12 Things You Need to Know About Smoking

“Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health.”

We’ve all heard that saying before, but most people don’t understand how dangerous tobacco use can actually be. According to the CDC, tobacco consumption is the number one cause of preventable diseases, disability, and death amongst the people of the U.S. Around 40 million adults in the country still smoke cigarettes, and reports show that 16 million people live with severe illnesses due to smoking.

There’s no denying cigarette smoking is lethal, but why do many people in the country still continue to consume tobacco? This article, the best urgent care in West Hartford, CT, will tackle everything you need to know about cigarette smoking and why it’s dangerous for your health.

1. Smoking is terrible for your health.

Very few people seem to understand how dangerous smoking is for human health. A single stick of cigarette might not look harmful, but it already packs tons of cancer-causing chemicals. Health experts have linked smoking to lung cancer for decades, and the medical community has enough evidence to support this claim.

According to urgent care in West Hartford, CT, here are some of the illnesses caused by smoking.

Cancer
Heart disease
Stroke
Lung disease
Diabetes
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Around 16 million Americans are living their lives with diseases caused by smoking. Annually, 480,000 people die from smoking-related diseases. These staggering figures are enough to demonstrate the danger of cigarette smoking, both to the smoker and the people around them.

2. Cigarette smoking affects your body in many harmful ways.

Many people think that cigarette smoking only affects the lungs. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Aside from nicotine, cigarette smoking can introduce over 5,000 chemicals into your body. These chemicals will go not only to your lungs but also to your bloodstream and other organs. The damages caused by tobacco consumption can significantly reduce your lifespan.

Pregnant women who smoke are putting their unborn babies at risk too. Below are some of the side effects of smoking on pregnancy:

Miscarriage
Ectopic pregnancy
Low birth weight
Stillbirths
Congenital disabilities (e.g., cleft palate)
Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI)

Cigarette smoking is more like a ticking time bomb. A single puff may not sound too dangerous, but it will eventually cause serious health problems.

3. Other forms of tobacco are not much safer than you might think.

Unbeknownst to many, other forms of tobacco consumption aren’t as safe as most people think. Cigar smoking will expose you to the same chemicals as cigarette smoking does. The same can be said for chewing tobacco or other smokeless tobacco products in the market today. The delivery might be different for those products, but they will still deliver nicotine to your bloodstream.

E-cigarettes are one of the most popular alternatives to cigarette smoking. However, most people don’t realize that vaping harbors its own set of harmful effects. For starters, vaping delivers nicotine to the body at a higher concentration than cigarettes, but in the form of vapor. The consumption of vape products has been reported to cause various illnesses, such as asthma and COPD, to name a few.

4. Chewing tobacco can still be harmful.

Smokeless tobacco products such as chewing tobacco, snuff, and dissolvable may not be as harmful as cigarettes but bring their fair share of health risks. For starters, chewing tobacco can cause nicotine addiction. Additionally, some people who chew tobacco are reported to develop illnesses such as mouth, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer. Not to mention the risk of gum diseases and tooth decay.

5. Vaping may not be as safe as smoking cigarettes.

The public now treats vaping as a much safer alternative to tobacco, but little do they know that the safety and danger between the two remain unclear. Both are technically cigarettes, just different in forms. One produces toxic smoke, while the other produces vapor containing nicotine. Additionally, vape products deliver a higher concentration of nicotine than cigarettes, making them as harmful as they can be.

6. Problems caused by tobacco are diagnosed differently.

Generally, urgent care in West Hartford, CT, diagnoses tobacco-related illnesses differently. Healthcare providers will ask smokers for details about tobacco usage and conduct physical examinations. Sometimes, they’ll also order some tests like x-rays and electrocardiograms, to name a few. Smokeless tobacco users will require other tests different from what we’ve mentioned above.

7. Tobacco use can worsen other health conditions.

Aside from cancer and other lung diseases, cigarette smoking can lead to chronic health problems. These health issues usually require ongoing care from urgent care in West Hartford, CT. Here are some smoking-related health conditions that will require treatment:

Poor lung function can lead to asthma, bronchitis, COPD, etc.
Less oxygen delivery to the heart and other parts of the body, which heightens the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Erectile dysfunction
Increased blood pressure and decreased HDL cholesterol.

