The harms of smoking include many negative effects on a wide range of areas, from the heart and lungs to the immune system and all organs of the body. Individuals with a smoking habit are much more likely to develop many acute or chronic diseases than non-smokers. The main reasons for this situation are the harmful chemicals in cigarettes and their weakening effect on the immune system. If you are wondering, “What are the harms of smoking to health?” you can find the answers to all the questions on your mind and all the details about the relationship between smoking and the immune system in the rest of our content

Why is Smoking Harmful?

Tobacco is a harmful substance for human health. Tobacco products contain substances that are very harmful to health such as acetone, tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide. Inhaling these substances can damage both the lungs and all other organs of the body. It is a known fact that smoking significantly increases the risk of developing certain health problems such as cancer, glaucoma and coagulation disorders. While some of these effects of smoking may take years to develop, some harmful effects may start to show themselves in a very short time. However, by quitting smoking, you can immediately start the healing process that will eliminate most of the harmful effects of smoking on the body.

What are the Harms of Smoking?

There is no safe way to smoke, and the tobacco smoke that is taken into the body when smoking is very harmful to human health. Switching to a different tobacco product such as an electronic cigarette, cigar, pipe or hookah instead of a cigarette does not reduce these effects in any way. The harms of smoking can manifest themselves in many different organs and systems of the body. However, the most common answers that can be given to the question "What are the harms of smoking to health?" are generally as follows

Lung Damage

When it comes to the harms of smoking, one of the first situations that comes to mind is lung damage. When smoking, the nicotine and other harmful chemicals inhaled accumulate in the lungs and damage the alveoli that undertake the respiratory function in the lungs. The damages of smoking to the lungs often cause irreversible tissue loss. In the long term, this situation can increase the likelihood of developing certain diseases such as chronic cough, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In addition, smoking can make you more susceptible to infections such as tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Weakening of the Immune System

The relationship between smoking and the immune system is one of the underlying factors for many diseases that can be caused by smoking. Smoking can weaken the immune system in individuals, making the body more susceptible to diseases. This can increase susceptibility to chronic diseases, as well as frequent infections and autoimmune diseases. 3 You can also take a look at our other topics such as “ Why does the immune system weaken? ”, “ What happens if the immune system collapses? ”, “ Foods that strengthen the immune system ” and “ How to strengthen the immune system? ” to learn more about methods for strengthening your immune system against the harmful effects of smoking

Problems Related to Cardiovascular Health

Smoking can damage the heart, blood vessels and blood cells. In other words, the entire cardiovascular system can be damaged by smoking. Chemicals found in cigarettes, especially tar, can accumulate in blood vessels and increase the risk of hard plaques (atheroma) forming, paving the way for atherosclerosis, also known as arteriosclerosis. It can also cause narrowing of the blood vessels leading to the arms and legs, reducing blood flow to these areas and, as a result, increasing the likelihood of developing peripheral artery disease.

Decreased Fertility and Sexual Functions

The harms of smoking include problems related to fertility and reproductive capacity. In women, smoking can make it difficult to maintain hormonal balance and therefore reduce the possibility of pregnancy. In men, long-term smoking can lead to erectile dysfunction, decreased sperm count and quality, and consequently weakened fertility.

Complications That May Occur During Pregnancy

The harms of smoking do not only affect the woman, but also the baby that grows and develops in the womb if there is a pregnancy. In general, smoking during pregnancy poses a risk to both the baby's health and the continuity of the pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of tissue damage to the baby's lungs and brain. At the same time, smoking can increase the risk of miscarriage and complications.

Risk of Diabetes

Another situation that can be considered among the harms of smoking to the body is that it increases the risk of developing insulin resistance. There are studies showing that due to this situation, the probability of developing type 2 diabetes and the risk of complications related to diabetes increases by 30-40% in smokers.

Eye Health Problems

Diseases caused by smoking often focus on the lungs and cardiovascular system. However, the eyes are also among the organs most damaged by smoking. Studies have shown that smoking significantly increases the risk of eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, dry eyes and diabetic retinopathy.

Oral and Dental Health Disorders

Another issue among the medical harms of smoking is problems related to oral and dental health. People who smoke have an increased tendency to develop cancer in the mouth and the incidence of problems such as gum problems, tooth loss, and tooth decay. In addition, the risk of complications after oral surgical procedures may be higher in people who smoke.

Cancer Risks

Studies have shown that smoking habits may be associated with seven out of every ten lung cancer cases. However, it should be known that smoking may be associated with an increased tendency for cancer in all types of tissues and organs due to the harmful chemicals it contains.

Problems Related to the Skeletal System

Smoking can cause decreased bone density and bone loss, increasing the risk of conditions such as osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Central Nervous System Problems

Among the harms of smoking can be counted problems related to the central nervous system. Nicotine, which has an addictive effect, reaches the brain within seconds of smoking and creates a temporary effect that causes energy in the individual. However, after this effect has passed, symptoms such as fatigue, negative emotions and thoughts, anxiety, and nervousness may occur. This situation may increase some risks such as depression.

Which Organs Does Smoking Damage?

