Smoking Is Bad For Your Back?

Last fall I started waking up in the morning with lower back pain. At first It thought it was either the way I was sleeping or maybe our mattress. In November I went to the annual Health fair at work and there happened to be a chiropractor there giving free assessments. So I figured I would talk to him about my morning back pain and let him assess my back. I have been seeing him ever since and although I do have occasional pain in the morning, it is not nearly as bad as it was. Each week I see the chiropractor I get a "Topic of the Week" article that talks about different aspects of health and chiropractics. This weeks article is titled "Smoking's Connection to Back Pain." How fitting for someone who is trying to quit smoking! I want to share some highlights of the article with you. But first, I must give credit where credit is due. The article is courtesy of Brican Systems Corporation. The writer and editor of the article is David Coyne. The writer is Dr. Christiane Guenette, DC. Now that that is out of the way, lets get on with the article...

Tobacco smoke contains 4,000 chemicals. Fifty of those chemicals are linked to cancer. Ingredients like nicotine and carbon monoxide constrict the arteries and interfere with blood circulation. This results in oxygen and other nutrients not being properly circulated. The nerves in the spine weaken and wither. Without sufficient oxygen and nutrients, your spine is unable to repair and heal itself.

A long term study from Johns Hopkins University showed a definite link between smoking and developing lumbar spondylosis (a term doctors use to refer to spine degeneration, neck and back pain). Researchers studied 1300 physicians over several decades. They discovered that physicians who had a history of smoking, along with higher cholesterol levels, were more likely to suffer from lumbar spondylosis.

Smoking is also a key component in atherosclerosis - a dangerous condition in which plaque builds up in your arteries. When it hardens, the plaque reduces the amount of space available for your blood to circulate. This can lead to heart attack or stroke. As it relates to low back pain, atherosclerosis disrupts proper blood flow in the abdominal arteries that feed the spine. The spinal discs can become brittle and painful.

As well as lack of nutrients, there's another cause of smoking related back pain: smokers frequently cough. This reaction stresses the back's lumbar discs and over time this can cause pain.

There is also indirect reasons why smokers suffer from back pain. The are often less physically active. And if they sustain a back injury, smokers more sedentary ways often slow recovery. Inadequate exercise can lead to back pain.

Surprisingly, the damage to the spine from smoking is not limited to adults. A Canadian study showed adolescent smokers are more likely to complain of back soreness. The study also revealed "a history of low back pain is predictive of future problems. As such, prevention of disability from back pain in adulthood."

The article then concludes with Tips for quitting smoking. Since I have covered tips to quit smoking in previous posts, I will not repeat myself. I thought it was a good article. Who would have thought that smoking may be responsible for my back pain?

Can A Book Help Me Quit Smoking?

There must be a million and one ways to quit smoking. There is the willpower method, also known as cold turkey. There are nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), such as nicotine gum, nicotine patches, nicotine inhalers, nicotine lozenges, and nicotine nasal sprays. There are prescription drugs and medications like Chantix. You can try hypnosis. You can even try laser therapy. All of these have been used to get people to quit smoking with variable results. But the questions is, can a book get me to kick the habit?

A couple of people at QuitNet recommended a book called "The Easyway to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr. Really? Read a book and quit smoking? You can't be serious! I was skeptical, but decided to give it a try. One more tool to add to my arsenal. I have almost finished reading the book and I have to admit, it might actually work. I will have to let you know.

If you are interested, here is a little synopsis:

Allen Carr's Easyway™ method centers on removing the psychological need to smoke--while the smoker is still smoking. Following the Easyway™ method:

• You will not need willpower.
• You will not gain weight.
• You will not feel deprived.
• You will need no gimmicks, shocks or substitutes
• You will not suffer serious withdrawal pangs.

Carr debunks many of the myths about smoking: smokers enjoy smoking, smokers choose to smoke, smoking is a social habit, smoking relieves boredom and stress, and smoking aids concentration and relaxation. He examines the real reasons people start to smoke and why they continue, and explains why attempts to quit with nicotine substitutes, by simply cutting down, or through pure willpower so often fail. He offers a step-by-step approach to stopping, and reveals how to handle withdrawal symptoms and temptation situations.

