Smokers often suffer from poor health: the appearance of a sputum cough, shortness of breath, interruptions in heart function. In addition, smoking has a negative effect on the appearance: the teeth turn yellow, the color fades, the skin dries. Therefore, almost every smoker tried to give up the bad habit at least once.
But instead of feeling better right away, many people find that after smoking their last cigarette, everything hurts. As a result, a person returns to smoking and, as it turns out, chooses less evil.
Let's see why some unpleasant symptoms may appear with a sharp cessation of smoking? What to do if a person quits smoking and has a health problem?
Processes in the body after quitting smoking
Anyone who decides to quit smoking should understand that tobacco dependence is not only psychological but also physiological. Nicotine is literally involved in the body's metabolism. That's why I feel bad when I quit smoking, it's like giving up drugs. The onset of illness in an addicted person indicates that the body has been rebuilt to function without the presence of nicotine.
In addition, it is important to understand that these health problems are temporary and will stop worrying after the adjustment period. In other words, someone who is determined to quit smoking should be patient and go through the time when he will experience unpleasant symptoms.
Important!In fairness, not all yesterday's smokers face obvious problems. Some have severe withdrawal syndrome, while others quit smoking easily and simply.
Gastrointestinal tract
Gastrointestinal disorders are noted by every second smoker. Often, people in this situation see stomach pain, because against the background of smoking cessation may appear a decrease in intestinal tone. As a result, increased gas production and constipation are becoming a concern.
The situation is less common when a person quits smoking and becomes ill. Heartburn often appears after quitting smoking. The cause of such symptoms is the action of tobacco smoke, which irritates the walls of the stomach and causes the appearance of gastritis.
However, when a person continues to smoke, nicotine has a certain antispasmodic effect and reduces pain. When the body stops taking an alkaloid, the acidity of the increased gastric juice irritates the mucous membranes, causing heartburn, nausea and pain.
In addition, if a person quits smoking and begins to have stomach pains, it may be due to an addictive stomach or duodenal ulcer. This is a serious disease that requires the supervision of a gastroenterologist. Therefore, if a patient quits smoking and notices heartburn, nausea and itching, constipation and abdominal pain, he should seek professional help as soon as possible.
Skin problems
Most of yesterday's smokers see acne on their face and back after quitting. There are several reasons that explain this phenomenon:
- Changes in vascular tone. During the active effect of nicotine on the body, the smoker's skin dries out and the small blood vessels that feed it become spasmodic. The opposite process can be observed when quitting smoking - an increase in oily skin. High levels of sebum production, in turn, are an excellent foundation for the formation of acne;
- If a person quits smoking and has acne, it may indicate a hormonal imbalance, which can occur in the body against the background of nicotine withdrawal. It is important to remember that quitting smoking is a stress that can affect all organs and systems of the body;
- After smoking, acne can occur due to the aggravation of acne for the same reason: a stressful situation that the body finds itself in when rebuilding to a new mode of work;
- Finally, the appearance of skin problems can be explained by the fact that a person is so tired of fighting the urge to give up a bad habit and does not have the strength to care for the skin. As a result, acne on the face is caused by a serious violation of the rules of hygiene, especially if the skin is initially prone to such problems.
Throat and oral cavity
Common complaints of those who decide to quit smoking are sore throat and "scratching" in the throat. For example, consider a woman who quits smoking and begins to have a sore throat. If he had previously been able to suppress these symptoms with a cigarette, the smoker would probably return to smoking. At the same time, it should be understood that sore throat is a temporary phenomenon caused by the ignition of a chronic infection against the background of clearing the airways or giving up nicotine.
Another problem for smokers yesterday is bleeding gums. Sometimes the process is so pronounced that after quitting smoking, the teeth ache and become less persistent.
The main reason for a person who decides to quit smoking is bleeding gums, stomatitis or loosening of teeth, a decrease in immunity against the background of nicotine withdrawal. A weakened body finds it difficult to resist gingivitis and tooth decay that occur during tobacco dependence.
Joint and back pain, varicose veins
Often, yesterday's smokers have stiffness and joint pain in the back. There seems to be no link between smoking cessation and back pain, for example. However, the appearance of such symptoms can give several explanations at once.
If a person quits smoking and has pain in his legs, it may be a manifestation of drug withdrawal. It is no secret that nicotine has a weak medicinal effect, so it is quite possible that imaginary pains appear all over the body when it stops entering the body.
Attention!Another explanation for the fact that a smoker suffers from joint pain after breaking a bad habit is the exacerbation of chronic diseases (arthritis, osteoarthritis) in a stressful situation for the body. In this regard, if you have leg pain after heavy smoking and joint pain does not go away within a few days, you should seek medical help.
Other side effects after quitting smoking
These symptoms are not a complete list of problems you may encounter when deciding to get rid of a bad habit. In the early days of quitting, almost all former smokers report weakness, weakness, and general weakness.
Non-smokers are irritable and irritable. Not surprisingly, many do not endure such a test and soon break up as a result of re-smoking.
Normalization period
However, those who are able to endure the difficult first period after quitting smoking soon find that their well-being improves. The so-called withdrawal phenomenon usually disappears at the end of the first week. Within a month, the function of the gastrointestinal tract and blood vessels is restored. The skin dries and bad breath disappears.
The complete normalization of the condition of the majority of former smokers usually occurs no later than six months after quitting completely.
The result
Although it is very difficult to break a bad habit, none of those who quit smoking generally regret their decision. Smoking really does serious damage to the body, so when you stop taking nicotine, people actually become healthier, feel better, and look better.