what causes chs

Using cannabis for a prolonged period increases your risk of this condition. While any amount of long-term cannabis use can lead to CHS, daily cannabis use seems to be more likely to cause CHS than using it less often. The only way to prevent CHS is to avoid using any form of marijuana. This condition develops after several years of cannabis use. It’s still possible to develop CHS if you use cannabis for many years without having any problems.

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“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. One possible explanation for this is called “gate control theory,” which postulates that to some extent, the brain can regulate how much pain it perceives. When Dr. Deepa Camenga began her career about 20 years ago, she rarely if ever saw pediatric patients with CHS, she said. Today, hospitals in her area around New Haven, Connecticut, see pediatric CHS cases nearly every day, she added. After stopping cannabis use, symptoms generally resolve within days or months. Reusing cannabis again often leads to a reoccurrence of CHS.

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what causes chs

If you have symptoms, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask for your detailed medical history. Let your doctor know what causes chs how much marijuana you use and how often you use it. In one study, about 84% of people who received treatment for CHS stopped using cannabis, and of those, about 86% reported resolution of symptoms. Experts believe only a fraction of habitual cannabis users develop CHS. But because CHS is a somewhat newly discovered condition that was first diagnosed in 2004, some people may be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

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Research suggests that CHS is a permanent condition that can only be effectively treated by quitting cannabis. Continuing to use cannabis despite CHS can lead to potentially life threatening complications. Researchers are trying to understand why some people develop it and others don’t. Right now, the only known effective treatment for CHS is to stop using cannabis. Erica Hagler was an otherwise healthy 33-year-old who was struck down with a severe mystery illness when she says she was using cannabis multiple times a day. An increasing number of cases are being reported of a mysterious, rare condition possibly linked to cannabis use that has caused some people to become severely ill, according to an ABC News investigation.

But not everyone who uses marijuana long-term experiences CHS. One study looking at Reddit posts on the subject found that spicy food, greasy food, coffee, black tea, and alcohol were frequently mentioned as CHS triggers. These foods/beverages are mostly acidic, but relationships between them and CHS have not been studied scientifically, although the co-use of weed and alcohol is well-known, the study authors said. Some people who use marijuana heavily get CHS while others don’t. Researchers aren’t sure exactly why weed causes CHS symptoms only in some people. People with CHS may vomit often, up to five times per hour.

what causes chs

what causes chs

Substances like THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and other chemicals in cannabis bind to molecules in your brain to trigger the “high” that can occur when using cannabis products. Because CHS is a fairly new medical condition, not all doctors know about it. Or they might think it’s something else, since repeated throwing up is a sign of many health problems. You may need to see a gastroenterologist, a doctor who specializes in the digestive tract, for a proper diagnosis. The CHS recovery phase starts when you stop your marijuana use. When you do this, your symptoms usually start to go away in few days to a few months.

To fully get better, you need to stop using marijuana all together. Some people may get help from drug rehab programs to help them quit. Cognitive behavioral therapy or family therapy can also help. If you stop using marijuana, Substance abuse your symptoms should not come back.

what causes chs

Importantly, for the definition of cyclic vomiting syndrome, these episodes of vomiting cannot be attributed to other disorders. This factor is a key distinguishing feature from cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, where the toxicokinetics of cannabis itself influence the course of the disease. CHS is a rare condition that affects some habitual cannabis users. It causes severe bouts of vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Certain therapies, such as taking hot showers or using prescription medications, may help relieve symptoms. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) happens when you have cycles of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain after using cannabis (marijuana) for a long time.

People can develop the syndrome at any time, even after decades of prolonged use of cannabis. If you are worried about your marijuana use, it’s time to reach out for help. We can help you find the marijuana addiction program that fits your needs and begin your recovery journey today. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Call us today at to learn about your treatment options and to take the first step onto the road to recovery. Measures like hot showers, which help many people with CHS, and medication for stomach inflammation might be recommended.

The only true treatment for CHS, according to experts, is to stop using cannabis. Doctors observe that when people stop using the substance, their symptoms eventually go away. Your doctor can explain this condition in more detail and why stopping cannabis is so crucial for preventing it from happening again. While Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) can be a very difficult experience, it’s important to remember that it’s treatable. “If you want to talk about a recreational drug, I’ll tell you right now, I spend a lot more of my time taking care of patients who have problems with alcohol and methamphetamines than with cannabis,” he said.