Rather than feel deprived and anxious, apply Allen Carr's Easyway™ method and immediately enjoy the freedoms of being a non-smoker.

What Happens When You Quit Smoking

Ever wondered what happens to your body and your health when you quit smoking? The following information is courtesy of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and was taken from the 2004 Surgeon General's Report.

Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years.

• 20 Minutes After Quitting: Your heart rate drops.

• 12 hours After Quitting: Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

• 2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting: Your heart attack risk begins to drop; Your lung function begins to improve.

• 1 to 9 Months After Quitting: Your coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

• 1 Year After Quitting: Your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

• 5 Years After Quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker’s 5-15 years after quitting.

• 10 Years After Quitting: Your lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker’s; Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.

• 15 Years After Quitting: Your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker’s.

Missed Opportunities

I was thinking this weekend about all of the opportunities that I have had over the years to quit smoking, but did not take advantage of.

When I was 17 years old, my parents had me admitted to a hospital for reasons that I would rather not explain. I will just say that I spent 15 days in the hospital and I was not allowed to smoke. I spent 15 days without a single cigarette. No nicotine, gum, no nicotine patches, nothing. When I finally got out of the hospital, the first thing I wanted to do was smoke, so my mom stopped at a gas station so that I could buy a pack of cigarettes. I was smoke free for more than 2 weeks and I blew it! I guess at the point in my life I was not thinking about quitting smoking. If I was ready to quit smoking at that point in my life, I probably would not have spent the next 16 years smoking. Here is something a little ironic...my parents probably saved my life by having me admitted, but then I spent 16 years slowly killing myself, one cigarette at a time.

A few years ago I had to have my wisdom teeth pulled. For some reason I only had 3, and not 4, wisdom teeth. Maybe that would explain why I made some pretty dumb decisions in my life! Just kidding! But seriously, after the surgery was complete, I was warned by the dental surgeon not to smoke because it could cause complications in the healing process. I was told not to smoke for at least 24 hours after the surgery. I think I waited exactly 24 hours and then had a cigarette. Again, another missed opportunity.

About a year and a half ago, I was having some digestive issues. Whenever I had a meal that was high in fat, I would have severe pain in the middle of my torso...between my chest and my stomach. Sometimes it was so bad that I threw up. After about 3 hours, the pain finally went away. My doctor seemed to think that it was acid reflux and gave me some sample medication to try. It seemed to work until my wife and I had a nice New Year's Eve dinner and I found myself in severe pain. It was so bad this time that I actually thought I was having a heart attack. I had my wife take me to the Emergency Room. An ultrasound showed that I had gallstones. This was actually not a shock to me because I had done some online research on my symptoms and thought that it might be gallstones. I talked with my doctor and he recommended a surgeon. About a week or so later, I had my gallbladder taken out. The procedure was quite simple. The surgeon made 4 small incisions in my abdomen, pulled my gallbladder out, and I was able to go home from the hospital the same day. The recovery time was about 3 days. I spent those 3 days basically laying in bed because it was extremely painful to move. The surgeon had to cut through my abdominal muscles during the surgery so any movement I made that involved my abs hurt like hell. Just trying to get out of bed to go to the bathroom was a real chore. I did not want to move any more than I had to. But somehow I managed to get out of bed and go out for a cigarette every once and a while. And once again, this was another opportunity that I could have said 'no, I don't need a cigarette.'

So, there were 3 times over the past 16 years that were good opportunities for me to quit smoking...or at least tried to quit. There might have been more, but those 3 stand out in my mind. I guess I just wasn't ready. And I think that is the key. You have to want to stop smoking. Nobody can force you to stop smoking, but yourself. Unless you really want to kick the habit, it just won't happen. Well, I think that I have finally reached that point. I want to quit. I need to quit. I will quit. I am determined to rid myself of this addiction!

