Deadly Connection Between Cigarette Smoking and Back Pain

Cigarette smoking has been strongly linked to a number of serious health conditions like heart disease, emphysema, lung cancer, and other cardiovascular ailments. This habit is responsible for nearly 440,000 of more than 2.4 million premature deaths in the United States and is one of the leading causes of death around the world. The effects of cigarette smoking has been well documented in terms of cardiovascular and circulatory health is concerned. However recent medical studies have uncovered a link between smoking and back pain.

Various researches suggest that smoking may heighten the risk of developing back pain by about 30 percent. In addition to back pain, smokers may also be susceptible to pain in the neck, shoulders, hands, elbows, knees, and hips. Though the cause of this condition is unclear, one possible reason is that cigarette smoking may damage the general musculo-skeletal (muscles and skeleton system) tissues by reducing blood supply to the tissues, raising clotting risks, and reducing the flow of nutrients to muscles, joints, and back. Heavy coughing due to cigarette smoking may also be a factor in the development of back pain among smokers.

This damage is possible because cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals, in which 60 are carcinogenic. Formaldehyde, arsenic, cadmium, benzene, and ethylene oxide are some of the substances that may cause cancer. These chemicals may accelerate the development of artherosclerosis, a disease that affects the large and medium arteries. This condition damages the blood vessels making them difficult to relax. Smoking may also cause the artery walls to stiffen the artery walls and cause pieces of plaque to clog some arteries. Once the plaque clogs the arteries, blood flow may be hampered and some nutrients may be deprived to some parts of the body which includes the spine and may lead to back pain.

Studies that link cigarette smoking to back pain are not conclusive and may need more studies to be verified. However, the message is clear, smokers who suffer from back pain have many reasons to kick this dreaded habit. Quitting smoking may not immediately relieve the pain, but it may help. Cutting the habit may also lower the risk of developing heart disease, various forms of cancer, and other diseases.
Individuals who have a hard time cutting the habit may use scientifically proven quit smoking products and alternative methods that are available. These products however cannot do all the work, the best and effective to quit smoking involves determination, discipline, and commitment to stop the habit permanently. Using these products and engaging in alternative methods can help smokers cut the habit by making them more comfortable and complacent to adjust to life without cigarettes. These products should not be used without the approval of health professionals because it may cause unwanted side effects to certain individuals and interact with other drugs.

People who want to quit smoking may also try other methods of quitting smoking by trying other methods like meditation and self hypnotism. Ask your doctor on how you can engage in these activities. With the right tools and attitude, cigarette smoking can be stopped permanently.

Dangers Posed By Smoking on Women's Health

Everybody is aware of the dangers of smoking. It is absolutely damaging to the human body. While carcinogens in cigarettes pose a hazard to everyone, women are three times as likely as men to get aggressive forms of lung cancer and more likely to develop it at an earlier age. Women are also more likely to die of lung cancer than breast cancer.

Quitting smoking is easier said than done. And women, it turns out, have an even harder time quitting than men. Stronger withdrawal symptoms may be attributed to hormones or the bigger nicotine dose absorbed by smaller female bodies. Regardless of women's age, the dangers of smoking contribute to infertility, anxiety, blindness, and osteoporosis. Pregnant women who smoke risk not only their health but their babies' as well. Second hand smoke affects the children and other people around mothers who smoke.

Smoking is a vice that almost always begins during adolescence. When teenagers finish from high school without ever smoking regularly, they probably never will. However, while boys and girls are equally likely to start smoking, the latter get the worse health complications. Young people may exhibit symptoms of addiction within a few days or weeks right after they started smoking.

While cigarette smoking was rare in women during the beginning of the 20th century, the tobacco industry realized the potential of women as a market for the expansion of the cigarette industry. In fact, tobacco companies launched the campaign slogan “Instead of a sweet, reach for a smoke” to encouraged women to smoke so as not to gain weight. This was followed by “You've come a long way, baby” as a tribute to the burgeoning women's liberation movement.
These marketing campaigns not only depicted women smokers as beautiful, independent and fun, but also sent subliminal messages that smoking helps women control their weight. Cigarette ads are banned in kids and teens magazines but billion of dollars are spent on t.v., billboards, and adult magazines which can easily be accessed by the youth.

