While the overall prevalence of marijuana use has remained stable in the United States at 4%, the prevalence of cannabis use disorders (i.e. cannabis dependence, cannabis abuse) has continued to rise 4. Risk factors for developing cannabis use disorders include male race, lower income, living in a Western culture, and being separated, divorced, or widowed 5. The official recognition of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome by global health authorities is more than a new code in a manual.
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
- These two conditions are hard to distinguish between and the main difference is CHS happens with using a lot of marijuana.
- “There is evidence that if you send a message to the brain that competes with the message that’s causing the nausea, vomiting, that you can suppress it,” Camilleri said.
- Cannabis contains many chemicals, including THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which causes the mood-altering effects of the drug.
- It can happen when you use marijuana a lot—weekly or daily, usually for a year or more.
- This includes all forms, such as flower, edibles, concentrates, and synthetic cannabinoids.
The symptoms typically last a few weeks, though the throwing up should ease up in a day or two. The best and only way to prevent or reduce your risk for CHS is to avoid or quit marijuana use. This word is a combination of “screaming” and “vomiting.” You’re in so much pain that you’re screaming while you’re vomiting. “If you’re starting to experience those warning signs, do an easy self-test and cut back to see if the nausea remits some,” Swartz said. Taking a break, especially if nausea or other notable symptoms have begun to appear, is also advisable. CHS has predominantly affected young adults between the ages of 18 and 25, with those individuals 3.5 fold more likely to receive a CHS diagnosis than older adults.
- A new ICD-10 code may enhance surveillance, though accurate diagnosis remains essential.
- If you have any symptoms of severe dehydration, like dizziness, confusion and a rapid heartbeat, call 911 right away.
- Researchers have identified two receptors called CB1 and CB2 to which marijuana molecules attach.
- This bizarre and disturbing effect of marijuana is increasing across the world.
- In addition to the supportive measures mentioned above, certain pharmacological treatments have shown promise in alleviating symptoms.
- Hot showers improve symptoms of nausea and vomiting 6,52–56,60,62,68,71, abdominal pain 6,56,71, and decreased appetite 68 during the hyperemetic phase.
- If a person cannot keep liquids down, medical intervention is necessary to receive intravenous (IV) fluids and electrolyte replacement.
Patients & Families
Most cannabis products now available have potencies above 20%, a recent report showed. “We don’t know if it’s related to the greater general availability of cannabis or the higher THC potency of some products or something else,” Buresh said. The onset varies from person to person, according to Dr. Chris Buresh, an emergency medicine specialist with UW Medicine. Dr. Berry is chief resident at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. She is applying for a pediatric hospital medicine fellowship this year and is looking forward to her future career in pediatric hospital medicine.
Care at Cleveland Clinic
The researchers followed nine of the patients over time and found symptoms went away when cannabis use was stopped but returned when it was restarted. Most of those also reported using extremely hot baths or showers to self-treat their symptoms. As more and more cases of CHS began to appear, hot bathing as a home treatment became a recurring theme. The first description of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) was in 2004. The recent legalisation on cannabis in many countries raises a concern about increased use. As cannabis legalization continues to spread across the country, doctors are sounding the alarm about the potential health risks of the quickly changing drug.
What is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome? Here’s what to know, and why experts say it’s on the rise
The more severe stage arrives later, when, for a day or two after cannabis use, patients are beset by overwhelming and recurrent vomiting and nausea. Hot Alcoholics Anonymous baths and showers can alleviate the symptoms of CHS, but the only way to get rid of CHS is to stop using all cannabis products, the Cleveland Clinic says. Cannabis contains many chemicals, including THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which causes the mood-altering effects of the drug. CHS usually develops after years of frequent cannabis use, but not everyone who uses cannabis on a regular basis gets CHS. One study found that nearly 33% of people who said they frequently used marijuana reported having symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
How can you care for yourself at home?
Since the Department of Justice issued a memo that it would not prosecute marijuana users and sellers who complied with state law in 2009, hospital discharges for compulsive vomiting have increased by 8% annually 13. This rise may, in part, be due to recognition bias, as emergency department (ED) physicians fail to recognize cyclic vomiting in more than 80% of cases 14. Both conditions predominantly affect younger individuals, with CHS showing a higher prevalence in males, which aligns with the higher rates of cannabis use among men.
If you have CHS and don’t stop using, your symptoms like nausea and vomiting are likely to come back. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor whether a drug rehabilitation program is a good fit for you. If you’re interested, reach out to a mental health professional like a licensed psychologist or therapist. Swartz told Healthline that the CHS spike during the pandemic is in line with other trends, including increased alcohol use disorder (AUD) and drug overdoses during that time. “One possibility is underdiagnosis or misclassification before the syndrome gained broader clinical recognition. The post-2020 surge may thus reflect both increased exposure as well as increased diagnostic vigilance.” Hospital visits for CHS were commonly made by people aged around 30, with slightly more female than male cases.
Standardized guidelines would help healthcare providers identify CHS more efficiently and reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis. The development of such guidelines would not only benefit clinicians but could also improve patient outcomes by ensuring timely and accurate treatment. Certain therapies, such as taking hot showers or using prescription medications, may help relieve symptoms.