However, doctors may find it challenging to diagnose the syndrome because people tend not to report their use of marijuana. They also experience episodes of vomiting that return every few weeks or months. Neither the psychological treatments nor the pharmacological treatments seem to be that effective,” he said. Ultimately, the only way to guarantee health is by totally abstaining, he added.
CHS Phases
The vasodilation induced by heat exposure in hot showers can enhance peripheral blood vessel dilation, promoting improved circulation. This increased blood flow to the skin and peripheral tissues may help shift blood volume away from the gastrointestinal tract, potentially alleviating nausea and vomiting symptoms by reducing visceral hypersensitivity and enhancing overall comfort levels. This article will discuss the seemingly contradictory effects of cannabinoids on nausea and vomiting, and the prevailing theories about CHS’ mechanisms. Patients are often diagnosed with the syndrome based on the way they treat their own symptoms. Typically, patients can only find relief from intense and persistent nausea by taking hot baths or showers. Ultimately, the treatment of any illness is https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the removal of precipitating factors, not merely the management of its symptoms.
General Health
Refeeding syndrome is caused by taking in nutrients after a prolonged period of insufficient calories. One part of the treatment will include adding nourishment and vitamins to the body in a controlled manner. This could be done with a combination of eating, taking fluids through an IV, or sending nutrition directly into the digestive system. The symptoms of refeeding syndrome are nonspecific, meaning that many different conditions could cause them. The fact of the matter is, we don’t have enough research to show if or why cannabis is the cause of these symptoms. What we do know is that there are people out there who benefit from cutting back on their intake or ceasing altogether.
Guidelines for Refeeding Syndrome
While conventional antiemetic medications like serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonists and dopamine antagonists can be prescribed to manage nausea and vomiting in CHS patients, their efficacy in CHS cases is limited. These therapies may offer transient relief but are not comprehensive solutions for CHS symptomatology. 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. CHS is also underdiagnosed because people sometimes use marijuana to suppress nausea and vomiting.
- Indeed, the symptoms of pesticide poisoning are different than the symptoms of CHS.
- Though the condition remains unfamiliar to some medical professionals and the number of people diagnosed is relatively low, the prevalence of CHS cases observed in emergency departments doubled between 2017 and 2021 in North America, according to a paper authored by Camilleri and his colleagues in the journal Gastroenterology.
- People with CHS often find temporary relief from these symptoms by taking hot baths and showers.
- The only way to end CHS symptoms is to completely stop using all marijuana products.
- Researchers aren’t sure exactly why weed causes CHS symptoms only in some people.
- Prolonged, chronic cannabis use can cause cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a condition that manifests as serious nausea, abdominal pain, and frequent vomiting.
- After you quit, you may still have symptoms and side effects for a few days to a few weeks.
- Contact your physician right away if you experience symptoms of CHS, and stop consuming cannabis.
- The proposals and theories put forth by researchers are compelling, but some medical professionals remain skeptical.
- Prevalence of CHS among the general population is difficult to determine because of the clinical similarities between CHS and CVS.
Examples of cannabinoids include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Refeeding syndrome can be serious and can lead to complications, so it’s important to understand the symptoms and when to seek treatment from a healthcare provider. Research shows that when people with CHS resume smoking marijuana, they typically start experiencing symptoms again, most notably stomach pain and cyclic nausea and vomiting. Once you have CHS, the only proven way to treat it and keep it from returning is to stop consuming cannabis. To arrive at an accurate diagnosis, physicians may look at how often and how much cannabis a patient uses, so if you’re feeling symptoms of CHS, be honest with your doctor about how much cannabis you consume.
Multiple studies report pathological frequent and prolonged hot shower behaviors with CHS. It is a learned trait by the patients to obtain relief from some of the symptoms of CHS and a few reports even describe CHS as “cannabis shower syndrome.” Some cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome other reports have considered this behavior as a firm requirement and potentially pathognomonic for CHS 50. Hot showers have been reported to assist in stabilizing the hypothalamic thermostat, frequently altered by chronic cannabis use 51. Accordingly, they have been reported as one of the therapeutic modalities for the management of the CHS. Further, these behaviors could also be noted in CVS, preadolescents, and adolescents with no prior exposure to cannabis 8.
Most people with CHS who stop using cannabis have relief from symptoms within 10 days. The only known treatment to permanently get rid of CHS is to stop cannabis use completely. You may have symptoms and side effects of CHS for a few weeks after quitting cannabis. Some people call certain symptoms of CHS “scromiting.” The term combines “vomiting” and “screaming.” You may have intense pain, which causes you to scream while you vomit. It’s a condition that can lead to serious health complications if you don’t get treatment for it.