Since 1987, lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. About 87% of all lung cancer cases in America is directly attributed to smoking. Smoking causes heart disease, which is the number one killer of women in the U.S.  The dangers of smoking contribute to respiratory diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, as well as many kinds of cancer.
Women who smoke also harm their appearance as smoking speeds up the aging process and produce more facial wrinkles, gum disease, dental decay, and halitosis. Mental health is also affected due to depression and anxiety disorders. Women are more likely to be depressed than non-smokers, and that women with anxiety disorders are more likely to smoke.

Some women, however, are finding creative ways to break the habit for good. Engaging in activities where smoking wouldn't fit, such as exercising, biking, mountain-climbing, as well as turning to a non-smoking lifestyle that includes going to smoke-free places with your kids.
The dangers of smoking for women has increased attention and awareness from women's organizations, resulting in a number of projects that focus on supporting tobacco cessation efforts specifically for women.

Dangers Of Smoking

Almost everybody knows that smoking is bad for the health. Images of blackened lungs line school hallways and hospital waiting rooms, but despite this people continue to take up smoking. This may have to do with the pervasive romantic image of smoking -- an image that has nothing in common with reality.

There are many ways to take tobacco. You can chew it, inhale it through the nose, and smoke it in the form of cigars or cigarettes. No matter how it's taken it is dangerous, but because smoking is the most popular way to consume tobacco it has also received the greatest attention from the medical field and the media.

When a smoker inhales a puff of cigarette smoke the large surface area of the lungs allows nicotine to pass into the blood stream almost immediately. It is this nicotine "hit" that smokers crave, but there is a lot more to smoke than just nicotine. In fact, there are more than 4000 chemical substances that make up cigarette smoke and many of them are toxic.

Cigarette smoke is composed of 43 carcinogenic substances and more than 400 other toxins that can also be found in wood varnish, nail polish remover, and rat poison. All of these substances accumulate in the body and can cause serious problems to the heart and lungs.

Cancer is the most common disease associated with smoking. Smoking is the cause of 90% of lung cancer cases and is related to 30% of all cancer fatalities. Other smoking-related cancers include cancers of the mouth, pancreas, urinary bladder, kidney, stomach, esophagus, and larynx.

Besides cancer, smoking is also related to several other diseases of the lungs. Emphysema and bronchitis can be fatal and 75% of all deaths from these diseases are linked to smoking.

Smokers have shorter lives than non-smokers. On average, smoking takes 15 years off your life span. This can be explained by the high rate of exposure to toxic substances which are found in cigarette smoke.

Smokers also put others at risk. The dangers of breathing in second-hand smoke are well known. Smokers harm their loved ones by exposing them to the smoke they exhale. All sorts of health problems are related to breathing in second-hand smoke. Children are especially susceptible to the dangers of second-hand smoke because their internal organs are still developing. Children exposed to second-hand smoke are more vulnerable to asthma, sudden infant death syndrome, bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections.

Smoking can also be dangerous for unborn children. Mothers who smoke are more likely to suffer from miscarriages, bleeding and nausea, and babies of smoking mothers have reduced birth weights or may be premature. These babies are more susceptible to sudden infant death syndrome and may also have lifelong health complications due to chest infections and asthma.

It is never too late to give up smoking, even those who have smoked for 20 years or more can realize tremendous health benefits from giving up the habit.

Create A Goal To Help You To Quit Smoking

This article describes how creating a goal or target can help you to succeed in life. I myself want to be successful in life and have read many books on the subject. One lesson and something all the successful people I have read about seem to do, is that they are always setting themselves goals for the future. Setting targets has among other things helped me to quit smoking cigarettes. I hope you enjoy reading my article.

One example I clearly remember from one such book, described a survey that had been carried out for schoolchildren who were in their final year of high school. One hundred people took part in the survey and they were asked to answer a number of questions. The main question the people who commissioned the survey were interested in was about where the children wanted to be in five years time and what they wanted to be doing, for example in their business life.

Not all children of this age are that mature and in the end there were only five answers which were taken as being a true goal for the future. Five years later these one hundred people were contacted again and were asked to fill in yet another survey. The results were quite staggering as the five children who had set a goal for the future had a higher combined net worth than the other ninety five added together. Money of course is not everything in life, however for me this showed, that is if you believe everything that you read, that you are more likely to be a success in life if you set yourself a goal.

