Over time, this damage leads to a variety of problems. Along with increased infections, people who smoke are at higher risk for chronic nonreversible lung conditions such as:.
Withdrawal from tobacco products can cause temporary congestion and respiratory discomfort as your lungs and airways begin to heal. Increased mucus production right after quitting smoking is a positive sign that your respiratory system is recovering. They also tend to have higher rates of pneumonia and bronchitis.
Smoking damages your entire cardiovascular system. Nicotine causes blood vessels to tighten, which restricts the flow of blood. Over time, the ongoing narrowing, along with damage to the blood vessels, can cause peripheral artery disease. Smoking also raises blood pressure , weakens blood vessel walls, and increases blood clots. Together, this raises your risk of stroke. Exposure to secondhand smoke carries the same risk to a nonsmoker as someone who does smoke.
Risks include stroke, heart attack, and heart disease. The more obvious signs of smoking involve skin changes. Substances in tobacco smoke actually change the structure of your skin. A recent study has shown that smoking dramatically increases the risk of squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer. Smoking increases the likelihood of fungal nail infections. Hair is also affected by nicotine. An older study found it increases hair loss , balding, and graying. Smoking increases the risk of mouth, throat, larynx, and esophagus cancer.
Smokers also have higher rates of pancreatic cancer. Nicotine affects blood flow to the genital areas of both men and women. For men, this can decrease sexual performance. For women, this can result in sexual dissatisfaction by decreasing lubrication and the ability to reach orgasm. Smoking may also lower sex hormone levels in both men and women. This can possibly lead to decreased sexual desire. Quitting smoking is difficult, but your doctor can help you make a plan. Ask them for advice.
There are a variety of nonprescription and prescription medications that can help you quit. Smoking also has links with type 2 diabetes.
It often takes many years before a person notices any symptoms of smoking-related lung disease. This means that people may not receive a diagnosis until the disease is quite advanced. Smoking can impact the lungs in several ways. The primary reason is that smoking damages the airways and air sacs — known as alveoli — in the lungs.
Other lung diseases caused by smoking include pneumonia , asthma , and tuberculosis. Smoking irritates the gum tissues. The American Dental Association ADA state that smoking increases the risk of gum disease , which can add to halitosis. Smoking can also affect the reproductive system and fertility. Females who smoke can have more difficulty becoming pregnant. In males, smoking can cause impotence by damaging blood vessels in the penis. It can also damage sperm and affect sperm count.
According to some studies, males who smoke have a lower sperm count than those who do not. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen that can reach the skin. This speeds up the aging process and can make skin appear dull or gray. Smoking reduces how quickly skin wounds heal, increases the risk of skin infections, and increases the severity of skin conditions, including psoriasis. Smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute , tobacco smoke contains around 7, chemicals, of which at least 69 can cause cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women.
It is one of the most difficult to treat. Cigars, pipe-smoking, menthol cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and other forms of tobacco all cause cancer and other health problems. There is no safe way to use tobacco. Read more about how smoking affects the body here. While the statistics are alarming, the good news is that quitting smoking reduces the risk of disease and death significantly.
The risks drop further, the longer a person refrains from smoking. These statistics illustrate the health benefits of quitting smoking:. Soon after quitting, people experience the following health benefits that can significantly improve their quality of life and serve as reminders of the health benefits that quitting can have:. Read more about what happens when you quit smoking here.
Though quitting can be stressful, people often start to notice their daily stress levels are much lower than when they were smoking within 6 months or so. Quitting smoking is a different journey for everyone, and what works for one person will not always work for the next.
Try out a few different ways to see which ones work best. Many people find that reaching out to a healthcare provider for support can help them quit for good.
A doctor can prescribe medication, such as varenicline Chantix. Tobacco causes narrowing of blood vessels all over your body, including those that supply blood to the penis. Good news is that quitting will make a big difference. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening reproductive complication in women that is more likely in smokers.
It occurs when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus. Smokers lose bone density at a faster rate than non-smokers which puts you at risk for breaking body parts like your hip. Putting down the cigarettes can help slow down this process and keep you breaking a sweat, not your bones, on the dance floor.
Colorectal cancer, which forms in your intestines colon or rectum , is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. One of the reasons? Yup, cigarette smoking. Smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing and dying from this type of cancer. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease more common in women that affects the joints in your hands and feet. It causes painful swelling that can eventually result in bone loss and joint deformity.
Smoking is one of the causes, and is also associated with developing the disease at an earlier age. Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have babies with orofacial clefts. Moms-to-be take note: Smoking can affect your ability to conceive. It causes reduced fertility in women and can contribute to other problems during pregnancy.
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