Of those surveyed, 155 met the criteria of smoking cannabis at least 20 days per month. One theory behind CHS is that chronic overstimulation of the body’s endocannabinoid receptors leads to your body not being able to control nausea and vomiting. One possible treatment option involves the use of benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam, to control nausea and vomiting.
Living With Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome
CVS is actually a type of migraine condition that Substance abuse usually appears during infancy or childhood and develops into more classic migraine symptoms later on. Studies on CHS on the other hand have found the average age of onset to be 32 years old, and does not seem to be related to migraine. This means that getting diagnosed could be key to preventing other health risks for this vulnerable population.
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
These usually happen for 3 to 4 days but can last as long as 1 week in bad cases. But a 2019 study concluded that it potentially accounts for up to 6 percent of emergency room visits for recurrent vomiting. As the laws regarding the possession and use of marijuana change, CHS may become more prevalent because more people will have legal access to the drug. As CHS is a new diagnosis, the manufacturers of these drugs did not design them for treating CHS, but a doctor may opt to prescribe them for this use.
What are the symptoms of CHS?
Ironically, one of the potential complications of long-term cannabis use is a condition called cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). First, doctors treating people with CHS advise them to stop using marijuana. During the hyperemesis stage, doctors focus on preventing dehydration and stopping the symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a very unpleasant — and potentially dangerous — complication of long-term marijuana use.
- And a 2022 Canadian study found that ER visits for CHS-related problems had increased 13-fold between 2014 and 2021.
- Examples of cannabinoids include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
- Early intervention can not only bring relief but also prevent potential complications such as severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
- In states where recreational marijuana is legal, some brands of marijuana contain up to 30 percent THC.
- Addiction treatment is a critical component of managing CHS, helping individuals not only to alleviate symptoms but also to address the underlying cause of the condition—marijuana dependency.
Compulsive bathing symptoms of chs or showering in hot water to soothe nausea is also a hallmark sign of CHS. Researchers need to study CHS in more detail to make it easier for doctors to recognize and treat the condition. Further studies are also necessary to determine the causes of CHS and its risk factors. CHS is a newly identified condition, so doctors currently know little about it. No clinical guidelines exist, so they must rely on published case reports to treat people with CHS. However, doctors exercise caution when prescribing lorazepam because it is a controlled substance with the potential for abuse and addiction.
After halting cannabis use patients typically recover in a matter of days, weeks, or months. Nausea ceases, appetite resumes, body weight is regained, and bathing/showering regimen returns to normal. In other cases, patients may be misdiagnosed with CHS when they DO actually have another condition. For instance, one case study describes a patient who was diagnosed with CHS when she actually has a rare and often deadly condition called superior mesenteric artery syndrome.
Marijuana Hotline
Because of this possible complication, it’s important to use caution with marijuana and other cannabis products. If you think you have CHS or cannabis use disorder, talk to a healthcare provider. Severe nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain are the hallmark symptoms of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). The word “cannabinoid” refers to compounds uniquely found in cannabis, and “hyperemesis” means severe vomiting. If you have cannabis use disorder and need help quitting, professional treatment is available. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a condition that you might get if you’ve regularly smoked weed or used marijuana in some other form for a long time.
- It’s likely that CHS is a heritable condition that only occurs when someone with these genes uses cannabis frequently for a long period of time.
- Once you do that, your repeated nausea and vomiting should go away and not return.
- Symptoms will usually improve after 1 or 2 days, as long as you don’t use cannabis during this time.
- In one study, about 84% of people who received treatment for CHS stopped using cannabis, and of those, about 86% reported resolution of symptoms.
How is Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Treated?
Treatment involves stopping cannabis use and symptom management. It’s important to be honest about your marijuana use if you have symptoms of CHS. Without knowing this background, providers often misdiagnose CHS as other conditions, like cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). One study found that 32.9% of self-reported frequent marijuana users who came to an emergency department for care met the criteria for CHS. With the widespread use, increased potency and legalization of marijuana in multiple states in the U.S., CHS may be becoming increasingly common. When you use marijuana for many years, it can start to slowly change how the receptors in your body respond to the cannabinoid chemicals.
Why would cannabis cause the symptoms that characterize CHS?
Right now, the only known effective treatment for CHS is to stop using cannabis. Currently, doctors do not have treatment guidelines for the management of CHS. Most of the evidence on effective treatment and management comes from published case reports. People with CHS usually have a long history of marijuana use. They also experience episodes of vomiting that return every few https://ecosoberhouse.com/ weeks or months. CHS symptoms typically present in a cyclical pattern every few weeks to months when cannabis is being used.