It is often described as a syndrome that affects only a small portion of people who are heavy, chronic cannabis users. However, research suggests that it could be far more prevalent and may continue to increase due to factors like the legalization of marijuana and the increased use of medical marijuana. Since there are so many active chemicals in cannabis, the exact cause of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is unknown.

• But because CHS is a somewhat newly discovered condition that was first diagnosed in 2004, some people may be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
• However, symptoms almost always return if you resume using marijuana.
• Furthermore, some authors have reported referring patients to drug rehabilitation programs in an attempt to raise the likelihood of long-term cannabis cessation [54,71].
• If administering antiemetics, the nursing staff should be familiar with the adverse event profile so they can report any concerns that may arise.

The Endogenous Cannabinoids (Endocannabinoids)

CB2 receptors are likely involved in the inhibition of inflammation, visceral pain, and intestinal motility in the inflamed gut [9,14]. If you use cannabis often and frequently experience vomiting and nausea, you should tell a healthcare professional. 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 doctor reported using injectable lorazepam to help control nausea and vomiting symptoms in an adult. Within 10 minutes, nausea and vomiting stopped, and the person no longer felt abdominal pain. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a condition that sometimes develops due to the long term use of marijuana.

The Three Stages of CHS

These supportive treatments can help people during the hyperemesis stage of the condition, but recovery depends on the person stopping their use of marijuana. CHS, cannabis hyperemesis syndrome; CB1, cannabinoid receptors 1; CTZ, chemoreceptor trigger zone; THC, tetrahydrocannabinol. While marijuana seems to bring on nausea in the stomach, in the brain https://ecosoberhouse.com/ it usually has opposite effect. When cannabinoids bind with brain receptors, they tend to prevent nausea and vomiting. Experts think that when you first smoke weed, your brain signals are more important, but after repeated use of the drug, the brain receptors may no longer respond to marijuana in the same way, causing more nausea and vomiting.

Symptoms and Causes

Compulsive bathing or showering in hot water to soothe nausea is also a hallmark sign of CHS. Neither the psychological treatments nor the pharmacological treatments seem to be that effective,” he said. “There is evidence that if you send a message to the brain that competes with the message that’s causing the nausea, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome vomiting, that you can suppress it,” Camilleri said. One possible explanation for this is called “gate control theory,” which postulates that to some extent, the brain can regulate how much pain it perceives. Experts also aren’t clear on what causes CHS, or why some people develop it while others don’t.

What is the treatment for cannabinoid hyperemesis treatment?

Furthermore, propranolol in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sinus bradycardia should be avoided, as it worsens bronchoconstriction and bradycardia [47]. Awareness in the public and healthcare professionals about the risk of the development of CHS in prolonged cannabis users will help fill existing knowledge gaps. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) happens when you have cycles of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain after using cannabis (marijuana) for a long time. People with CHS often find temporary relief from these symptoms by taking hot baths and showers. If you have cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), the best treatment is to stop using weed, even if you’ve been doing it for years with no previous side effects.

When Dr. Deepa Camenga began her career about 20 years ago, she rarely if ever saw pediatric patients with CHS, she said. Today, hospitals in her area around New Haven, Connecticut, see pediatric CHS cases nearly every day, she added. Also, it’s possible there are more cases than have been reported, since not everyone with the illness will seek medical help or tell their doctor they use cannabis, the Cleveland Clinic notes. Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis of CHS do not currently exist.

In this narrative review, we elaborate on the role of the ECS, its management, and the identification of gaps in our current knowledge of CHS to further enhance its understanding in the future. Prior to the diagnosis of CHS, patients often suffer for years with potentially debilitating symptoms on a cyclic basis. These patients typically present multiple times to health care facilities with similar symptoms and receive multiple diagnostic tests and invasive procedures without a clear diagnosis or treatment plan.

Can CBD products without THC cause cannabis hyperemesis syndrome?

• He also warned that people with serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, should be cautious about marijuana use, as studies show cannabis can exacerbate the effects of those illnesses.
• Marijuana has a lot of active chemical compounds called cannabinoids.
• Hot baths may relieve the nausea for a while, but they don’t cure CHS.
• In this context a comprehensive history along with initial screening tests should be performed to exclude acute conditions and emergencies (e.g pancreatobiliary disease, intestinal obstruction, pregnancy, etc).