Over time, smoker’s cough can lead to hoarseness and chest pain.
It can also be among thesigns and symptoms of lung cancer.
However, there are certain characteristics that can make smoker’s cough unique.
Verywell/Emily Roberts
A smoker’s cough may:
Complications
There are few complications associated with smoker’s cough itself.
That said, repeated hard coughing can strain chest muscles and even lead tobroken ribs.
Women with a persistent smoker’s cough may leak urine due to pressure put on the bladder from coughing.
Causes
Cilia are tiny hair-like cells that line the airways.
They catch toxins in inhaled air and move them toward the mouth to prevent them from reaching the lungs.
As a result, the toxins are able toenter the lungs, where they settle and spur inflammation.
Smoking’s affect on the airways means toxins and chemicals in cigarettes linger in the body.
Diagnosis
A smoker’s cough can be identified based on symptoms and a history of smoking.
However, it’s virtually impossible to differentiate a smoker’s cough from alung cancer coughwith this information alone.
That said, sometimes a cough is the only symptom of the disease.
Even a little blood is reason for an immediate evaluation.
This includes cough and hoarseness.
Treatment
The best treatment for smoker’s cough is to quit smoking altogether.
Quitting Smoking
There are many ways to quit smoking.
These include nicotine replacement therapy and medications like Chantix (varenicline) or bupropion.
Some who quit are alarmed that their smoker’s coughincreasesimmediately afterward.
Known assmoking cessation cough, this is actually normal.
After quitting, cilia are given more opportunity than they ever had while you were smoking to repair themselves.
This worsening of smoker’s cough after quitting is temporary.
Most can look forward to it beginning to diminish within three months of kicking the habit.
These medications are generally reserved for short-term use if your cough is causing significant discomfort or affecting your sleep.
Coughing has a function beyond clearing out whatever cigarettes or cigars have introduced to your airways.
Easing, rather than suppressing the cough reflex entirely, is recommended for this reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can lungs be repaired after quitting smoking?
lungs are self-repairing, and smoking cessation immediately begins the process.
In addition to diminished smoker’s cough, lung function can dramatically improve in only a few months.
This is particularly the case in former heavy smokers.
The five-year relative survival rates for lung cancer depend on how far it spreads.
Localized lung cancer that has not spread outside the lungs has a five-year survival rate of 63%.
A persistent cough is one of the most common symptoms of lung cancer.
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