The health hazards of smoking are related to the damage it causes to many organs in the body. The lungs are undoubtedly the organs that suffer the most damage, as they are the first point of contact for harmful chemicals that are inhaled into the body. Other organs that are damaged by smoking include:

• Mouth and throat,
• Larynx and vocal cords,
• Food pipe (esophagus),
• Stomach and intestines,
• Bladder (urinary bladder),
• The cervix,
• Liver,
• Kidneys,
• Pancreas,
• Heart and blood vessels,
• Brain and nervous system,
• Reproductive organs,
• Teeth and gums,
• Eyes,
• Skin.

What are the Harms of Smoking to the Skin and Body?

The chemicals in tobacco smoke can change the structure of the skin and cause various health problems. At the same time, the weakening of the immune system due to smoking can also trigger these health problems. The possibility of developing many problems such as premature aging and skin damage, delayed wound healing, psoriasis and acne problems may increase accordingly. At the same time, problems such as hair loss may occur due to hormonal effects. In addition, the risk of catching infections such as nail fungus may increase due to the weakening of the immune system, and it may affect the slower growth of nails.

Among the short-term effects of smoking are some different negative effects on the skin and mucous membranes. Yellowing of fingers and nails, discoloration of teeth, drying of the skin, irregular pigmentation (difference in skin tone), visible bags under the eyes, tendency to wrinkles and many other skin problems can develop due to smoking. Due to its weakening effect on the immune system, it can be said that smokers are more susceptible to infection and diseases, and that the risks of issues such as psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, oral and skin cancers increase.

What are the effects of smoking on the immune system?

One of the most important risk factors for diseases caused by smoking is the great damage that smoking causes to the immune system. The weakening of the immune system causes the body to be less successful in fighting infectious agents and cancer cells. When the immune system, which is the body's way of protecting itself, cannot fulfill this duty, it can increase the probability of all kinds of infections, acute or chronic diseases and cancer types. All kinds of infections, from simple diseases such as colds and flu to rare viral infections and foot fungus, can be seen more frequently in individuals who smoke, and the infections that do occur can recur frequently.

In addition to the diseases mentioned above, autoimmune diseases, which develop in the form of the body attacking its own healthy cells and tissues, are also more common in people who smoke. The most common of these autoimmune diseases that may occur due to the disruption of the immune system's functioning is rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious disease that develops when the immune system attacks the joints and causes problems such as swelling and pain, making it difficult to perform daily activities. Studies have shown that smoking can increase the likelihood of developing rheumatoid arthritis and can reduce the effectiveness of treatment in existing patients. In order to protect against such negative effects, smoking habits should be stopped as early as possible, and additional measures should be taken to strengthen the immune system during this period.

What are the Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking?

The benefits of quitting smoking begin to show themselves from the moment you quit smoking. The signs of healing and purification seen in a person after quitting smoking are as follows:

• Within 20 minutes to 1 hour, the heart rate decreases and reaches normal levels. Blood pressure decreases and circulation begins to improve.
• After 12 hours, the body cleanses itself of carbon monoxide gas from cigarettes and the oxygen level increases.
• After 1 day, the risk of heart attack begins to decrease, and physical activity and exercise become easier.
• After 2 days, the nerves of taste and smell damaged by smoking begin to heal and a strengthening of these senses is observed.
• After 3 days, the nicotine in the body is depleted. Symptoms such as intense desire to smoke, headache, and irritability due to nicotine withdrawal may be observed. However, these will begin to decrease over time.
• After 1 month, lung functions begin to improve. As lung capacity improves, shortness of breath and coughing problems tend to gradually decrease.
• Blood circulation continues to improve for 3 months.
• After 1 year, the risk of coronary heart disease is halved, and the risk continues to decrease after that point.
• After 5 years, the risks of blood clots and strokes are greatly reduced.
• After 10 years, the chances of developing mouth, throat and pancreatic cancer are significantly reduced, while the risk of lung cancer is halved.
• After 15 years, the risk of developing coronary heart disease and pancreatic cancer drops to the same level as that of non-smokers.
• After 20 years, the risk of dying from smoking-related causes, including lung disease and cancer, is the same as that of nonsmokers, and the risk of developing pancreatic cancer is the same as that of people who have never smoked.

If you have a smoking habit, you can take action as soon as possible to get rid of this harmful habit and not to damage your health due to the harms of smoking. In this process, you can consult your doctor about the measures you can take to strengthen your immune system, considering the increased health risks.

Source

https://www.healthline.com/health/smoking/effects-on-body
https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/what-are-the-health-risks-of-smoking/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324644#heart-disease
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https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/tobacco_control/smoking_can_lead_to_vision_loss_or_blindness.htm#:~:text=Eye%20Disease%20and%20Smoking%3A&text=Studies%20show%20smoking%20increases%20the,retinopathy%20and%20Dry %20Eye%20Syndrome.&text=One%20way%20to%20reduce%20the,to%20develop%20AMD%20than%20nonsmokers
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/smoking-and-oral-health
https://www.aocd.org/page/Smoking#:~:text=Short%2Dterm%20effects%20of%20smoking,deeper%20facial%20wrinkles%20and%20furrows
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317956#outlook