Cigarette smoking and tobacco use will ultimately lead to chronic health problems that will eventually need ongoing treatment. This is why many urgent cares in West Hartford, CT, urge smokers to quit now while there’s still time.

8. Smoking-related diseases will be treated differently.

Healthcare providers around the country can help smokers manage their smoking–related diseases. Since smoking targets different organs of the body, these healthcare professionals will do things their way, such as:

Cardiologist – a heart doctor who treats heart damage caused by smoking.
Lung specialist – a lung doctor who provides treatment for breathing problems like asthma and COPD
Oncologist – cancer doctor provides treatment for cancer caused by smoking.

These are just some professionals who can help you deal with any smoking-related health issues you may be experiencing.

9. You can avoid getting sick from smoking.

At this point, we’ve already established how dangerous cigarette smoking and tobacco use can be. If you want to avoid getting sick from smoking, urgent care in West Hartford, CT, recommends you never start smoking in the first place.

Here are some of the things you can enjoy if you stop smoking or don’t start smoking at all:

Reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
Reduce the risk of developing other smoking-related health conditions
Improve your sense of taste and smell
Feel healthier
Have more energy
Look and feel better
Live longer
Save money

10. You can quit smoking today.

There’s no better day to stop a bad habit than today. If you want to quit smoking, you should understand that there are various ways to do so. Most urgent care in West Hartford, CT, suggests you find or create a smoking cessation plan that will work for your personality. Smoking cessation will require you to be emotionally and mentally ready. You need to understand that you need to quit smoking not just for the people you love but for yourself as well.

Here are some pointers that will help you quit smoking:

Eliminate anything in your household related to smoking (cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays, etc.)
If you live with a smoker, either urge them not to smoke around you or convince them to join you in your smoking cessation journey.
Expect cravings to hit you. But when the time comes, don’t focus on them. Your cravings will pass by, so instead of focusing on them, remind yourself of why you want to quit in the first place.
Keep yourself busy. Replace smoking with other healthy habits, such as chewing sugarless gum, nuts, or raw carrots. If you’re tempted to take a cigarette break, do something else like walk or read a book.
Got the urge to smoke? Practice some breathing exercises. Please take a deep breath, hold it for ten seconds, and slowly release it. Repeat several times as needed.
Don’t go to places you’ve associated with smoking.
Stop hanging out with smokers, as you’ll eventually be tempted to hit another puff from seeing them.
Avoid substituting sugar-based products for cigarettes, as they can lead to weight gain. Instead, choose healthy foods such as carrots, sugar-free candies, gums, or celery sticks.
Drink lots of fluids. Limit caffeine and alcohol intake since they can trigger urges to smoke.
Don’t tell yourself that you are “quitting smoking.” Instead, remind yourself that you’re not a smoker. Change the way you identify yourself, and your habits will follow.
Exercise regularly.

11. You can still quit even if you’ve been smoking for a while.

Even if you’ve been smoking for years, you should know you can still quit smoking. Smoking cessation will improve your health, regardless of your age. Given enough time, the damage caused by smoking to your organs can reverse over time.

Here’s what will happen if you quit smoking today:

12. Tons of resources can help you quit smoking.

Once you decide you’re ready to quit smoking, you can make use of tons of supportive resources out there. For starters, you can visit WhyQuit.com to learn more about smoking cessation. Some apps can help you throughout your smoking cessation journey. You can also join support groups such as Nicotine Anonymous to keep yourself encouraged and accountable.

The best time to quit smoking is now. Taking the first step may seem impossible, but it’s not. By quitting smoking, you’re allowing yourself to live longer and healthier.

How DOCS Urgent Care - West Hartford Can Help You With Your Smoking Habits

Urgent cares in West Hartford, CT, are also willing to give a helping hand in case you’re experiencing health problems caused by smoking, such as asthma, wheezing, and severe coughing, to name a few. Here at DOCS Urgent Care – West Hartford, we also offer various tests and examinations necessary to keep your health in check. Contact us today so we can help you start your smoking cessation journey.