Recent Cannabis Study Provides Hope For Tinnitus Patients

Tinnitus involves people hearing a ringing or other noise in their ears. Sometimes it is constant, and sometimes it comes and goes. However, as any tinnitus sufferer will be quick to point out, it’s annoying every time.

For people that do not suffer from tinnitus, it may sound like a mild annoyance. Yet, tinnitus can actually prove to be debilitating in extreme cases. Imagine trying to fall asleep at night and get a good night’s rest when you have a constant sound in your ear that you cannot stop. Now, imagine what life is like without proper sleep. It doesn’t take a medical professional to see the problem.

Thankfully, recent research out of Canada suggests that the cannabis plant may be able to help people that suffer from tinnitus. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Ottawa, Canada: Patients suffering from tinnitus (ringing in the ears) frequently report using cannabis products for symptom relief, according to survey data published in the Journal of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.

A team of Canadian scientists surveyed 45 patients with the affliction. Over one in five identified as current cannabis consumers and 80 percent of them reported it to be beneficial in treating symptoms of the disorder, including dizziness, anxiety, pain, and sleep disturbances.

Over 90 percent of those surveyed said that they “would consider cannabis as a treatment for their tinnitus.”

Authors concluded: “This is the first study to assess perspectives and usage patterns of cannabis in patients experiencing tinnitus. The results of this study demonstrate an active interest amongst patients with tinnitus to consider cannabis as a potential adjunctive treatment for symptom management. Moreover, cannabis use is both common and can be beneficial in this patient population. … This data may lay the groundwork for future research and clinical trials on cannabis use for tinnitus alleviation.”

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use among tinnitus patients: Consumption patterns and attitudes,” appears in the Journal of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.