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Almost every American is aware that smoking is bad for you on many levels. But what many may not know is how smoking adversely affects your health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nearly half of chronic pain sufferers smoke tobacco. Researchers have found that chronic pain patients smoke to ease their anxiety surrounding their pain or illness. However, smoking tobacco worsens your chronic pain over time and produces pain sensitivity.
Smoking causes many painful health problems like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), lower back and joint pain, as well as arthritis. Tobacco also diminishes your body’s ability to heal properly. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it contracts your blood vessels, which in turn, decreases the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the parts of your body trying to heal. For example, certain discs in the spine already have limited blood flow naturally. Smoking then restricts even more blood flow to spine and patients develop lower back pain and, in some cases, osteoporosis.
Avid smokers tend to prioritize the short-term gratification of smoking over the long-time effects of healing. This is due to the dopamine released by nicotine, which produces feelings of pleasure. This is the very reason many people become addicted to smoking. However, the momentarily feeling of relief fades, and your body has an even harder time trying to recover.
Smoking can slow down the healing process by causing fatigue, which has the means to become chronic. The fatigue is produced by blocked airways in the lungs, which weaken your oxygen intake. Tobacco is also an appetite suppressant, which is a link to feelings of fatigue and lethargy.
Researchers have also found that smoking can cause health problems on top of your already chronic pain. Such health problems include cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and unfortunately, many more. Smoking has also been linked to depression and other mental health issues that can worsen over time.
Studies have shown that chronic pain patients that quit smoking attest to having lower pain levels, and an increase in stronger mental health. A positive and well-balanced mental health has shown to lessen chronic pain symptoms. If you are suffering from a smoking addiction, reach out to your KRPC pain specialist for a positive discussion on how to quit smoking.
Sources:
healthessentials
Colorado Pain Care
https://coloradopaincare.com/the-impact-of-smoking-on-chronic-pain/