Did you know that cigarettes contain over 600 ingredients? It’s no secret that smoking is bad for you, but many people don’t realize just how dangerous it is. Those 600 ingredients create thousands of harmful chemicals when they’re burned. Most smokers smoke quite a few cigarettes per day, so all of that toxic chemical exposure really adds up. Let’s discuss some of the ways your smoking habit is harming your body inside and out.

AFC Urgent Care Bedford is dedicated to the general health of our communities. We provide resources to help patients quit smoking and can help recommend treatments for damage.

Effects on Your Nervous System

Smoking affects your central nervous system almost immediately. At first, you will feel energized and in a more positive mood as the nicotine hits your nervous system. As the effects of the nicotine wear off, your nervous system will start to experience withdrawal symptoms and crave that same feeling again. This is where addiction is formed. The effect of smoking on your nervous system is what makes it so hard to quit.

Effects on Your Respiratory System

Every time you smoke, you’re breathing harmful chemicals directly into your lungs. Many of those chemicals are directly linked to cancer. Smokers are at an increased risk of chronic lung conditions such as COPD, lung cancer, and bronchitis. You’re likely to experience frequent coughing and will become short of breath quicker than a non-smoker due to the damage cigarettes do to the lungs.

Effects on Your Cardiovascular System

Smoking leads to tightened blood vessels and poor blood flow throughout the body. Smokers are more likely to have high blood pressure and blood clots because the cardiovascular system struggles to circulate as it should. Blood clots can form in your brain, resulting in a stroke. Poor blood circulation around your heart can cause heart disease and heart attack. Your cardiovascular system will have a harder time healing after a medical emergency related to poor blood flow, too, since the blood vessels are so restricted.

Effects on Your Appearance

As if your internal health isn’t enough of a reason not to smoke, your exterior appearance will suffer too. Smokers are more likely to experience balding, premature aging, skin cancer, and fungal infections of their nails. Smokers’ wrinkles around the mouth are extremely common, but you’re at an increased risk of wrinkles and premature aging across your entire body.

Making the choice to stop smoking isn’t easy. There are plenty of tools available to help manage nicotine withdrawal and healthy coping mechanisms that can be used to replace your unhealthy smoking habit. Visit AFC Urgent Care Bedford to discuss your plans to quit smoking. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, and it will set you up for success as you start the process of quitting cigarettes!