Lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, hypertension or myocardial infarction. These are just some of the many diseases associated with tobacco, Spain kills more than 60,000 people every year. Yes, the body suffers (a lot) from the presence of nicotine. Still, there’s always time to repair most of the damage cigarettes cause. From day one, the body will notice the benefits of quitting smoking.
“Smokers who quit smoking with appropriate treatment (pharmacological and psychological) will have few symptoms related to nicotine deficiency,” says Carlos Rábade, coordinator of the smoking area of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery.Otherwise, experts warn Quitting the habit without proper support may lead to frequent withdrawal symptoms For example, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, sweating or headaches cause many people to relapse.
These are first day symptoms, but The urge to smoke may last four to eight weeks. Therefore, Labade stresses that in the face of serious abandonment attempts, “it is very important to provide healthy support.” Of course, while it will take several months for the body to adjust to a new lifestyle, “You need to not smoke for a year to be considered an ex-smoker.“, said the pulmonologist.
The most immediate effects of quitting this habit will be felt on the cardiovascular system after 20 minutes.. “In addition to body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate also returned to normal,” said Juan Pablo de Torres, co-director of the Pulmonology Unit at the Cancer Center at the University of Navarra Cancer Center.
Between 24 and 48 hours, “a significant reduction in carbon monoxide (toxic gases produced by burning tobacco), relieving certain symptoms such as headaches, fatigue or sleep disturbances,” Rábade said. Similarly, de Torres noted that after this brief period, “the risk of a cerebrovascular or cardiovascular event (mainly heart disease or angina) will be less likely. ” Apart from, Significant improvement in sense of smell and taste.
On the other hand, patients who continue to smoke despite having a chronic respiratory disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and decide to quit, The first effect is also immediate: “It reduces inflammation at the bronchial level,” commented CUN experts.
What happens one week, one month and one year after you quit smoking?
One week after quitting smoking, although blood pressure and heart rate returned to normal, Improve sleep or fatigue. Carbon monoxide levels continue to drop.A month later, Labad assured Improved skin appearance and increased exercise tolerance.
According to the American Cancer Society, Reduction in coughing and shortness of breath in the first nine months And, one year later, Risk of coronary heart disease halved compared to people who continue to smoke, while heart attack rates also plummeted. “The risk of respiratory infections, asthma attacks, or acute coronary events is reduced,” Labad declared.
According to U.S. agencies, Five years after quitting smoking, risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder is halved. As for stroke, the odds of having one after two to five years are comparable to those of a nonsmoker.
Psychological support is equally important
Nicotine is the substance that produces tobacco dependence. As mentioned before, the physical effects of stopping consumption will be noticeable within the first four to eight weeks. “As physicians, we offer different types of therapeutic assistance to help you quit smoking to cope with physical dependence,” DeTorres clarified.However, it is also essential Consider the psychological support the patient needs. In this regard, experts note that sometimes this part is “more difficult to deal with,” and remember that there are a variety of support strategies a person can adopt throughout the quitting process.
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