Cigarette smoking is rather rampant among both genders and classes of people. It is more common among adults, and now the younger generation has engaged in cigarette smoking. There are mostly active and inactive cigarette smokers. Inactive smokers do not smoke cigarettes directly but by extension, and they are considered to be at a worse risk of the hazards associated with cigarette smoking.
I will attempt to dissect respiratory health with regards to cigarette smoking while touching on other inhalations that pose a hazard to our health. For the general populace, I would take caution not to use too many medical languages unless it is inevitable.
Respiratory health refers to regularized and painless breathing in and out of air such that oxygen is inhaled and carbon dioxide is exhaled in an acceptable quantity that will not pose a risk to the individual.
Cigarette smoking involves the inhalation of nicotine (an addictive substance) in tobacco, usually packed as a cigarette stick that needs to be lit. Nicotine is the main addictive substance in tobacco, and whenever an individual quits tobacco, invariably quitting nicotine, they will likely experience withdrawal symptoms from it. In summary, it is the nicotine in tobacco that leads to addiction.
Cigarette smoking can lead to various diseases and has the capacity to harm every organ in the body. Health hazards caused by cigarette smoking include lung cancer and diseases, stroke and heart diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which involves emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The immune system of the individual is compromised, making it fertile ground for diseases such as tuberculosis.
Secondhand (inactive or indirect) smokers are not exempt from stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults. Children who are secondhand smokers are at an increased risk of respiratory infections, worsening asthma symptoms, reduced lung growth, and sudden infant death syndrome.
Signs of nicotine addiction include smoking more than 1 pack a day, smoking within 5 minutes of waking up or at night, smoking while sick, or smoking to ease withdrawal symptoms.
Respiratory hazards do not come from cigarette smoking alone. Other causes of respiratory hazards include persistent inhalation of smoke from the exhaust of cars with bad engines, chemical inhalation such as seen in occupational hazards, and inhalation of dust and pollen. All these can worsen the respiratory health of any individual.
Now that we have been able to identify and establish that nicotine is the main addictive substance in tobacco, it is only logical and beneficial that other harmful substances be removed so that the individual is left with nicotine, whose withdrawal can cause unfavorable symptoms. This thus leads to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which is an alternative to the actual nicotine in tobacco.
Many studies have revealed a near double chance of quitting smoking through the alternative NRT. It should be noted that NRT is not the only way to quit smoking, although most people who try to quit smoking by themselves end up failing and going back within a month or two. NRT can be commenced at any convenient time, especially when the decision to quit smoking is made, and this can be done by putting on the patch, gum, lozenges, nasal spray, or inhaler.
In addition to NRT, the individual's self-determination is vital to the success of quitting smoking. He or she must have been adequately counseled on the harmful effects of cigarette smoking and the health benefits associated with its cessation.
Support groups are quite helpful, as the testimonies of others can encourage those willing to quit smoking. Support groups may be difficult to locate due to the stigma; however, linking up with your healthcare provider or therapist could help in locating such support groups.
Beyond cigarette smoking, any unusual breathing noticed should be communicated to the healthcare provider, who would take a history and examination and carry out investigations such as a chest radiograph to arrive at an assessment or diagnosis.
Most health conditions, when diagnosed early, have a better prognosis for treatment. It is advised to distance oneself from sources of smoke and dust. Industries with air fumes in the cloud should be located far from residential homes, and when such a rule is violated, the authorities, such as environmental agencies, should be notified urgently. Vehicles with hazardous fumes from their exhaust should be prohibited from plying the roads.
And finally, the practice of medicine advocates for the prevention of illnesses through the primary level of care. This prevention is done through sensitization and orientation of the populace on the dangers of poor respiratory hygiene using posters, jingles, and other promotional materials. It is good to check with the doctor for a periodical medical check-up, which should include investigations relating to the respiratory system.
The prevention of an illness is most times less costly than its treatment.
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