SMOKING Thrills, But Kills?
“Doctor! I forgot to share something with you; I am an occasional smoker, but my husband is smoking for last 10 years. I hope it’s not going to affect me and my baby?” asked my patient.
“We are trying to conceive for last 4 years, all tests are normal. It’s an unexplained infertility”, said another patient, “one thing more, my husband smokes occasionally. He is not a heavy smoker, but could it be related to our problem?”
“I’ve tried many times to stop smoking but it’s very difficult. Now I always take Shisha or smoke through water tubes.”
“I am 50, smoking for last 20 years and I don’t have any problem. Do I need to get any medical checkup or tests?”
These are some common statements of people who smoke. There are many misconceptions that occasional smoking or smoking through water pipes (Shisha) is harmless, passive smokers are totally safe. It’s only heavy smokers who smoke for years suffer from all the problems. Therefore people continue to smoke for years without realizing its future consequences, even expecting mothers don’t stop smoking during pregnancy that is a serious threat to mother and baby’s health causing numerous complications.
In fact, there is complete lack of awareness of thousands of harmful chemicals in smoke which deteriorate health and the only solution to is cessation of smoking; Yes STOP SMOKING!
This blog would guide about problems associated with smoking and create awareness about importance of cessation of smoking for reversing harmful changes in body and improving overall health.
What’s a passive smoker? Is it harmful?
If you work or live in an environment where smoking is common, then you are a passive smoker who could have all the hazards of smoking. Similarly, the risk doubles for pregnant women, as the baby is already exposed to toxins of smoke before birth.
What are common problems of smoking?
Some very common problems are dry cough, voice hoarseness, bad smelling breath, yellow teeth, mouth, accelerated aging characterized by dry wrinkled, pigmented skin and early graying of hair.
What are the breathing problems associated with smoking?
Typical smokers cough is due to increase in secretions of lining of windpipes causing chronic obstructive lung diseases like chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema.
How smoking increases cardiovascular diseases?
Smoke alters lipid profile and raises blood pressure, damages inner lining of blood vessels, promotes clot formation and increases risk of angina (chest pain due to reduced blood supply), heart attack and stroke.
What other health issues are associated with smoking?
There are more chances of having dental and gum diseases, gall bladder infections, peptic ulcer and cataract in eyes.
Does it effect mental health?
Anxiety, stress, negative emotions of anger, hatred and depression is more common among people who smoke.
Does smoking increases chances of having cancers?
Yes, toxins and oxygen free radicals of smoke damage cells and increases overall risk of cancers. The most common preventable but lethal cancer associated with smoking is lung cancer. It is becoming leading cause of death after cancers of breast, colon/ rectum (large intestine) and cervix. Other cancers linked with smoking are of mouth, (esophagus) food pipe, stomach, pancreas and kidney.
What are the problems of smoking specifically for women?
Smoker women are prone to risk of cervical cancer, osteoporosis (weak bones), hip bone fracture, heart diseases and early menopause.
Does smoking affects fertility?
Yes, couples who smoke take a longer time to conceive than non-smokers, because toxins of smoke cause hormone imbalance, damage to the genetic material of sperms and reduce total number of motile sperms, hence lowering chances of conception.
How smoke toxins damage early pregnancy?
Women who continue to smoke after confirmation of pregnancy have high nicotine levels in blood which hinders new blood vessels formation in placental bed, impaired blood supply results in less oxygen and nutrients supply to fetus.
How smoking adversely affects pregnancy at later stages?
Pregnant smoker women are more prone to have maternal and fetal complications like:
- Increased risk of abortions
- High blood pressure
- Abruption of placenta (placental separation from uterus)
- Pre-term delivery
- Intrauterine growth retardation of baby
- Small for gestational age of baby
- Low birth weight of baby
- Delayed fetal lung maturity
- Increased risk of birth defects
- Still birth
- Sudden infant death
Does smoking affects breast feed?
Yes, smoking not only reduce milk but toxins of smoke are also secreted in breast milk. It’s better to stop smoking but if you are still struggling to stop it, then try not to smoke few hours before feeding.
Is smoking through water pipes (Shisha) safer than cigarettes?
No, research studies have proven it equally harmful to cause lung cancer, heart diseases and among pregnant women it causes same amount of damage to the growth of fetus.
Does smoking cessation reverses the damage?
Yes, there is marked reduction of disease risk after cessation of smoking:
- 25 to 50 % reduction of Heart diseases after 2 years
- Decline of lung functions due to chronic obstructive lung diseases slow put down after one (01) year
- Chances of lung cancer are less
- Pregnant women who stop smoking in early pregnancy have normal birth weight of babies with minimal complications
REMEMBER!! Smoking increases chances of acquiring various preventable fatal diseases. The one and ONLY solution to this health issue is creating awareness about hazards and educating people for smoking cessation.
STOP SMOKING
Dr. Ayesha Azam Khan