CBD Oil For Tinnitus
2 September 2021You probably know the sensation of hearing a random ringing sound in your ears, even though there is no actual sound nearby. Usually, it just fades away after a while. These sensations can be caused by overly loud headphones or noisy equipment nearby. It can make your ears ring. In case of tinnitus, however, you experience a constant, nagging ringing in your ears, which can really get on your nerves eventually. Tinnitus is a poorly understood condition, for which no therapies or treatments exist. Perhaps CBD Oil can offer perspective for people suffering from tinnitus, though. It appears as if the particular anti-epileptic potential of this special cannabinoid may be able to counter the symptoms of tinnitus.
The Symptoms Of Tinnitus
People affected by tinnitus experience high-pitched ringing in one or both ears, even though there is no identifiable source nearby that could cause such noise. The sensation can either be continuous or intermittent. Tinnitus symptoms can vary: the noises experienced are described either clicking, whining, buzzing, hissing, or humming sounds. Volume and pitch of the noises can vary, too.
Almost everyone experiences the occasional ringing in their ears, but just imagine how annoying the sensation would become if the sound never went away. People with severe tinnitus often have auditory problems because the ringing sensation drowns out other sounds; most of them also have difficulty focusing their attention. Tinnitus is a surprisingly frequent condition: some 2.5 million people are affected in the Netherlands alone. Half a million of these people decide to see a doctor about it.
The Causes Of Tinnitus: Can CBD Oil Help?
Tinnitus is probably not an isolated condition; it is usually caused by underlying (health) issues. Some of the most common causes are:
- Ear infections;
- Inner ear damage;
- Excessive earwax production;
- Overexposure to noise;
- Age-related hearing loss;
- Neck injuries;
- Specific conditions such as cardiovascular disease, deficits of the auditory organs, jawbone, or brain, and Ménière’s Disease.
In spite of the frequent incidence of tinnitus, we still don’t know much about how this condition works. Research has not yet identified the exact underlying causes. At present, we can only speculate about the exact mechanisms that account for tinnitus. Normally, any sound we hear is converted into electric impulses in the cochlea of the inner ear. The brain then interprets these impulses as specific sonic frequencies. If the cochlea is damaged (by some disease, for instance, or by overexposure to loud noises) is can no longer relay signals as well as it should.
The present assumption is that such loss of cochlear function increases the brain’s efforts to pick up these signals, which causes a rise in neural activity. This is how our brain attempts to compensate for hearing loss. In some cases, though, such hyperactivity in the auditory structures of the brain can result in an overload of electric impulses, which expresses itself as tinnitus. The question we are trying to answer, then, is: how could CBD Oil help with this model of tinnitus?
Can CBD Oil Relieve The Symptoms Of Tinnitus?
As explained above, the dominant model of tinnitus seeks its causes in damage to the cochlea. New research has recently shed light on another possible cause, however: a special kind of epileptic problems known as sensory epilepsy. Scientists suspect that it is related to hyperactivity in the brain’s auditory centres. At present, though, this is still a theory to be proven.
This second hypothesis does explain why CBD Oil is being studied for its potential effects on tinnitus, however, due to the positive results this cannabinoid has had on other epileptic conditions. CBD (cannabidiol) is capable of affecting cell receptors known as CB1 and CB2 receptors. CBD can limit neural hyperactivity, which accounts for its anxiolytic and antiepileptic potential. Not many studies have been conducted into this line of research, though, and what evidence does exist is based on animal studies. Results have not been unequivocal so far.
In 2015, the Journal of Neuroscience published a study investigating the effects of CBD and THC on tinnitus. The research design was based on rats affected by tinnitus, administered equal doses of THC and CBD. However, for some of the rats, this combination of cannabinoids appeared to increase tinnitus symptoms, though this was not the case for all subjects. A few of the previously unaffected rats even displayed mild tinnitus symptoms after being given the combined cannabinoids. At any rate, these early and scarce results are insufficient to determine whether CBD Oil could actually help against tinnitus.
The Influence Of Stress
In spite of the above, tinnitus may be caused by other factors, and CBD Oil could help control or counter these alternative causes. Stress and anxiety, for instance, are often mentioned as possible causes (including for Ménière’s Disease). At any rate, these pervasive factors could contribute to typical tinnitus symptoms. Moreover, we do know that stress can aggravate the problems associated with tinnitus. And if you look at it the other way around, many people affected by this condition experience severe stress due to the symptoms. That means it is a good idea to tackle any stress issues without hesitation, regardless of which way around the mechanism works. That is one way in which CBD could definitely help, if only because of its soothing properties and potential to alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms. No matter which way you look at it, then, at the very least CBD Oil could help improve the quality of life for anyone suffering from tinnitus.
Clearly, we still have much to learn about tinnitus and the part that CBD could play in handling the condition. So far, scientific progress on the matter has been slow, and the preliminary results do not paint a very clear picture at this point. Still there are signs that indicate how CBD might have a positive effect on tinnitus, That makes cannabidiol supplements worth a try for anyone affected by tinnitus. You’ll find plenty of options in our webstore, from CBD Oil to CBD Tablets, Oatmeal, or CBD Coffee.
If you would like to learn more about the specific potential of CBD for other conditions, be sure to check our blogs on CBD for Parkinson’s Disease, depression, or high blood pressure, to name but a few of its many applications.
