Smoking is generally known to have adverse effects on overall physical health. Health risks of smoking include head, neck and throat cancers, stroke, heart attack, emphysema and other illnesses. According to the CDC, it’s the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.
ENT Conditions
Due to the nature of how cigarette toxins are consumed via inhalation, smoking is particularly dangerous for ENT health. Smoking and secondhand smoke can lead to the following ENT conditions:
- Loss of taste or smell
- Throat pain
- Ear infections
- Bad breath
- Sinusitis
- Chronic laryngitis
- Loss of taste or smells
Is Even A Little Bit Safe?
Secondhand smoke can also lead to irritation of the Eustachian tube, which could lead to swelling or obstruction. This causes fluid to build up, leading to ear infections. It is also linked to asthma attacks and sinus infections, both of which impact ENT health.
Ear infections and sinus infections occur because tiny hairs lining the inside of the nose may stop functioning due to cigarette smoke, allowing the nose to be prone to infections. In a similar fashion, cigarette smoke negatively impacts the protective layers of the throat and mouth, leading to illness and potentially painful symptoms.
It is possible to regain some ENT function once a person stops smoking. However, it will take some time. Whereas negative effects of smoking begin to take place immediately. Once smoking cessation is adopted, the risk of developing smoking-related illnesses drops and overall health will improve. No amount of cigarette smoke is safe and quitting smoking is one of the first steps you can take to improve overall health, including your ENT health.
Visit smokefree.gov to explore smoking cessation tools and techniques, and feel free to contact your ENT to learn more. If you’re curious about how to improve your ENT health, schedule a consultation with [contact] today.