Physicians typically arrive at a diagnosis by evaluating a patient’s medical history, frequency of cannabis use, and recurring symptoms. When cyclical vomiting syndrome presents similar signs, doctors need to rule out other conditions before confirming CHS. Key diagnostic indicators include a history of long-term cannabis use, recurrent episodes of nausea and vomiting, and reports of symptom relief through hot baths or showers. This phase begins with severe symptoms that intensify rapidly within a few hours 54.
2 CHS psychiatric, medical implications and comorbidities
They help in providing the ongoing support and care needed to aid recovery and maintain long-term sobriety. She is a communications expert working with Dr. Green Relief, specializing in creating engaging content that promotes holistic health and well-being. Olivia is interested in the intersection of mental health, mindfulness, and alternative therapies, which she explores through her writing. Additionally, since vomiting leads to dehydration, sipping small amounts of water or electrolyte-rich drinks can help prevent complications. The word “hyperemetic” comes from “hyperemesis gravidarum” which is a form of vomiting that occurs during pregnancy. The recovery process might feel overwhelming but know that support is available.
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The primary treatment objectives are intravenous hydration and correction of chs syndrome electrolyte imbalances. Repeated abdominal imaging and extensive laboratory tests, in most instances, yield inconclusive results. Conventional anti-emetics, such as ondansetron and promethazine, are routinely utilized in the acute symptomatic phase 42.
- This factor is a key distinguishing feature from cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, where the toxicokinetics of cannabis itself influence the course of the disease.
- It’s important for cannabis users who experience repeated vomiting to get medical care and not just try home remedies while assuming the problem is hyperemesis syndrome, he added, because it might be something even more serious.
- In another instance, a 35-year-old female intentionally ingested an azadirachtin preparation (estimated 2.5 g), producing drowsiness and leukocytosis, but no renal or hepatic complications.
- Yet, the information is not available to discern if CVS patients concurrently use cannabis to relieve emetic symptoms or if these are individuals with CHS.
1 Pathophysiology of CHS
The chemoreceptor trigger zone sends signals via the efferent vagus nerve, triggering responses in the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. This activation leads to the emetic reflex, which includes increased salivation, deep breathing, glottis closure, pyloric sphincter relaxation, retroperistalsis, and abdominal muscle contraction. This is evidenced by symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, hot flashes, high blood pressure, and tremors, often during the hyperemesis phase 49.
Symptoms of CHS
Continuing to use cannabis despite CHS can lead to potentially life threatening complications. The best way to manage CHS and prevent complications is to discontinue cannabis use. By exploring the effects of cannabinoids on the GI system, we can gain a deeper understanding of how CHS develops and identify potential avenues for treatment and prevention.
People with CHS also tend to have a strong urge to take very hot showers or baths. That’s because hot water can help ease cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome symptoms like nausea. The hot temperature affects a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which regulates temperature and throwing up. It is sometimes thought, often from anecdotal reports in popular media, that CHS is a result of poisoning from contaminants such as pesticides on cannabis and not from the actual plant constituents themselves. Indeed, the symptoms of pesticide poisoning are different than the symptoms of CHS. In addition, since pesticides are not exclusive to cannabis, there would be many similar cases that would not be solved with cannabis abstinence.
- Its sedative and anti-emetic properties help to manage hyperemesis in CHS patients.
- Additionally, anxiolytic and sedative properties aid in counteracting the abnormal sympathetic nervous system response, helping in the reduction in vomiting and decreasing pain perception 67.
- Indeed, with any syndrome that results in frequent vomiting, there is a concern for a disorder of electrolytes and fluid balance in the body.
- In the case of CHS, the prolonged and high-dose use of cannabis can lead to an overstimulation of the cannabinoid receptors in the GI system.
- If you use cannabis often and frequently experience vomiting and nausea, you should tell a healthcare professional.
- Bouts of repeated vomiting and extreme stomach pain often mark the condition.
Through a holistic and individualized treatment regimen, healthcare providers can navigate the challenges of CHS, offering hope and relief to those affected by this puzzling condition. Hot showers have emerged as an intriguing phenomenon in assuaging the symptoms of Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), offering a peculiar yet effective avenue for relief. While the precise physiological mechanisms underpinning this phenomenon continue to be explored, several theories shed light on why hot showers might hold therapeutic value for CHS patients. Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression often coexist in patients with CHS 98.
- This word is a combination of “screaming” and “vomiting.” You’re in so much pain that you’re screaming while you’re vomiting.
- CHS symptoms, seen in cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, are similar to cyclical vomiting syndrome, causing severe cyclic vomiting episodes, with treatment aimed at symptom relief through supportive care and cannabis cessation.
- Though many patients with CHS may use hot bathing or showering to obtain relief from its symptoms, more than 10% may not exhibit this behavior 60.
- “We believe it has to do with the more potent marijuana. Like nowadays, the THC content is much higher.”
- The use of lorazepam for CHS is also off-label, so a person’s doctor would need to make them aware of this fact.
Alcohol Use Disorder
Medications or strains of medical marijuana that are high in CBD but low in THC will not cause you to experience “high” sensations. Although there was some limited evidence that the medication reduces large intestine contractions, results on pain relief have been mixed. The term “medical marijuana” was coined to describe the use of the Cannabis plant, either in whole or extract form, to treat symptoms or diseases. Scientists disagree whether it’s caused by contaminants, genetics, the increasing potency of marijuana in recent years, or some other factor — or combination of factors. Sober living house We offer executives in New York City a space to take on addiction, alcoholism, and mental health conditions directly with privacy and without interrupting their professional lives. Ultimately, while being high can reduce anxiety and make the most mundane things hilarious, if you’re someone who is affected by CHS, it’s probably not worth these symptoms.