In recent years, a severe side-effect of heavy marijuana use has been on the rise in the United States, but fortunately, hot showers seem to alleviate the symptoms, a new study suggests.
The side-effect has even a scientific name: the cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). However, very few doctors know about it and their patients are usually left in the dark about their symptoms, which include nausea, vomiting, and extreme pain.
ER doctors have confirmed that, in the last five years, the CHS has become increasingly common.
In the study, scientists tracked more than 2,000 adult marijuana users at Bellevue hospital in NYC. Of these patients, 155 were heavy users, which means they smoked pot at least 20 times every month.
More than 50 of patients with a heavy marijuana use reported suffering vomiting or nausea in recent months, but fortunately, the symptoms were alleviated by taking prolonged hot showers.
CHS Has Become a Very Common Problem
The study, which appeared in the Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, also found that hot showers offered only temporary relief. The syndrome usually vanishes after the patient quits marijuana for good.
Study authors estimate that 2.7 million pot users in the United States experience CHS occasionally. Lead author Dr. Joseph Habboushe noted that the syndrome should be taken seriously since it affects millions of people, not just thousands.
- ER doctors confirmed a link between increased pot use and a rise in CHS cases.
- One medic noted that, after cannabis was legalized in Colorado, the number of patients experiencing CHS symptoms doubled.
CHS went from being something we didn’t know about and never talked about to a very common problem over the last five years,
said the spokesperson of the American College of Emergency Physicians Dr. Eric Lavonas.
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