Rates of cannabis use disorder have spiked in the past 40 to 50 years, D’Souza said, with some studies suggesting between 20 and 30 percent of marijuana users meeting the criteria for the disorder. To help you transition to the recovery phase, you can try a few home remedies such as regular hot baths. But too many of them may increase your risk for dehydration due to sweating. 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.
What do experts know about CHS?
One hallmark characteristic of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is the alleviation of these acute symptoms with hot baths or showers. Heat exposure from hot showers may stimulate the transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) receptors on sensory nerve endings in the skin. Activation of these receptors by the shower-induced warmth could trigger neural responses that modulate pain perception and sensory input, potentially influencing the transmission of signals related to nausea and vomiting pathways in the brain. This mechanism implies that the analgesic and sensory effects of TRPV1 receptor activation might contribute to the relief experienced during hot showers for CHS patients. 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.
Signs and symptoms
- The signature symptoms of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome seem to be temporarily relieved by hot baths and showers, suggesting that temperature may play a role in regulation.
- Other tests may be performed to rule out other causes of vomiting, such as a pregnancy test since CHS symptoms can mimic morning sickness, a blood test for anemia or infection, a drug screen, and a urine analysis.
- Ultrasonography of the mesenteric artery showed a widely patent SMA with decreased aortomesenteric angle of approximately 18° (Figure 2).
- Most cases of CHS have been shown to occur in people who consume cannabis roughly 20 days per month, and about 75% of those patients have used cannabis regularly for more than a year.
- Over time, the symptoms will go away completely unless you start to use again.
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. As CHS is a relatively recently recognized and studied phenomenon easily confused with other diseases, there is a paucity of sizeable randomized control studies.
Supportive Care with Fluid and Electrolyte Replacement
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. In the emergency department, the patient’s temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure were within or only slightly above the normal range. Laboratory evaluation findings were remarkable for increased values of serum albumin, bilirubin, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, and total protein (Table 1). Values for potassium, chloride, and creatinine were slightly below the reference range. A pregnancy test was negative, and urinalysis showed the presence of ketones and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ a specific gravity of 1.032 (reference range, 1.002–1.030).
Unveiling the Therapeutic Potential of Hot Showers in CHS Symptom Management
This factor is a key distinguishing feature cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome from cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, where the toxicokinetics of cannabis itself influence the course of the disease. The primary treatment of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is the cessation of cannabis use, as there are no consistently effective alternative treatments. Traditional anti-nausea medications are usually ineffective for CHS-related nausea.
- Since the only treatment is the removal of the offending agent, accurate diagnosis is the only portal to actual management.
- SMA syndrome often arises due to recurrent bouts of emesis that trigger rapid weight loss; in the case presented here, the recurrent emesis was prompted by cannabis consumption.
- Gastric decompression was continued through a nasogastric tube until appropriate weight gain was achieved and the blockage was relieved, which allowed for discontinuation once oral intake could be tolerated.