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They should also have the freedom and empowerment to speak up to other team members if they feel that this may be getting overlooked in the diagnostic picture. Since the only treatment is the removal of the offending agent, accurate diagnosis is the only portal to actual management. A combination of prescribed pharmaceuticals and OTC pain relievers used as recommended can manage symptoms.1 With continued abstinence and symptom management, full recovery can follow.

Following appropriate information given about CHS, the patient ceased to take cannabis and remained asymptomatic at his 6-week clinic appointment. Ring also said it’s unclear why patients report finding temporary relief from hot showers and baths. This article is a narrative review that synthesizes the most recent and relevant literature on CHS in youth. These themes were developed in advance and used to guide both the literature search and synthesis process. CHS develops in heavy, longtime consumers of cannabis; there is generally daily use in excess of three to five times a day for many years before the appearance of symptoms. Nutritional counseling and dietary adjustments can also play a role in managing CHS.

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A systematic review was conducted by 2 independent researchers using PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, EMBASE and Google Scholar. For each study, the keywords “cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome,” “nausea,” “vomiting,” and “cannabinoids” were utilized in the search. Eligibility assessment was performed by the independent reviewers (H.S. and S.W.) and disagreements were resolved by consensus. A data extraction excel sheet was developed and used to compile and summarize the relevant studies.

Support CHS Awareness

For instance, asking “Have you been using cannabis or other substances recently? ” rather than phrasing the question in a way that implies blame or judgment, such as “How much cannabis have you been using? This approach has been supported in research on youth substance use 3,10. In the end, while CHS can be a challenging and frustrating condition, what is chs weed there is hope. With proper diagnosis, effective treatment, and ongoing research, we’re getting better at managing CHS every day. It’s like solving a complex puzzle – piece by piece, we’re putting together a clearer picture of how to help those affected by this perplexing syndrome.

Unraveling the CHS Mystery: Symptoms, Phases, and Puzzles

This article will explain the causes of CHS and the available treatment options. If you suspect CHS or need guidance, feel free to contact us for support and treatment options. 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 https://ecosoberhouse.com/ vomiting.

Emerging Treatments for CHS

Patients are still able to tolerate a liquid diet in this prodromal phase. CHS was first described in 2004 in South Australia and since then many case reports have been published. Unlike its antiemetic effect, the pathophysiology of the proemetic effect of marijuana is not well understood.

Although several patients either decreased or ceased cannabis use, which may have precipitated symptom improvement, a subset of cannabis users did have symptom improvement with a TCA and ongoing cannabis use 19. “As it is, there’s an estimated 2.75 million patients per year who have cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, and I think the real number is probably a lot higher than that,” Ring theorized. Fuller described it as a “switch” that went off in her medical team’s brains as they immediately informed her that she was suffering from something called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). Furthermore, the negative effects of chronic cannabis use—such as cognitive dysfunction, motivational deficits, and poor academic performance—may intersect with the effects of CHS, compounding functional impairments in youth. An iterative literature search was conducted from October 2024 to March 2025 using PubMed and Google Scholar. Search terms included combinations of keywords such as “Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome”, “CHS”, “cyclic vomiting” “adolescents”, “youth”, “cannabis use”, “vomiting”, “prevalence”, “pathophysiology”, “nutrition”, and “treatment”.

What are the risk factors for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?

As cannabis becomes legal in more places, it is essential to monitor CHS cases across the country, which can help with public health strategies and policy decisions. Additionally, it is caused by disturbances in the gut–brain axis that do not have any other identifiable organic pathology 11. Symptoms of CHS often improve with cessation of cannabis use but are also noted to respond with compulsive hot showers 12.

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Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts. It is important to recognize the common characteristics of CHS and ask about all forms of cannabis alcoholism use. Education is of highest priority and cannabis cessation should be emphasized, regardless of pregnancy status. As more literature becomes available, it is the hope that increased knowledge of CHS will prompt quicker recognition and diagnosis leading to improved patient outcomes. Fuller stated she hopes her story can serve as a cautionary tale for other potential cannabis users about the dangerous side effects of products that she had to learn the hard way. First, much of the existing literature on CHS relies on case reports and observational studies, which may limit the generalizability and reliability of the findings.

What are the symptoms?

• It is unclear whether the increased legalization of cannabis has also contributed to these findings, but this certainly could be a possibility.
• Unlike its antiemetic effect, the pathophysiology of the proemetic effect of marijuana is not well understood.
• Let’s dive into the world of CHS therapy and explore the effective treatments that can help those suffering from this perplexing condition.
• With the emergence of cannabis and its widespread usage in various settings, clinicians and users should be more aware of the long-term effects of cannabinoids.

CHS primarily affects daily or heavy users of high-THC cannabis, especially those using concentrates or edibles. It’s more common in young adults (18–40), but can affect anyone with long-term use. Though not fully understood, CHS is believed to result from prolonged THC overstimulation of the endocannabinoid system, leading to dysregulation of nausea and digestion control in the brain and gut. Sativa is widely distributed in our country, occurring in seven of the nine provinces; var.

Clinical Diagnosis of CHS

Paradoxically, while low doses of cannabis can reduce nausea, chronic or high-doses can lead to CHS 11,19. This is thought to result from disruptions in the endocannabinoid system, the pituitary-adrenal axis, and sympathetic nervous system regulation, with genetic predispositions and stress often playing significant roles 11. Adolescents are known to experience higher levels of stress than older individuals, a developmental reality that can interact with genetic predispositions to increase the likelihood of adverse health outcomes 43. Chronic cannabis use may also impair gastric emptying and contribute to symptoms through THC accumulation in fat cells, illustrating the dual anti-emetic and pro-emetic effects of cannabis 11. The causes of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome are not exactly known. One running theory is that cannabis changes how molecules in the digestive tract respond, as cannabinoid receptors are present in the digestive tract as well and are affected by cannabis use.