Tinnitus has a profound effect on the afflicted
People who have never experienced the effects of tinnitus might be surprised to know what a serious effect it has on the people who are living with it. Enter the words, “tinnitus is” into Google, and the autocomplete suggestions are alarming. They range from “getting louder” to “killing me” to “ruining my life.”
Though most cases of tinnitus aren’t tangible to those outside of the person afflicted, there’s a virtual cacophony of buzzing, hissing, and pulsing sounds that a person must endure. The more you focus on it, the worse it tends to get. The more stress you feel, the louder the sounds you experience. And so on. It’s distracting, disruptive, and downright exhausting, causing some to feel hopeless.
In this place of hopelessness, people will try just about anything in order to alleviate the feelings they are experiencing, which is probably why CBD has become such a discussed topic when it comes to treating tinnitus.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, is essentially a non-intoxicating portion of the cannabis plant, and is being studied for its use in alleviating the effects of epilepsy, neurological disorders, anxiety, pain, and even in veterinary use.
It can be consumed in a variety ways, and due to its non-intoxicating properties, is becoming increasingly popular in the treatment of just about everything. You’ll likely see it marketed as an edible (like a gummy or mint), a capsule, a cream or lotion, or as an extract.
Due perhaps to its versatility of form, it’s being positioned more or less as a cure-all, but scientific evidence is still inconclusive as to how far-reaching its benefits truly are.
We recommend speaking with your primary care physician before taking anything intended as treatment for another condition.
We also recommend being extremely careful in which CBD products you choose, should you decide to try it. As of this writing, there are no FDA-regulated CBD products available on the market, and the quality of ingredients used to manufacture these products vary wildly.
Can CBD be used to treat tinnitus?
Since CBD has been recommended to treat so many other conditions, it should come as no surprise that it has been suggested that CBD might be an effective treatment for tinnitus.
Here’s the long and short of it: There is no scientific evidence that can back up the claim that CBD is a useful treatment for the effects of tinnitus. The proof just isn’t there.
Now there may be some value in the use of CBD for some of tinnitus’s associated effects, like sleeplessness, stress, and anxiety, but, again, we recommend speaking with your physician before taking anything as treatment.
If you choose to have this conversation with your doctor, we also recommend discussing with them any medications you might currently be taking that could be contributing to your tinnitus.
Certain medications, like aspirin, Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, some anxiety medications, blood pressure medications, antidepressants, beta blockers, and more can actually spur the effects of tinnitus. In many cases, tinnitus caused by medication is temporary, though prolonged use can lead to permanent tinnitus.
Learn more about these medications in discussion with your physician to determine if there are options that can be used to treat your primary condition without causing tinnitus.
What can be done to treat tinnitus?
The unfortunate reality is that, at least for now, there is no cure for tinnitus, only treatment. The first step in understanding what the right treatment is for you, is to undergo testing to better understand its potential cause.
Hearing loss; loud noise exposure; cerumen (earwax) buildup; trauma to the head or neck; TMJ, sinus, and allergy issues; high blood pressure, and even a poor diet can be contributors to tinnitus.
Though there are two forms of tinnitus, object and subjective, subjective tinnitus is the far more common type of the condition.
Once we have a clearer understanding of what you’re experiencing, the better our treatment recommendations will be.
We’ll provide you with comprehensive hearing tests to determine if you’re experiencing blockage from earwax, hearing loss, or some other auditory issue.
In the instance that your tinnitus is hearing loss-related — far and away the most common association with tinnitus that we’ve seen — one of the most common forms of treatment is hearing aids.
To some, this is surprising. Why would someone want to amplify their hearing if they are experiencing loud, distracting, and distressing sounds? Well, it’s because the application of this advanced technology is a little more complicated than simply turning up the volume.
In fact, hearing aids that are designed to treat the effects of tinnitus use a masking technology that applies white noise that can actually cancel out the distracting sounds you’re hearing from your tinnitus. The dedicated wearing of technology in combination with counseling techniques designed to help you focus on things other than your tinnitus have been found to be among the most effective treatments for this distressing ailment.
So, can CBD be used to treat tinnitus? Probably not. But what experts can agree on is that expert care and advanced technology provided and fit by a team of professionals you can trust is the best choice you can make for your hearing health.
Tired of living with tinnitus? You don’t have to go it alone!
Contact Colorado Ear Care TODAY for your tinnitus consultation.