20 Quick Tips to Help You Quit Smoking

By Fred H. Kelley

© Copyright 1999 Fred H. Kelley

Email: fredk@quitsmoking.com

Web: http://www.quitsmoking.com
Phone: 770-346-9222
Fax: 770-475-5007
Mail: 3675 Glennvale Ct
Cumming, GA 30041

See the end of this report for reprint information.

1. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can quit. Think about
some of the most difficult things you have done in your life and
realize that you have the guts and determination to quit
smoking. It's up to you.

2. After reading this list, sit down and write your own list,
customized to your personality and way of doing things. Create
you own plan for quitting.

3. Write down why you want to quit (the benefits of quitting):
live longer, feel better, for your family, save money, smell
better, find a mate more easily, etc. You know what's bad about
smoking and you know what you'll get by quitting. Put it on
paper and read it daily.

4. Ask your family and friends to support your decision to quit.
Ask them to be completely supportive and non-judgmental. Let
them know ahead of time that you will probably be irritable and
even irrational while you withdraw from your smoking habit.

5. Set a quit date. Decide what day you will extinguish your
cigarettes forever. Write it down. Plan for it. Prepare your
mind for the "first day of the rest of your life". You might
even hold a small ceremony when you smoke you last cigarette, or
on the morning of the quit date.

6. Talk with your doctor about quitting. Support and guidance
from a physician is a proven way to better your chances to quit.

7. Begin an exercise program. Exercise is simply incompatible
with smoking. Exercise relieves stress and helps your body
recover from years of damage from cigarettes. If necessary,
start slow, with a short walk once or twice per day. Build up to
30 to 40 minutes of rigorous activity, 3 or 4 times per week.
Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.

8. Do some deep breathing each day for 3 to 5 minutes. Breathe
in through your nose very slowly, hold the breath for a few
seconds, and exhale very slowly through your mouth. Try doing
your breathing with your eyes closed and go to step 9.

9. Visualize your way to becoming a non-smoker. While doing your
deep breathing in step 8, you can close your eyes and begin to
imagine yourself as a non-smoker. See yourself enjoying your
exercise in step 7. See yourself turning down a cigarette that
someone offers you. See yourself throwing all your cigarettes
away, and winning a gold medal for doing so. Develop your own
creative visualizations. Visualization works.

10. Cut back on cigarettes gradually (if you cut back gradually,
be sure to set a quit date on which you WILL quit). Ways to cut
back gradually include: plan how many cigarettes you will smoke
each day until your quit date, making the number you smoke
smaller each day; buy only one pack at a time; change brands so
you don't enjoy smoking as much; give your cigarettes to someone
else, so that you have to ask for them each time you want to
smoke.

11. Quit smoking "cold turkey". Many smokers find that the only
way they can truly quit once and for all is to just quit
abruptly without trying to slowly taper off. Find the method
that works best for you: gradually quitting or cold turkey. If
one way doesn't work do the other.

12. Find another smoker who is trying to quit, and help each
other with positive words and by lending an ear when quitting
becomes difficult. Visit this Bulletin Board and this Chat Room
to find a "quit buddy."

13. Have your teeth cleaned. Enjoy the way your teeth look and
feel and plan to keep them that way.

14. After you quit, plan to celebrate the milestones in your
journey to becoming a non-smoker. After two weeks of being
smoke-free, see a movie. After a month, go to a fancy restaurant
(be sure to sit in the non-smoking section). After three months,
go for a long weekend to a favorite get-away. After six months,
buy yourself something frivolous. After a year, have a party for
yourself. Invite your family and friends to your "birthday"
party and celebrate your new chance at a long, healthy life.

15. Drink lots of water. Water is good for you anyway, and most
people don't get enough. It will help flush the nicotine and
other chemicals out of your body, plus it can help reduce
cravings by fulfilling the "oral desires" that you may have.

16. Learn what triggers your desire for a cigarette, such as
stress, the end of a meal, arrival at work, entering a bar, etc.
Avoid these triggers or if that's impossible, plan alternative
ways to deal with the triggers.

