UBUBI BW' ITABI KU BUZIMA BW'UMUNTU/www.healthandage.com
10/13/2009 - Articles
The Negative Effects of Smoking on Bones, Joints and Healing
By: Paul Paryski, MA
Tools:
* Print this page
* Bookmark this page
* Forward this page to a friend
* Digg
* Reddit
* Facebook
* Twitter
* More
The Negative Effects of Smoking on Bones, Joints and Healing
Can smoking affect surgery, bone health and healing? Results of 44 studies say "yes" . . . . .
Introduction
There are roughly 50 million smokers in the United States in spite of a great deal of publicity about the negative effects of smoking on health. These 50 million smokers consume an incredible 800 billion cigarettes annually. Cigarette smoking is also increasing rapidly in other parts of the world, particularly in the lesser-developed countries that can least afford either the cost of cigarettes or the cost of their negative effect on health.
There is growing and conclusive evidence that smoking is the leading avoidable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States.
The effects of cigarette smoking on the musculoskeletal system (the bones, joints and muscles) have not been the subject of much publicity, nor have the public or doctors given it the same attention that they have to other diseases caused by smoking.
Two scientists have recently analyzed clinical studies of the effects of smoking on the musculoskeletal system. Their findings are summarized here.
Healing is affected by smoking, since an adequate degree of oxygenation is necessary to form mature collagen, which closes wounds. Smoking reduces the blood flow and the amount of available oxygen in the tissues under the skin. One study showed that even one cigarette could cause quite severe constriction of the blood vessels in the fingers.
It is obviously highly desirable for smokers to quit smoking before and after any surgery. No absolutely fixed rules were derived from the studies, the proposed duration of non-smoking varying from one day to three weeks before surgery to five days to four weeks after surgery. In any case, cessation of smoking before and after surgery definitively aids patient recovery. Although smokers tended to be less physically active and less concerned about their health, it's likely that the adverse effect of smoking was more direct than an action via either of these factors.
Results
Of 82 studies dating back to 1976 (with most of them carried out during the 1990's), 44 strongly suggested that smoking had a very serious negative impact on the musculoskeletal system. Other studies showed a weaker link, while 14 showed little or no proof of harm to the musculoskeletal system.
Two phases of negative effect occur while smoking. In an early volatile phase, almost 500 different gases are released into the lungs and the body, including nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and benzene. In the particulate phase, or "tar phase", there is release of roughly 3,500 chemicals including nicotine, nomicotine, anatabine, anabase and large number of carcinogenic chemicals. Some of these chemicals, chiefly nicotine, lead to strong addiction.
In addition to filling the lungs and body with toxic chemicals, smoking decreases the amount of oxygen available for the brain and the body tissues, including those of the musculoskeletal system. Analysis of the studies showed that the related adverse effects are:
* decreased bone density
* lumbar disk problems
* higher risk of sustaining hip and wrist fractures
* a high risk of failure of bone fusion in fractures and grafts
* low back pain
* decreased wound healing ability
* increase risk of postoperative infection
All these effects are particularly bad for older people. In addition, there is an increased risk of osteoporosis. One study pointed out that smoking decreased bone formation in osteoporotic patients. Another study showed that while a non-smoker can build 1 centimeter of bone in 2 months, it takes a smoker 3 months.
Conclusion
The results of this study are particularly important for older people, since they show that while cigarette smoking causes diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular problems, it also has very negative effects on the musculo- skeletal system and on wound healing. Certainly it shows that a smoker should consider stopping smoking before and after surgery. It should be remembered that annually over 500,000 deaths in the United States, and millions more throughout the world, are caused by smoking.
The Negative Effects of Smoking on Bones, Joints and Healing
By: Paul Paryski, MA
Tools:
* Print this page
* Bookmark this page
* Forward this page to a friend
* Digg
* More
The Negative Effects of Smoking on Bones, Joints and Healing
Can smoking affect surgery, bone health and healing? Results of 44 studies say "yes" . . . . .
Introduction
There are roughly 50 million smokers in the United States in spite of a great deal of publicity about the negative effects of smoking on health. These 50 million smokers consume an incredible 800 billion cigarettes annually. Cigarette smoking is also increasing rapidly in other parts of the world, particularly in the lesser-developed countries that can least afford either the cost of cigarettes or the cost of their negative effect on health.
There is growing and conclusive evidence that smoking is the leading avoidable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States.
The effects of cigarette smoking on the musculoskeletal system (the bones, joints and muscles) have not been the subject of much publicity, nor have the public or doctors given it the same attention that they have to other diseases caused by smoking.
Two scientists have recently analyzed clinical studies of the effects of smoking on the musculoskeletal system. Their findings are summarized here.
Healing is affected by smoking, since an adequate degree of oxygenation is necessary to form mature collagen, which closes wounds. Smoking reduces the blood flow and the amount of available oxygen in the tissues under the skin. One study showed that even one cigarette could cause quite severe constriction of the blood vessels in the fingers.
It is obviously highly desirable for smokers to quit smoking before and after any surgery. No absolutely fixed rules were derived from the studies, the proposed duration of non-smoking varying from one day to three weeks before surgery to five days to four weeks after surgery. In any case, cessation of smoking before and after surgery definitively aids patient recovery. Although smokers tended to be less physically active and less concerned about their health, it's likely that the adverse effect of smoking was more direct than an action via either of these factors.
Results
Of 82 studies dating back to 1976 (with most of them carried out during the 1990's), 44 strongly suggested that smoking had a very serious negative impact on the musculoskeletal system. Other studies showed a weaker link, while 14 showed little or no proof of harm to the musculoskeletal system.
Two phases of negative effect occur while smoking. In an early volatile phase, almost 500 different gases are released into the lungs and the body, including nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and benzene. In the particulate phase, or "tar phase", there is release of roughly 3,500 chemicals including nicotine, nomicotine, anatabine, anabase and large number of carcinogenic chemicals. Some of these chemicals, chiefly nicotine, lead to strong addiction.
In addition to filling the lungs and body with toxic chemicals, smoking decreases the amount of oxygen available for the brain and the body tissues, including those of the musculoskeletal system. Analysis of the studies showed that the related adverse effects are:
* decreased bone density
* lumbar disk problems
* higher risk of sustaining hip and wrist fractures
* a high risk of failure of bone fusion in fractures and grafts
* low back pain
* decreased wound healing ability
* increase risk of postoperative infection
All these effects are particularly bad for older people. In addition, there is an increased risk of osteoporosis. One study pointed out that smoking decreased bone formation in osteoporotic patients. Another study showed that while a non-smoker can build 1 centimeter of bone in 2 months, it takes a smoker 3 months.
Conclusion
The results of this study are particularly important for older people, since they show that while cigarette smoking causes diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular problems, it also has very negative effects on the musculo- skeletal system and on wound healing. Certainly it shows that a smoker should consider stopping smoking before and after surgery. It should be remembered that annually over 500,000 deaths in the United States, and millions more throughout the world, are caused by smoking.
Comments