People turn to smoking for various reasons. Some do it because everyone else is doing it, some for the kick that it brings, others do it out of stress, while some might think of it as a cool activity. There is also a small subset that considers themselves recreational or social smokers.
However, no matter why you turned to smoking, returning from smoking can be rather challenging. Nicotine in the cigarettes is highly addictive in nature, thereby making one dependent on the smoke.
Unfortunately, smoking is amongst the worst things that you can do to your body. Many packs also come with the warning signs, often a destroyed lung to deter people, but it is not until they are with the Best Pulmonologist in Karachi getting treatment for their lungs do they realize the extent of the damage their habit caused them.
You don’t have to have the reckoning moment at the doctor’s office to realize what smoking did to your body, and especially your lungs. Read on to find out how your lungs will suffer from the affects of smoking.
Coughing
Cilia in the lungs are small hair-like structures in the airway that help in sweeping away the particles like dirt, debris, pollutants etc. that might make their way into the body.
Smoking, on the other hand, damages the cilia, due to which the particles make their way into the body, thereby leading to coughing, as the body tries to clear them out.
Emphysema
Alveoli are small sacs that enable the exchange of gases, and they play an important role in the supplying body with oxygen. Smoking can damage them permanently, resulting in a condition known as emphysema.
This then decreases the surface area available to the lungs for to enable the exchange of gases.The wheezing becomes especially pronounced when people have to do strenuous activities that require one to breathe at a faster rate.Smokers have trouble breathing with ease. Instead of calm and deep breaths, they instead have to wheeze. This is because smoking causes inflammation in the airways.
Oxygen levels
Another grave impact that smoking has is on the depleted oxygen levels. Affecting the main job of lungs, smoking causes damage to the blood capillaries that play a part in the exchange of gases i.e., the removal of carbon dioxide and the uptake of oxygen. This causes the body to suffer from low oxygen levels.
Since oxygen is required for the essential processes in the body, therefore, dearth of it has serious implications for the body.
Shortness of breath
Smokers cannot do physical or strenuous activities on account of facing shortness of breath. Even generally as well, if their lungs have sustained a great amount of damage, it means breathing is even more difficult for them.The wheezing becomes especially pronounced when people have to do strenuous activities that require one to breathe at a faster rate.Smokers have trouble breathing with ease. Instead of calm and deep breaths, they instead have to wheeze. This is because smoking causes inflammation in the airways.
Tar
Tar is a sticky substance that is found in cigarettes. Over time, it too may build up in the lungs, causing your lungs to be more susceptible to colds, flu, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections. Tar also gives them blackened appearance, as if they are covered with soot.
Wheezing
Smokers have trouble breathing with ease. Instead of calm and deep breaths, they instead have to wheeze. This is because smoking causes inflammation in the airways. It can lead to the development of scar tissue then.
Extra mucus makes the airway even narrower. Therefore, the space left for the air to travel into and out of the body is far too narrow for the process to be do comfortably.
The wheezing becomes especially pronounced when people have to do strenuous activities that require one to breathe at a faster rate.Smokers have trouble breathing with ease. Instead of calm and deep breaths, they instead have to wheeze. This is because smoking causes inflammation in the airways.
More mucus
Due to the damage done to the cells lining the surface of the lungs. They then produce greater amounts of mucus. When coupled with inflammation, the high mucus production further narrows the air passageway. Increased mucus production is also a great source of discomfort as well. They might also then have to constantly clear their throat as well.The wheezing becomes especially pronounced when people have to do strenuous activities that require one to breathe at a faster rate.Smokers have trouble breathing with ease. Instead of calm and deep breaths, they instead have to wheeze. This is because smoking causes inflammation in the airways.
Furthermore, there are other problems like pneumonia and bronchitis, that require intervention from your doctor Hashmanis Hospital, are also associated with higher levels of mucus in the body.