I then looked at the aspects of my life with which I was not happy with. At that age, I smoked around fifteen cigarettes a day. This was something I quite enjoyed but which I knew was not healthy for me and something which also cost me a lot of money.

I set myself small targets, I would firstly reduce my intake to only ten a day and after two weeks reduce it down to five. I would then try to totally stop smoking after around a month.

This sounded so simple, however proved to be quite difficult. I was determined to stick to my goals and kept thinking of all of the benefits of quitting smoking. I am happy to say I was successful in my quest to stop smoking, even though it did take rather longer than one month.

I have since followed the same pattern in other areas of my life, to help me to lose weight for example. This attitude has helped me no end and I will continue to set myself more goals in the future.

Concerns On Buying Cigar For Smoking

“Smokers do not grow old, they die young,” this is a dictum every Science and Health book may mention. It has something to do with the health hazards a cigar could bring.

Throughout the ages, cigar smoking has been undisturbed by many health campaigns even with the numerous struggles of battling against it, people seem not to totally feel the threat it gives to lives. It has been built-in with the culture and culture is too tough to be metamorphosed. Even non-smokers are affected. Second-hand smoking poses health risks more than what direct smokers have.

With the soaring growth of cigar advertising, more and more smokers are into the modern day picture. Smokers must just make sure that they do it with moderation.
In looking for cigar, there are these qualities of a cigar that a smoker must consider in order to savor what a stick of cigar could offer. When other things are best served when fresh, cigar and wine re-examines with this line- “the older, the tastier”. The cigars must undergo the necessary process of fermentation before it could really be of “good taste”.

What are the qualities of a good cigar that is worth your money?

  It burns evenly all the way down when lit; it is of good quality because if it does not, it means that it does not have a proper roll.
 
  The cigar produces a firm ash while smoking; it is another sign of good quality. If the cigar has a firm end, it also makes it a good one.
 
  the cigar is of good quality and that it is made of one hundred percent tobacco. Some cigars are more of the non-tobacco components like paper, glycerine or saltpete
 
  No to lumpy cigars. You could check out if its lumpy or not by giving it a gentle squeeze. Also check the wrapper. Refrain from picking cigars that have wrapper discoloration.
 
The general criterion of cigars that must be used in determining if it is good or bad is through the following: body, flavor and aroma. In choosing the cigar for you, these three are the elements of gauge.

Cigars come in varied flavors like Spice, Cocoa or chocolate, coffee, not or wood. They also come in different wrappers, fillers and binders.
A part of the history and culture, it could be really impossible to eradicate smoking cigar in the everyday endeavor of people anywhere and everywhere.

Combining Cigarette Smoking and Nutrition

Cigarette smoking is considered by many medical professionals as a dreaded habit because of the health conditions that may be developed by engaging this activity. It is has been strongly linked to health conditions like heart disease, emphysema, lung cancer, and other cardiovascular ailments. Cigarette smoking is responsible for nearly 440,000 of more than 2.4 million premature deaths in the United States and is one of the leading causes of death around the world. The effects of smoking on cardiovascular and circulatory health have taken the “limelight” for many years. What is forgotten is that nicotine and other toxic substances in cigarettes actually drain the body of several essential vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin C absorption is adversely affected by smoking. Vitamin C is one of the human body's most important antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that protect the body's cells from harmful molecules called free radicals. Free radicals may damage cells and play a role in the development of heart, disease, cancer, and other diseases. Antioxidants are linked to the prevention of a number of diseases and certain cancers. The more an individual smokes, the more Vitamin C one may lose from the tissues and the blood. However, smokers need more Vitamin C to prevent further cell damage that are caused by smoking. To achieve this, smokers need to increase their intake of this vitamin by about 2000 milligrams per day.

The only real solution to lessen the damage of cigarette smoking is to quit the habit. Individuals who want to quit smoking may use over-the-counter or prescription quit smoking products. However,  patients should seek the approval of doctors to know the side effects and drug interactions that may be developed while under medication. Doctors may prescribe the medication that is suitable for one's overall health.

