Patients Turn to Cannabis for Tinnitus Relief, Study Finds

Tinnitus sufferers commonly seek relief from cannabis use, according to a new study.

the study, was published last month in Journal of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgerycalled the first investigators to “assess the prospects and use patterns of cannabis in patients experiencing tinnitus.”

of findingsbased on interviews with 45 individuals suffering from tinnitus, found that “42% (19/45) of patients had never used cannabis and 36% (16/45) had previously used cannabis at some point in the past. and 22% (10/45) reported current cannabis use at the time the questionnaire was completed.”

“Of 10 patients who currently use cannabis, 80% (8/10) report it helps with their tinnitus-related symptoms. 38%), hearing symptoms (3/8, 38%), emotional difficulties (anxiety, depression, agitation, fear) (6/8, 75%), pain (headache, neck pain/pain) (7/8, 88%), sleep disturbance (7/8, 88%), and functional impairment (concentration, fatigue, work disturbance) (4/8, 50%),” the study said. says.

“Overall, 96% (43/45) of patients responded that they would consider cannabis as a treatment for tinnitus. Patients also considered cannabis to be a viable treatment for tinnitus-related symptoms. I continued.

Here are the details of our findings:

“Patients considered cannabis use for hearing symptoms (91%) and tinnitus-related symptoms such as emotional complaints (60%), sleep disturbances (64%), and functional impairments (56%). 36% of patients had previously used cannabis, 22% of patients reported cannabis use at the time of study, and 80% of patients actively using cannabis experienced dizziness and anxiety. reported benefits for tinnitus-related symptoms such as body pain, sleep disturbance, etc. Most patients reported edible (62%), pill (58%), and cream (47%) cannabis preparations. Patients were concerned about the cost of cannabis (29%), potential physical health effects (53%) and psychosocial side effects (60%). Patients learned about cannabis from friends and family, and only 22% learned about cannabis from their doctors and nurses.”

The study’s authors believe the findings will serve as the basis for more research, perhaps even clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of cannabis for treating tinnitus.

“The results of this study demonstrate an active interest among tinnitus patients in considering cannabis as a potential adjunctive therapy for symptom management. “Understanding patient attitudes to cannabis use is a prerequisite for exploring its potential use in clinical practice,” they wrote in their conclusion. increase.

“Cannabis use is common among tinnitus patients, and most participants consider cannabis as a therapeutic option to manage their symptoms. were interested in learning more about cannabis, but physicians should be aware that most patients receive information about cannabis from non-medical sources. may lay the groundwork for future research and clinical trials on cannabis use for tinnitus relief.Otorhinolaryngologists should encourage patient It will give us a better understanding of attitudes and usage patterns,” they added.

People who suffer from this are often plagued by the lack of effective treatments.

The authors concluded that “antiepileptic drugs such as lamotrigine and gabapentin have been investigated as pharmacological treatments for tinnitus because of their depressant effects on the central nervous system”, but “the use of antiepileptic drugs for tinnitus has been investigated. There is insufficient supporting evidence and it has not proven to be beneficial compared to placebo.”