Nausea is a feeling of being queasy which causes the sensation of wanting to vomit the contents of the stomach. The effects of nausea are exerted on the gastrointestinal system, but nausea is induced by the “vomiting center” located in the 4th ventricle of the brain, near the brain stem. The 4th ventricle of the brain contains the chemoreceptor trigger zone. Once stimulated, it creates a difficult to ignore, discomforting uneasiness in the stomach. The symptoms of nausea include weakness, sweating, a buildup of saliva in your mouth, and the urge to vomit. Nausea is always a symptom and not a disease in itself. if you feel nauseous, there is always an underlying cause. Nausea is a protective mechanism that your body uses to avoid stimuli it deems harmful, like a particular food, chemical, or situation.
The physiological causes of nausea are multi-factorial, as nausea is a common symptom of many diseases and conditions, as with many gastrointestinal disorders. Nausea may also be caused by medications, especially chemotherapy in cancer patients. 70% of women experience nausea called morning sickness during pregnancy, which usually eases during the second trimester. Cholecystitis caused by gall stones blocking the bile duct can cause nausea and projectile vomiting. Seasickness, for example, follows a very different pathway than morning sickness or food poisoning. The vestibular system in your internal ear controls nausea related to dizziness after a rollercoaster ride, while the vomiting center in your brain controls the nausea you experience due to a stomach virus, food allergy, or a noxious smell.
For the most part, chemical signals or alkaloid compounds that are released in response to a stimulus act directly on receptors located in the brain’s 4th ventricle. When these receptors are activated, nausea results. Nausea can also have a psychological cause. Anxiety and nervousness often produce nausea because they activate brain regions that are close to the vomiting center of the brain. In this case, the nausea is not caused by an external stimulus, but an internal stimulus – your state of mind.
How can Medical Marijuana Help Patients with Severe Nausea?
Marijuana has widely been utilized medicinally to treat/reduce nausea. A study titled Antiemetic Efficacy of Smoked Marijuana stated that “marijuana significantly reduced ratings of “queasiness” and slightly reduced the incidence of vomiting compared to placebo”**. Cannabinoids in the cannabis plant have also been shown to be effective against chemotherapy-induced nausea. Cannabis can have similar effects to traditionally utilized antiemetics without the some of the risks associated with prescribed nausea medications.
**Duber Medical does not endorse or recommend the smoking of cannabis for any reason as it may be hazardous to your health