Rather than search for the perfect quit smoking drug, individuals who want to quit smoking may try to improve their lifestyles and incorporate activities like exercise, meditation, and other activities. By doing this, they may reduce stress and provide the same rewards that nicotine may bring. Many smokers claim that they light up a cigarette to achieve a state of “highness” and reduce stress. Maintaining a stress free lifestyle is essential in quiting habits like smoking and improve one's quality of life. If these adjustments do not work, doctors are always there to help smokers achieve their health goals. Effective communication between smokers and doctors is essential in cutting the habit. With the right tools and attitude, quitting cigarette smoking is an achievable goal.

Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to Your Sexual health

According to a 2006 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 22% of high school students in American smoke cigarettes everyday.   In fact, even if the study indicated that smoking had already declined over the last four years, the statistics still show that one in five Americans still smoke cigarettes.  A 2005 study revealed that more than 20% of adults in the United States are smokers.  While smoking rates among high school students have been on a decline since 1997, the rate of teenagers who smoke is equal to, and in some cases, higher than that of adults. The younger the individuals start smoking, the more likely that they will continue smoke as an adult.  Given these figures, it is not surprising that smoking is the leading cause of premature deaths in the United States.

The question is still begging to be asked:  Why do teens smoke?  Is it because of the influence of media or because they get the habit from adults who smoke?  Studies show that many teenagers smoke because they were simply curious about how it would taste or feel like.  Others said that they thought that smoking was a good method to achieve weight-loss.  Even if the warnings plastered on the cigarette box clearly says that, “Smoking is dangerous to your health,” this has not stopped teens from experimenting or taking up the habit of cigarette use.

Medical evidence suggest that cigarette smoking causes an increase in the body's metabolic rate and may suppress appetite.  But it is important to note that smoking tends to dull the taste buds, which, after all, may be the reason for the “loss of appetite.”   This argument is somehow supported by cases of people who gained weight after they stopped smoking.  Since their taste buds had already regained their functionality, the former smokers enjoyed their meals more and eventually gained some weigh.

Non-smokers may have found a way to kick the habit but for thousands if not millions of smokers around the world --- doing away with the stick is still an on-going struggle.  The addiction of smokers to the deadly chemical called nicotine makes it hard for them to stop smoking. Nicotine dependence occurs when the chemicals and other cigarette substances reach the brain and activates the pleasure cells, producing mood-altering effects that give smokers short-term pleasure.

The short-term pleasure of smoking somehow negates the clear message that long-term use of cigarettes could possibly lead to lung cancer, emphysema, and heart failure. Studies also show that smoking has adverse effects on male and female sexual health.  A number of studies show that smoking is related to the difficulty getting and maintaining an erection. Many toxins present in cigarettes especially carbon monoxide, can damage the circulatory system, which hinders the flow of blood in the penis which is necessary for erection. In addition, smoking is one of the major causes of erectile dysfunction. A study published in the Journal of Urology in 2000 found out that 68% of men with high blood pressure aged 40-79 experienced erectile dysfunction.  At least 45% of these cases were considered severe sexual ailments. High blood pressure in men may lead to low testosterone levels, which is a male hormone that plays a crucial role in the sexual arousal. Low testosterone levels lead to decreased arousal and sexual performance. Toxins found in cigarettes may also harm the testes. Smoking may affect the semen and the sperm, reducing their mobility and quality. Men who smoke tend to have lower sperm counts and malformed sperms than their non-smoking counterparts.

Many substance founds in cigarettes may harm the ovaries, studies show that women who smoke or have smoked in the past may encounter difficulties getting pregnant with the chances of conceiving being  decreased by up to 40% for each menstrual cycle. The longer a woman smokes, the more difficult it would be for her to get pregnant. The effects of smoking on sexual health have been taken for granted since the focus of previous studies have been on the ill effects of smoking on the cardiovascular system. Understanding the adverse effects of smoking on one's sexual health may become a motivation for many to quit smoking. Joining a program that helps people quit smoking; and consulting a doctor about medications that reduce the craving to smoke may also help. Others succeed by using alternative methods like hypnosis. Although it may be a very hard habit to break, quitting smoking is one of the best things people can do to improve their sex lives and their over-all health.