Why there is a cough after quitting smoking, how long does such a period last - these questions concern many smokers who have decided to get rid of their addiction. An avid smoker, quitting smoking, thinks about the positive aspects of this issue, but there are also negative aspects.
This is due to the fact that over the years of smoking, the body gets used to nicotine and "rebel" without it. And this does not lead to good health. But this fact should not serve as an argument in favor of smoking. After all, such a state of the body lasts very little, and there are much more positive moments, including a person who quit smoking increases his life by 15-20 years.
How long does a person who quit smoking cough last?
What does a person who quit smoking feel? Unpleasant and sometimes painful sensations:
- A smoker's lungs accumulate a lot of tar, nicotine and other harmful substances, and the most natural way to get rid of them is to cough them up. A person can cough for a long time, it depends on how long and how much he smoked. But over time, the cough diminishes. And due to the more active saturation of the blood with oxygen, his well-being, his appearance improves.
- The next unpleasant moment is hunger. This symptom is the cause of weight gain in ex-smokers.
- During this period, blood sugar may decrease, he will feel dizziness, absent-mindedness, pain in the head. All this is not for long, most often these symptoms disappear after 3 days.
- At this time, mood often changes, a nervous reaction to troubles appears. Sometimes people suffer from insomnia, nausea is possible. But gradually the body is cleared of nicotine, and such symptoms diminish. And after about 3 months and completely disappear.
The harmful effects of smoking on the lungs are known. 70% of smokers suffer from lung disease. And 90% of smokers cough, and having quit smoking, they still do not stop suffering from lung diseases. After all, it is not easy for the respiratory organs to recover.
And if a person who has given up cigarettes is faced with a cough problem, then it is worthwhile to consult a doctor, perhaps this is a symptom of a serious illness. But most often these are the consequences of smoking, and doctors advise to carefully monitor their health, to treat all diseases in time.
Causes of cough
In the period of withdrawal from tobacco, the appearance of this symptom is not surprising. After all, the body is trying to rebuild, which in one way or another affects the state of health. At this time, a malfunction of some organs is possible.
A cough can appear for the following reasons:
- The smoker's bronchi and lungs try to clear the accumulated nicotine, which results in a strong dry cough.
- During the period of adaptation of the body, various inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system are often intensified.
Due to a decrease in immunity and irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, diseases such as bronchitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis may occur. Then, signs of an emerging disease are added to the initial symptoms.
The problems that arise can lead to certain consequences:
- Many people return to smoking, thinking that the cough will not stop and therefore should not be tormented.
- If you do not treat such a symptom, then you can cause serious diseases: infectious or allergic bronchitis, tracheitis.
- It is difficult for a former smoker to maintain efficiency.
How long does a cough last after quitting smoking
Similar symptoms appear because the body in the process of smoking ceases to produce nicotine itself, because the smoker received it from the outside.
As a result, when quitting smoking, a person feels the need for it and does not feel comfortable.
The duration of such a process depends on the specific organism. Smokers find the first 10 days to be the most difficult. Then it is necessary to cross the line of 1 month, and after 6 months the person ceases to feel the desire to smoke.