Cigarettes can wreak havoc in the human body, especially in the organs called lungs. The major culprit behind this is tobacco, the chief constituent of cigarettes. However, there doesn’t seem to be enough information on the Internet as to how smoking really harms lung health. Having correct information on the bad effects of smoking on lungs can act as a huge motivation to those who are trying to quit this habit.
In this article, you will see how smoking really harms your lungs, and also find ways to overcome this addiction as well.
So let us begin,
- Smoking causes Mucus Build-Up
Smoking increases mucus-producing cells in the lungs as well as in the airways. This eventually results in the coagulation and more production of mucus. As your lungs can’t clean the excess mucus, it stays in the airways, clogs them which results in rigorous coughing. This excess mucus can lead to infection and may also invite several illnesses as well. Smoking also hampers the natural immunity of the lungs, causing it to age faster.
- Lesser Airflow
Every cigarette you smoke contributes to the irritation and inflammation in the lungs, not to forget the incessant coughing as well. The main reason for this is because smoking lowers the oxygen flow to the critical parts of the body, eventually harming the lungs and tissues as well. Ultimately, this decreases the air spaces and blood vessels in the lungs causing intense discomfort in the whole respiratory system.
- Reduces Cilia
Cilia is a broom-like hair structure lined on the lungs which plays a key role in keeping the lungs clean. Every time you inhale cigarette smoke, the movement of cilia slows down, even for hours. What prolonged smoking does is, it reduces the number of cilia of the lungs, leaving only a few ones to clean the organ. This is the reason why a typical smoker’s lungs look so dark as the tar doesn’t get cleaned quickly.
- Impacts your Blood Circulation
Smoking can hamper the circulatory system in a human body, as the tar accumulated through cigarettes can infect the bloodstream. Also, when the toxic chemicals from tobacco enter your blood, many radical changes happen. Firstly, the blood becomes thicker before making you vulnerable to the risk of blood clots. Secondly, the heart works harder as blood pressure and heart rate goes up. Lastly, the arteries become thinner, which reduces the amount of blood carrying oxygen to other parts of the body. This may also contribute to stroke, or even worse, a heart attack.
- Makes You Vulnerable to COPD
Smokers are at a greater risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), as 80% of the cases of COPD are due to cigarettes. People with COPD develop difficulty in breathing, which can even worsen. Apart from COPD, smoking can also be the reason for lung cancer in most cases. Hence, you need to quit smoking if you are serious about taking care of your lung health.
How to Quit Smoking Addiction?
Honestly, smoking is among the hardest addictions to quit. The reason for this being nicotine, the main constituent of cigarettes which can cause terrible withdrawal effects to hardcore smokers who are trying to overcome this addiction. This not only makes you stuck on the loop of relapses but also breaks your confidence to quit this addiction.
Therefore, one should be proactive while trying to quit cigarettes and most importantly, try to quit in a gradual manner. A gadget like an e-cigarette can be of huge help as it not only avoids the harmful tobacco from itself but also helps smokers to quit cigarettes successfully. Besides, you can choose different kinds of vapes that suit your own style of vaping.
All in All,
You have seen how smoking can hamper your overall lung health. Therefore, it is immensely important for a smoker to quit this addiction at the earliest. Hopefully, you can overcome smoking by the tips given above, which would help you to shun cigarettes in a gradual manner. Have patience and a strong belief in yourself, you will definitely win this battle without much hassles.