Quit smoking, or else it’ll leave your lungs scarred for life

Recently, video footage of the tar-blackened lungs of a deceased donor has gone viral because a lung surgeon has rejected it for transplant. Read on to know how smoking can impact your lungs.

By: Paras Hemrajani | | Published: November 22, 2019 3:49 pm

Main component of cigarettes is tobacco which is rich in nicotine, an addictive toxin. © Shutterstock

In an exceptional turn of events, a lung transplant surgeon, Dr. Chen Jingyu, of Wuxi People’s Hospital in China, has recently reject a pair of lungs donated by a deceased person. The 52-year-old man had spent the last 30 years of life smoking one pack of cigarette every day. Dr. Chen felt that the organ was too damaged to be transplanted in someone else. The video footage of the donated lungs shared by Dr. Jingyu on a Chinese social media platform shows the lungs turned black by tar. This video, shared with the hashtag Jieyan (meaning quit smoking), has gone viral in China.

HOW SMOKING CIGARETTES CAN AFFECT YOUR LUNGS

As we already know, the main component of cigarettes is tobacco which is rich in nicotine, an addictive toxin. When tobacco burns, more than 400 chemicals are produced, says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US. These toxins include nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tars. Out of these chemical, nicotine in particular is most the dangerous, as it transforms normal body cells into cancer cells. Here are some diseases whose risks are linked to smoking.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease covers a wide range of progressive lung diseases like emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and non-reversible asthma. All these conditions hit your lungs differently. But the major culprit behind them is smoking. Chronic bronchitis is a long-lasting inflammation in large airways called bronchi. Symptoms include shortness of breath and coughing up mucus for weeks and sometimes even months. Emphysema, on the other hand, is a condition where excess smoking affects the air sacs in the lungs. It manifests itself through shortness of breath, fatigue and coughing. As this condition progresses, symptoms worsen. It can cause sleep disturbance, weight loss, high blood pressure and depression too.

Lung cancer

Abnormal growth of lung cells leads to lung cancer. Growth can appear in the form of lumps, masses, or tumours. As these cells start to grow, they can mess with the lining of the bronchi and other parts of the lung. Symptoms of lung cancer only show up after the condition has advanced to the third stage. First symptoms of lung cancer are cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, and recurring lung infections. Apart from lung cancer, smoking has been linked with other cancers too.

OTHER HEALTH RISKS

True that your lungs take the maximum hit if you smoke a lot. However, smoking cigarettes has been linked to other conditions damaged your circulation and digestive systems, weak bones, and skin health issues. Some schools of thought have also associated this habit with poor mental health.

Poor blood circulation

Smoking invites toxins into the blood stream, which thickens the blood, making it hard to move from one part of the body to another. Thick blood is the main reason behind blood clots and thus stroke. With the movement of blood affected, chances of high blood pressure and heart damage are high.

Dermatological issues

People who smoke are at high risk of facial wrinkles, because smoking cuts off oxygen supply to your skin. Without oxygen, the skin cells start to die. Your cigarettes can be the reason behind premature ageing too.

Weak bones

Smoke from cigarettes release toxins that lead to an imbalance of hormones that your bones need to stay strong. Moreover, nicotine in tobacco along with the free radicals produced by smoke attack bone-making cells.

HOW TO QUIT SMOKING

There are several ways in which you can leave this nasty habit behind. You can try nicotine replacement therapy, which includes nicotine gum, lozenges, nasal sprays or inhalers. They are easily available substitutes to cigarettes and generally very safe. Smoking can be a reaction to stressful situations, so it is advised that you should avoid those situations as much as you can. You can also join support groups that could help you fight off your cravings. Taking up yoga is also a good option.

Published : November 22, 2019 3:49 pm

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