A poorly understood illness in long-term marijuana users appears to be on the rise.
As reported by CBS News last week, the number of incidences of a somewhat rare and mysterious illness characterized by nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in long-term marijuana users has been on the rise. The disease, known as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS, tends to go largely undiagnosed by physicians, especially emergency room physicians, because a patient often has to present with similar symptoms on numerous occasions, and have standard imaging tests done, to rule out other possible causes of their symptoms. It's known to cause dehydration and kidney failure in patients, but resolve with IV fluids and the termination of marijuana use within a few days. Users also note that taking hot showers or baths tended to resolve the symptoms.
