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Smoking: Not Just Harmful to Your Lungs and Heart


About this topic


Smoking is very common at any age. It is one of the leading causes of poor health and illness. Smoking can lead to death. It has many harmful chemicals that are released by the tobacco you smoke and inhale. Tobacco has many forms. These are: ‚  
  • Cigarettes
  • Pipes
  • Cigars
  • Chewing tobacco

All kinds of tobaccos contain many toxic substances. These are what make you sick from smoking. ‚  
  • Nicotine ¢ ˆ ’ The main thing that makes you addicted to smoking
  • Carbon monoxide ¢ ˆ ’ A poison that gets into your blood when smoking
  • Tar ¢ ˆ ’ Has chemicals that are cancerous

These factors affect how much damage smoking will have on you: ‚  
  • The number of cigarettes you smoke
  • The kind of cigarettes you use
  • How the cigarette has been prepared
  • The content of the cigarette

Smoking hurts every part of the body. The lungs and the heart are most often affected by tobacco use. ‚  

General


Smoking is very harmful to your body. It can cause many illnesses and can affect how you look. ‚  
Smoking and Cancer ‚  
Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. Smoking may also increase the risk of: ‚  
  • Mouth cancer. This can also be caused by chewing tobacco.
  • Bladder cancer
  • Cancer of the tube from the mouth to stomach. This is also called the esophagus.
  • Cancer of the throat. This can also be caused by chewing tobacco.
  • Kidney cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Colon cancer
  • Cancer of the pancreas
  • Cancer of the cervix in women
  • Cancer of the blood or leukemia
  • Skin cancer

Smoking and Your Lungs ‚  
If you smoke you are more likely to have: ‚  
  • Breathing problems
  • Lung infections like pneumonia or bronchitis
  • Lung disease such as COPD or emphysema
  • Asthma

Smoking and the Heart and Circulation ‚  
  • Causes heart disease and stroke
  • Smokers are at a higher risk for high blood pressure
  • You are more likely to get blood clots
  • Smoking can lower blood flow to the legs and skin

Smoking and Diabetes ‚  
If you smoke, you: ‚  
  • Have a higher risk of developing diabetes
  • May have higher blood sugar levels
  • May have more problems with your diabetes

Smoking and Digestion ‚  
  • Smokers make more stomach acid. This can cause sores or ulcers in your belly or bowel.
  • Your stomach acids may flow back to your esophagus. This is also called heartburn.
  • You have more chance of bowel irritation and swelling

Smoking and Your Bones ‚  
If you smoke: ‚  
  • Your bone-forming cells dont grow as fast
  • Your bones may become weaker (osteoporosis)
  • You may have more low back pain and arthritis
  • You may have more overuse injuries
  • You may have a greater risk of breaking bones
  • Your broken bones may take longer to heal

Smoking and Pregnancy ‚  
  • Makes your baby more prone to problems
  • You have a higher chance of having a premature baby or baby born early
  • Your healthy baby may die without reason. This is called sudden infant death syndrome.
  • Your baby may be born dead (stillbirth)
  • Your baby may have a low birth weight
  • You have a higher risk of an ectopic pregnancy or a pregnancy outside of the uterus
  • You have a higher chance of having a baby with mouth or facial defects

Smoking and Your Eyes, Hair, Hands, and Mouth ‚  
If you smoke, you may notice your: ‚  
  • Eyes become cloudy and form cataracts
  • Hair may get thin and turn gray sooner than it should
  • Fingernails turn yellow
  • Teeth become yellowish brown
  • Gums have more problems
  • Teeth have problems or even become loose
  • Sense of taste and smell start to go away
  • Breath smells bad

Smoking and Skin ‚  
Smoking causes: ‚  
  • Less blood flow to the skin
  • Wrinkles start early around your eyes and mouth
  • Dry skin
  • Your skin to lose elasticity and strength
  • Skin may get splotchy or pale
  • Your face to look thin and old. This is called smoker's face.
  • Greater risk of getting a skin problem called psoriasis

Smoking and Sex Life ‚  
If you smoke you are more likely to have problems like: ‚  
  • Impotence
  • Decreased blood flow to the penis. This is also called erectile dysfunction.
  • Trouble getting pregnant
  • Early change of life or menopause for women
  • A higher risk of heart attack or stroke for women who smoke and use birth control pills
  • Damaged sperm that may lead to problems getting a woman pregnant, birth defects, or miscarriage

Smoking and Your Brain and Behavior ‚  
Smoking can: ‚  
  • Affect your mood
  • Lead to addiction
  • Cause long-term confusion or damage to your brain cells
  • Cause low mood

Smoking and Children ‚  
If you smoke, your children: ‚  
  • Will be more likely to smoke.
  • Can be sick from being around your smoke. This is called secondhand smoke.
  • Need to learn about the bad effects of smoking. Most smokers start before the age of 18. Encourage your children never to smoke.

Smoking and Other Effects ‚  
Smoking can cause: ‚  
  • Wounds to take longer to heal
  • You to eat poorly
  • Weight loss
  • Swelling in the body and affect the body's immune or defense system
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Greater chance of injury
  • You to get warts easier (human papillomavirus)
  • A bad odor in hair and on clothes
  • You to have poor sports performance
  • You to spend a lot of money. Smoking is an expensive habit. A smoker who smokes a pack per day in the U.S. will spend over $2000 per year on cigarettes.
  • Health care to cost more
  • You to miss work more often

Even if you have smoked for many years, it is not too late to quit. Your body starts to heal as soon as you stop smoking. It is better to quit when you are young, but you can still get healthier if you quit at any age. ‚  


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Helpful tips


Some helpful steps you can take to help you quit smoking: ‚  
  • Set a date to quit smoking.
  • Know the reasons that make you smoke more.
  • Write down each time you smoke. Include the time and what you are doing. Plan ahead about what you will do instead of smoking when that time or event reappears.
  • Tell your family and friends about your plan to quit smoking. Let them know how to help you.
  • Slowly reduce your smoking.
  • Remove smoking products from your home and other places.
  • Avoid places and situations where you will more likely smoke. If people close to you smoke, ask them to quit with you. If they do not quit, ask them to not smoke around you.
  • Reward or treat yourself every time you do not smoke. Do not use food as a reward.
  • Ask a doctor for help.

Where can I learn more?


Center for Disease Control and Prevention ‚  
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/#overview ‚  
KidsHealth ‚  
http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/tobacco/smoking.html# ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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