Sooner or later, most smokers make a conscious decision to break the addiction for good.
Quit smoking - health problems began - such a problem has often arisen among ex-smokers.
For people who have used nicotine for a long time, the road to recovery will not be easy.
Adapting to life without artificial stimulants has its own set of side effects, known medically as nicotine withdrawal.
Living a life of quitting a bad habit has many consequences.
problems after quitting smoking
Quitting cigarettes leads to nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The reason is the release of toxins from the body 3 weeks after smoking the last cigarette.
Manifestations:
- Irresistible craving for nicotine;
- trembling of the limbs ;
- mood swings;
- The manifestation of malice;
- problem sleep;
- Excessive consumption of sugary foods;
- Bad performance.
There is a cough with sputum - a symptom of cleaning the respiratory tract from toxic substances. The bronchi are involved in cleansing the body. With strong addiction, the smoker's body temperature rises, sweating occurs.
The side effects associated with smoking cessation affect the nervous system.
In the absence of the opportunity to smoke a cigarette, depressive states appear. The disease affects the entire body due to the cessation of the release of endorphins. A temporary depression is essential for survival in order not to break the rejection of a bad habit.
There is a decrease in immunity, infections appear. For a long time, the mucous membranes were shrouded in smoke (called antiseptic), which created the conditions for the development of harmful microflora.
An important problem is shortness of breath. It occurs due to the lack of nicotine. Passes a certain period of time.
The result of smoking cessation is a malfunction in the gut. Mobility is impaired. Consequences for the smoker:
- Problematic emptying.
- Formation of gases in a large volume.
- Constant heartburn.
- Significant weight gain.
The increase in extra pounds is not directly related to cigarette refusal. People just start eating an unusual amount of food to improve their mood and maintain vitality.
Sweet foods help cope with prolonged stress. Together, all these circumstances lead to the appearance of obesity. Control plays a huge role in maintaining appearance and health.
Physical activity does not stay at the same level after giving up the addiction. Weakness in the body is felt, mobility is reduced, hand tremors are observed, breathing can be confused with the breathing of a person suffering from asthma.
Quitting smoking has difficulties in the intimate part of life due to low mood and constant tension.
Before you break a bad habit, you need to make a final decision.
How to get rid of emerging problems
Recommendations for people with nicotine addiction:
- Introduction to the usual type of sports exercises (helps improve mood and figure);
- Reception of vitamin complexes (to avoid cold infections);
- Proper care of the oral cavity and teeth;
- Eat light foods that contain vitamins and minerals;
- Introducing small amounts of caffeinated foods into the diet (no more than 2 cups of the drink per day);
- Frequent walks in the fresh air (helps with shortness of breath).
Side effects occur individually. In many people, symptoms are mild.
quit smoking - headache
It is difficult to break the habit, since any change is stressful for the body, even with healing effects. When a person quits smoking, they suffer from headaches, tinnitus, dizziness, abdominal and chest pains, and the urge to feel sick.
Headaches are accompanied by general weakness in the body, lack of sleep and appetite. The entire autonomic system of the body suffers.
The listed symptoms are combined by specialists into such a comprehensive feature as "withdrawal syndrome", the manifestations of which lead to mental disorders. Working capacity decreases, the smoker becomes irritable, aggression is reflected in his behavior.
At the very beginning of giving up nicotine addiction, there are primary symptoms associated with the process of cleaning the cerebral vessels from harmful compounds of carcinogens, the level of oxygen increases rapidly, which leads to unpleasant sensations. The condition of the heart and blood vessels changes, leading to an increase in blood pressure and pain in the temples and neck.
In addition to physiological, there are also psychological causes of pain during nicotine withdrawal:
- The smoker is not morally ready to part with a cigarette, the body begins to go into a state of stress;
- Renunciation of any addiction is accompanied by strong feelings;
- If a person calms down only with the help of a cigarette, then, having missed this opportunity, he begins to get angry and panic, as a result of which the pressure increases and pain sensations appear in the brain.
Headaches in a smoker who has decided to quit the habit can be accompanied by more serious symptoms: absent-mindedness, shortness of breath and, oddly enough, a cough. If a person has just thought that it is time for him to give up cigarettes, at this stage he may begin to show health problems.
Nicotine is a drug, refusal to use it is accompanied by "withdrawal" with the ensuing consequences.
Pain in the head of a nicotine addict who has decided to overcome his addiction will be of different nature: the pain aches, cuts, throbbing, alternates with attacks and is aggravated with physical activity. Some patients need to use analgesics to get rid of the obsessive headache, otherwise they have to endure it for several days.
If you stop smoking and your chest hurts
Chest pain in people who have quit smoking has many causes, some of which require treatment.
The most important include:
- After quitting smoking, the lungs begin to function normally, and a repair process occurs in them.
- Lack of nicotine after an abrupt cessation of absorption in the body.
- With an alkaline balance in the blood, a hyperventilation process begins in the lungs.
- Due to bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- pneumonia, angina.
- The initial process of oncology.
- Peptic ulcer, gastritis.
It is logical that the first reason belongs to the common reason, people who want to quit smoking have a long history. It will take a long time for the body to clear the lungs of tobacco tar, soot and mucus that has accumulated over the years.
