Unexpected Tinnitus Spike After Delta 9 Edible (Weed Analog)

PeterParker

Member
Author
Mar 31, 2017
8
Tinnitus Since
03/01/2017
Cause of Tinnitus
1 second earbud music blast
I've had tinnitus since a loud auditory event (a headphone blast) in March 2017. At first, it seemed catastrophic, but over time, I habituated.

For most of the past few years, I was quite fine with it. I stopped noticing it most of the time and stopped caring. I could go a month or three without thinking about it. Occasionally, if I put on earmuffs to get a quiet night's sleep, I might briefly notice it in the back of my mind, but it wasn't a concern.

Last Sunday, a friend, trying to save money on legal weed, brought me to a shop selling Delta 9 (hemp-derived THC) edibles. I had 10 mg. I didn't feel much of anything at the time. My instincts told me to avoid it, but I never imagined it would affect my tinnitus.

Later that night, about 10 hours after taking the Delta 9, I turned off the TV before bed and noticed my ear ringing was significantly louder than usual. It was distracting, almost enough to keep me from sleeping. This had never happened before. I hadn't experienced any loud sound events that day, so I wondered what could be causing it. Then it hit me—it was probably the Delta 9.

I did some research and found that cannabinoids are known to cause or worsen tinnitus. Strangely, I've used a wide variety of regular cannabis plants and edibles (all legal) without any effect on my tinnitus. But this hemp-derived Delta 9, which claims to be just like regular weed but clearly isn't, seems to involve other cannabinoids doing who knows what.

Anyway, I'm just venting, but I'm not sure what to think. It's been 72 hours, and the spike is still there. I can't tell if it's genuinely louder or if I've simply lost the habituation I developed since 2017. Maybe I need three to four months of "zen meditation" to get over it again. Hard to say. I'm hoping it will settle down in a week or two, but it's strange.

I don't believe the Delta 9 damaged my ear, and it wasn't psychosomatic because the increase came as a surprise. Maybe it changed something in my brain. I don't know.

Has anyone else experienced something similar? Given that the spike has lasted 72 hours and counting, I'm not feeling optimistic. But maybe I'm just hyper-fixating on it and need to re-habituate.

For what it's worth, ChatGPT seems to think it's "unlikely" that 10 mg of Delta 9 would cause a permanent spike, but it's not exactly all-knowing.
 
Sorry you're dealing with this. It seems odd that it was the delta 9 that did this, but tinnitus is strange. Honestly, probably best not to worry too much about it and just stay away from cannabinoids given that they're known to cause issues with t. The thing is, you never know when/if it's going to happen to you, but the more you do it, the more you increase your likelihood. I hope your tinnitus calms down, or that you can at least get used to the new normal again. Dealing with this really sucks.
 
Thanks for the reply!

Yes, it does suck and is a distraction. Honestly, I always thought my tinnitus was entirely sound-related. It is strange how psychoactive drugs can seem to affect it in unexpected ways. I never had issues with alcohol or regular cannabis, but this experience has definitely given me a lot to think about.

I cannot say for certain that Delta 9 caused the spike, but it is the first time I have tried it, and I have never had a tinnitus spike in eight years (or really ever) since the initial onset. There were no other unusual events that day.

I am hoping for habituation. It might take a few weeks, possibly even a few months. That thought is daunting, but I have learned my lesson. I will probably avoid all cannabinoids for the foreseeable future, even though regular cannabis never seemed to be an issue. The risk is simply not worth the minor recreational amusement, especially since Delta 9 did not even provide any enjoyment.
 
Delta 9 THC may exacerbate tinnitus symptoms. Research indicates that cannabinoids, including Delta 9, can lead to increased frequency and intensity of tinnitus episodes, making them more noticeable and overwhelming. Some users have reported experiencing a significant increase in tinnitus after consuming Delta 9, suggesting a potential link between the two. Additionally, while cannabinoids can have various effects on the brain, they may also facilitate neuronal hyperactivity in auditory regions, potentially worsening tinnitus symptoms.
 

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