into their link to tinnitus.

caution:

There’s been no lack of marketing hype involving cannabinoids in recent years.
That’s partly because perceptions are transforming about cannabinoids (and, to an extent, is also an indication of a need to move away from opioids).
However, new research has shed new light on the potential drawbacks of cannabinoids, particularly for individuals who care about their hearing health, revealing that these compounds can have undesirable effects on hearing.

Research has established an obvious connection between tinnitus and cannabinoids.
If you have tinnitus and are worried about it, it’s a good idea to avoid CBD oils despite the numerous advertisements promoting their benefits.
With the solid connection between cannabinoids and tinnitus, it’s wise to use caution.

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

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

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