Epithelial cells begin to regenerate, the protective functions of the cilia are restored, and activity in the respiratory system is normalized. This causes discomfort in the body. Tobacco has a bad effect on the condition of all organs.
When smoking, the respiratory and digestive organs are affected by toxins. This irritates the mucous membrane, leading to the formation of an ulcer.
With the active removal of toxins from the body, the intensity of the heart increases. This leads to high blood pressure, wear and tear of the heart valves and muscles. Lack of oxygen, increased levels of toxins, high stress on the heart promote the occurrence of coronary diseases and angina pectoris.
Correct medical diagnosis
To determine the cause of chest pain, the therapist examines the patient, listens to the heartbeat and respiratory rate, measures blood pressure and pulse. Based on all of this, he will order an appropriate medical examination. You will need to undergo computed tomography, EKG, X-ray, and FGDS.
If the doctor has any suggestions about heart problems, they will refer the patient for an EKG. With its help, the presence of angina pectoris, abnormal heart activity and myocardial infarction are determined. If there are problems in the lungs and ribs, a chest X-ray is prescribed.
He will refute or confirm a broken rib or pneumonia. If the x-ray does not give a specific answer, then you need to undergo an ultrasound and computed tomography.
Problems in the gastrointestinal tract help determine FEGDS. A mandatory measure in the diagnosis of chest pain is a large blood count. It indicates possible inflammation in the body.
which is forbidden
For people who have quit smoking, the onset of pain is an uncomfortable consequence, especially for those who have not experienced it in the past. This leads to considerations of returning to smoking.
The disappearance of unpleasant sensations will not be final, they will return, and treatment cannot be avoided, tobacco smoke has a harmful effect on the body. This will lead to the progression of the old disease, the emergence of a new one.
The hospital visit and examination must not be neglected. With the help of an X-ray of the lungs, one can find out about the occurrence of malignant neoplasms at an early stage, and various tests give a complete picture of the state of health.
You cannot refuse the treatment offered by the doctor. This will lead to devastating consequences.
How cigarette smoking affects a person's weight
Nicotine, which causes addiction to cigarettes, is a central nervous system stimulant. A powerful drug that speeds up metabolism, constricts blood vessels and makes the heart beat faster.
The consequences of the smoking habit are weight gain, the lack of nicotine slows down the metabolism.
This means that if you eat the same amount of food as before, you can get better. These processes are individual for each person.
effects on metabolism
Nicotine directly increases metabolism, increases the calories burned by the body - at rest, with direct exposure.
Most people have a heart rate of up to 20 beats per minute immediately after a cigarette.
The body receives a stimulating effect, which leads to heart disease, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
When you quit smoking, the processes quickly return to normal activity. This problem occurs when smokers continue to eat heavily while smoking, as they used to.
Metabolism returns to normal, cannot cope with the number of calories - kilograms appear. The risk of gaining weight is nothing compared to breaking a bad habit. On average, a person gains 3-4 kg.
Some may need more. Most return to normal weight after a year.
It is impossible to say how much each smoker will eventually gain in kilograms. It depends on gender, age, level of activity, diet and genetic predisposition.
Most people will lose excess weight as the body adjusts to life without nicotine. For others it will take effort. For some, gaining weight is a permanent condition.
Can you gain weight and why do you gain weight?
When a person quits smoking, the taste buds change, it seems that the food has become tastier. The desire for food comes up more often.
Smoking, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day cost 200 calories, the equivalent of a sandwich or a glass of soda.
Many feel better because they are used to smoking cigarettes after eating. Now the cigarette is replaced by an increase in the volume of food.
You need to maintain your weight and not try to lose weight. There is a "withdrawal syndrome". Previously, under stress, a cigarette was smoked, now the brain asks to replace the cigarette with something else - food.
Nicotine hunger is similar to natural hunger, a person without realizing it eats anything that comes to mind. Treats replace cigarettes.
Anger, frustration, depression and stress are other withdrawal symptoms. This causes people to eat more than usual.
How to replace the habit of smoking
For seven out of ten people who gain weight, it's because they're eating more calories. Hunger increases as appetite increases and taste buds recover. This will pass after the first 3-4 weeks.
Eating unhealthy snacks filled with sugar and fat is accompanied by an increase in waist inches. After you've decided to quit smoking, it's important to create a snacking plan for the day.
When you're feeling hungry, choose one of the following low-fat, low-calorie options:
- fresh fruit/dried fruit;
- natural popcorn;
- Low-fat yoghurt;
- chopped carrots/peppers/celery;
- Natural fruit juice diluted with water;
- oatmeal cookies/crackers;
- Baked goods made from wholemeal flour.
Remember that an extra 100 extra calories per day adds 0. 5 kg of fat per month.
A few ideas for reducing meals by 100 calories at a time:
- Choose tuna in brine or freshwater instead of oil;
- Instead of mayonnaise, add tomato slices, lettuce and pepper to the sandwich.
- Switch from whole milk to low-fat or skim milk;
- If you cannot do without sweets, eat a third of the usual portion after breakfast;
- prepare low-fat salads;
- Make homemade smoothies with fruit and skim milk;
- replace sugar with sweeteners;
- It's better to eat more fruit than some chocolate or ice cream;
- Another way to cut 100 calories is to exercise more.