17. Find something to hold in your hand and mouth, to replace
cigarettes. Consider drinking straws or you might try an
artificial cigarette called E-Z Quit found here:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezquit.htm

18. Write yourself an inspirational song or poem about quitting,
cigarettes, and what it means to you to quit. Read it daily.

19. Keep a picture of your family or someone very important to
you with you at all times. On a piece of paper, write the words
"I'm quitting for myself and for you (or "them")". Tape your
written message to the picture. Whenever you have the urge to
smoke, look at the picture and read the message.

20. Whenever you have a craving for a cigarette, instead of
lighting up, write down your feelings or whatever is on your
mind. Keep this "journal" with you at all times.

Good luck in your efforts to quit smoking. It's worth it!

Permission to reprint or reproduce this article is granted as long as the following conditions are met:

1. No changes are made to the article without permission of the author.
2. Whenever possible, please notify the author of any reprints;
3. The following byline must be included with the article:

** Article © Copyright Fred Kelley of QuitSmoking.com. Visit the web site at http://www.quitsmoking.com for great information and products designed to help you quit smoking.

Tips to Quit Smoking

I found this video on youtube and thought I would pass it on. A couple of good tips if you are trying to quit smoking...

Good Reasons to Quit Smoking: Part 1

My Smoking History

I started smoking when I was about 12. I am 33 now, so I have been smoking for 22 years. My father has smoked for as long as I can remember. He used to keep his cigarettes in the fridge, so I had easy access to them. (I know that some of you are going to ask why he kept them in the fridge…apparently it kept them fresher longer. I don’t know. When I started buying my own cigarettes, I never kept them in the fridge.) Anyway, every so often I would steal a pack from my dad’s carton in the fridge. Like many young smokers, I started smoking because “it was cool”. It was as simple as that, I wanted to be cool. And I thought I was.

I remember when I first started smoking. I had no idea how to inhale. I would just suck the smoke into my mouth and blow it back out again. I didn’t inhale the smoke into my lungs and back out…just into my mouth and back out. I remember watching other people smoke and noticed that some of them would exhale smoke out of their noses. I had to figure out how to do that. So, I realized that if I swallowed the smoke, I could make it come out my nose! Laugh if you want, but it worked. I don’t know how, but I eventually learned how to in inhale and exhale like a real smoker.

By the time the “coolness” of being a smoker wore off, it was too late. I was addicted. Of course, I did not want to admit it. I kept telling myself that I could quit whenever I wanted, but somehow that time to quit never showed itself. So as the years passed, my body became more and more addicted. It was as if my body did not function correctly if it did not have just the right amount of nicotine in it. The more I smoked the more nicotine my body “craved”. Right now I would call my smoking a habitual addiction. I have cigarettes like clockwork. I have to have a cigarette first thing in the morning; I have another one when I get to work; I have a cigarette every 2 hours when I am at work; I have one when I am leaving work; I have one after dinner; I will have 1 or 2 during the evening; and I can’t forget the 1 before I go to bed. So in order for me to actually quit smoking, I need to break some of my smoking habits AND slowly lessen the amount of nicotine my body gets.

Welcome to My Quit Smoking Blog

Hello and welcome. You might be asking yourself why blog about quitting smoking. Why not blog about it?

There are 2 things I want to accomplish with writing about my journey to becoming a non-smoker. #1, I am hoping that I can get a little encouragement and advice from people who have already taken this journey. And #2, maybe I can help someone else quit smoking at the same time.

If you have successfully quit the habit, I congratulate you. Please feel free to leave me comments about what methods you used, or any advice you may have.

And if you are thinking about quitting, I wish you the best of luck. I know it is not easy. If it was easy, everyone would quit! If you are interested in sharing this journey with me, please let me know. Climbing a mountain as a team will be a lot easier than doing it alone!

In my next post I will discuss my history of smoking, the reasons I want to quit, and the methods I plan on using to help me quit. Scratch that. Maybe I should have 1 post for each of those things to make the posts shorter and easier to read.