How Does Smoking Cigarettes Affect The Lungs?

With all the dangers of cigarette smoking, many have asked "How does smoking affect the lungs?" There's no doubt that long term first and second hand smoke is extremely hazardous, and when it comes to the lungs, cancer is not the only health risk you have when you smoke cigarettes for years. Among the other risks are: Pneumonia, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition which occurs in the lungs. This condition can develop by bacterial, viral, and fungal infections reaching the alveoli in the lungs. When this happens, fluid fills alveoli and creates inflammation in the lungs. Some of the symptoms of pneumonia are: cough with mucus, fever, shaking, shallow breathing and shortness of breath, chest pains, increased heart rate, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. To top it off, Pneumonia can be fatal, and about 5% of severe conditions left untreated result in death.

The most common respiratory infection that occurs due to smoking is bronchitis. The chemicals in cigarettes irritate the lining of your bronchial tubes which can greatly increase your risk for infection. The Bronchi become swollen, making it much more difficult to breathe since air is not able to pass through the airways normally. There is also a very thin layer of mucus that lines the bronchial tubes, and when these become inflamed, they will leak fluids that will build up in the lungs as mucus and ultimately lead to this infection. In response to the mucus buildup, your body's natural reflex will be to cough continually until the mucus has been removed. Constant coughing will stress your lungs beyond their limit and cause severe chest pain. While this is not a fatal condition, it can be extremely painful nonetheless, and may eventually lead to chronic bronchitis.

Emphysema occurs when the alveolar walls in the lungs become damaged. The lung is composed of many alveoli (tiny sacs), which take in oxygen, process it, and distribute it to your bloodstream. When you smoke, the chemicals enter these sacs and over time will begin to cause them to petrify. The reason being is that, in your lungs, there are defensive cells called macrophages. These cells destroy particles that enter your lungs, but when they do, they release materials which can destroy proteins in your lungs such as collagen and elastin. These proteins are what help your lungs expand and contract, and the absence of them leads to petrification of the lungs.

These are just a few examples of how smoking affects the lungs. There are many more conditions you could possibly develop if you continue to smoke. Some are more severe, while others less. Either way, your best bet is to quit smoking now before these conditions can develop in your body.

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How To Quit Smoking Cigarettes

If you are a smoker and wanting to stop, this is the time.  Interestingly, a vast number of smokers want to quit but find it hard. 

This expensive habit is unhealthy, dangerous, and dirty, putting the smoker’s life at risk, as well as people and even pets nearby.

It is common for a person who smokes to spend countless hours looking at one method of quitting after another, trying to find something that will help them finally kick the habit.  Often, a smoker will pass one method to stop, moving to another simply because they think the second option is better.  In the end, the person tries nothing.

The good news is that a person can stop smoking but it starts by that person admitting that he or she has a habit, one that is dangerous and will be difficult to break.  When it comes to how to quit smoking, this is not like giving up a meal for fasting or trading in a car.  To stop smoking requires the person to put everything in mind and body, changing the way that person lives and thinks.  People that have had tried to stop smoking and started by being realistic, have actually been more successful.

One of the popular methods in how to quit smoking cigarettes is with Nicotine gum.  However, while this might look and taste like gum it cannot be chewed like traditional gum in that it contains nicotine.  Instead, the person would place the gum in the mouth and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes.

To quit smoking means changing situations, patterns, and situations that caused the person to start in the first place.  For example, if someone had a problem playing games on the computer late into the night, he or she would need to put the computer in another part of the home that made it less accessible.  The same is true with cigarette smoking, which means staying out of bars where smoking is allowed, drinking coffee later in the morning, or taking up an activity or hobby as a distraction.

Interestingly, some people still use the old-fashioned remedies.  For instance, to draw out excessive nicotine and tar, Epsom salts are used.  In fact, many people claim this helps alleviate cravings.  Another remedy is to increase water intake, which hydrates the person and cuts down cravings.  Again, physical exercise or activity is always a great option in that it keeps the mind busy but it also improves blood circulation and increases oxygen flow, which in turn, creates a sense of well being.

When it comes to methods on how to quit smoking cigarettes, people have a number of viable options.  In truth, stopping this habit is hard no matter the method used but with determination and sheer willpower, people can stop and go on to a long and healthy life.

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