According to the American Lung Association, cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals and 69 of those can lead to cancer. As a result, smoking affects every organ in our bodies and can cause severe symptoms. Some of these symptoms can relate to our breathing, while others relate to our vision and even our taste buds. While some symptoms result in permanent damage, others can actually resolve themselves when we stop smoking.
Lung Conditions
According to the American Lung Association, 73% of current smokers are affected by lung conditions. The fact that smoking affects the lungs is nothing new. Bronchitis is one of the more common symptoms from smoking, as reported by the American Lung Association. According to The Lung Association, the smoke from the cigarette, which contains tar, sticks to the cilia (which are like small brooms) in our lungs. This buildup can lead to conditions like bronchitis, an inflammation of the lining in the airways. In smokers, bronchitis can be a chronic condition.
The American Lung Association also reports that chronic bronchitis can cause more serious medical conditions like emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This worsening health of the lungs can lead to other symptoms like difficulty breathing and this can cause you to have to rely on oxygen supplementation.
Vision
Another symptom of smoking can be problems with your vision. According to Macular Degeneration Support, cigarette smoking minimizes the levels of a substance called plasma antioxidant, which helps protect our retinal cells. As a result, Macular Degeneration Support reports that smoking can cause symptoms like blood vessel erosion and poor circulation, which can cause our vision to be lessened. In addition, Macular Degeneration Support reports that another symptom can be a loss of night vision, which can cause our ability to drive at night to be affected.
Dulled Taste Buds
Our taste buds are actually small nerve endings on our tongues. Smoking can cause problems with the taste buds, creating symptoms like an inability to taste food. Fortunately, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, any damaged taste buds can be healed after someone stops smoking.
