15 Side effect of Cigarette Smoking

You might be thinking I'm just smoking a cigarette, how can it be dangerous to my health. It might just affect my lungs a little bit and that too I can compensate with my healthy lifestyle. You are wrong. This is a misconception which must be cleared before it's too late. Smoking is injurious to health.

Side effect of cigarette smoking

You can say smoking is a slow poison which in the longer run will act as a seed for growing many diseases and health problems in your body. Well if you don't find this as a eye opener to stop smoking, then it's your bad luck. Harmful effects of smoking essay is as follows.

15 Side effect of Cigarette smoking

1. Smoking effects on your Eyes

Smoking cigarette may affect the health of your eyes more than the non smokers. It may cause:

• Uveitis: It is a condition when there is inflammation in the middle of the eye. You will start feeling pain, redness and light sensitivity in your eyes.
• Cataracts:  Contracts develop due to the clouding of the natural lens of the eye. You will start to lose your vision, everything will appear blurred and there will be an increased sensitivity of light to your eyes. Smokers have double the chances of developing cataracts when compared to non smokers.
• Macular Degeneration: In macular degeneration the center of your retina is affected. It is spot which is responsible for sharp and centralized vision. Once developed it will be hard for you to read, drive and concentrate. People who smoke have triple the chance of contracting macular degeneration then the people who never smoke.

You will also feel dryness in your eyes as there will not be sufficient tears to lubricate your eyes.

2. Smoking effects on your Brain

You all know how important our Brain is, right from making decisions, to problem solving and responding to danger. Smoking increases your chances of getting stroke. A smoker has double the chances of getting a stroke when compared to a non smoker.

3. Smoking effects on your Teeth and Gums

Long term smoking will leave yellowish and brownish stains on your teeth. It can further cause infections which can lead to tooth and bone loss. Smoking also gives rise to gum disease called periodontics. Periodontics is a gum disease that destroys the bone that supports the teeth. Smoking kills the good bacteria in your mouth and gives badly breathe. People surrounding a smoker can get to know that the person is a smoker through the smell coming from his mouth. People may avoid such a person.

4. Smoking effects on your Hair

We all know how conscious we are about our hair. Smoking causes our hair to smell like smoke. It obstructs the flow of oxygen to the scalp, there by not providing sufficient nourishment to the hair. As a result our hair becomes dull, lifeless and brittle. Smoking leads to premature thinning of hair which ultimately may lead to baldness. 

5. Smoking effects on your Stomach

Stomach is the place where the digestion of the food takes place. When a person smokes, it weakens the stomach muscle. The muscles located at the end of your esophagus moves the acid in your stomach in the forward direction, but in smokers the acid travels back in the wrong direction that is back up to your esophagus. This condition is known as acid reflux. This may lead to stomach cancer. Smoking further increases your chances of getting Kidney Cancer.

6. Smoking effects on your skin

Smoking reduces the flow of blood to the skin. Reduced blood flow gives less nutrition to your skin. Your skin starts to age prematurely and starts to develop wrinkles. Smoking increases the toxic chemical in your body. This toxicity results in the development of cellulite. 

7. Smoking effects on Immune System

Smoking over a long period of time weakens our immune system. Diseases like tuberculosis, influenza, pneumonia are more easily contracted.

8. Smoking increases your chances of getting Cancer

Smoking in the long run affects your body very badly. It's further very easy for cancer to develop in your body. Following cancer chances increases for a person who is a smoker:

• Mouth and Throat cancer
• Esophagus cancer
• Pancreas cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Larynx cancer
• Bowel cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Blood cancer such as leukemia
• Lung Cancer

9. Smoking effects on your Respiratory system

When you inhale oxygen from the air through your nose it goes to the lungs. The lungs are made up of tubes which branch out into small sacs called bronchioles. In short lungs are the organ through which air exchange takes place. In a healthy person the sacs and the tubes are very elastic and spongy. On the other hand in case of a smoker, smoking creates mucus around the lungs and narrows down the tubes and sacs which cause breathlessness. It reduces the functioning of the lungs. Also any harmful particles which might enter the respiratory track get trapped and are not able to go out. This may cause serious heart disease and cancer.

Other respiratory diseases which can be easily contractible are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Tuberculosis and Pneumonia.

10. Smoking effects on Circulatory System

Smoking causes severe damage to the heart and blood cells. It increases the blood pressure which can cause stroke and heart disease. Smoking damages the lining of arteries which results in fatty deposition in and around the arteries. Over a period of time it may lead to the blockade of the artery and cause death. Smoking lowers the flow of blood to your hands and legs resulting in pain and in some cases it may lead to disease like gangrene.

11.  Smoking effects on the Musculoskeletal System

Smoking results in the loss of bone density which can result into conditions like osteoarthritis that is the loss of teeth and body part. Smoking affects your muscles too. Smoking cigarette results in to the entry of carbon monoxide in your body. Carbon monoxide decreases the strength of your muscles and prevents their growth.

12. Smoking effects on your Reproductive System

Smoking results in the decrease of sperm count in the males. It also damages the sperm and hence it is less likely to fertilize an egg. Erectile dysfunction chances are very high if you are a smoker. Women who smoke are more likely to have reduced fertility. Menopause in women who smoke occurs earlier when compared to non smokers. Women who smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of stillbirths and miscarriages.

13. Smoking increases your chances of Type 2 Diabetes

Smoking weakens insulin action which leads to insulin resistance. As a result the cells cannot move glucose from blood into the cell which results in an increase of glucose level in the blood. There is poor blood flow to your legs and feet. This can lead to infection and result in the amputation of your limb.

14. Smoking effects on your nail

Many people are very possessive about their nails. Smoking causes damage to your nails as well. Due to smoking there is reduced supply of oxygen to your nails. This hampers the normal growth of your nails. The nails turn yellowish in color, become cracked and start to peel off.

15. Smoking increases your Stress level

Contrary to the popular believe that people start to smoke to reduce their stress, but in actual its quite opposite. Smokers feel more stress throughout the day when compared to non smokers.

Final Verdict:

If you are a smoker, it's not the end of world for you. It's not too late. Quit smoking right now and your body will start repairing the damages done due to smoking. Some damages caused to your body may be repaired within days while others may take some weeks to months. Be positive and rest leave to God. Hope this article "harmful effects of cigarettes smoking" was useful to you. Do not shy to share it with your friends.