Back pain and other spinal disorders are so common that most people can expect to see their doctor with one of the problems at some stage of their life. Smoking is considered a modifiable risk factor for chronic pain and gives medical experts one more health reason to add to the list of why you shouldn’t smoke. In the study, the researchers documented people’s smoking histories and assessed the pain of 5300 patients who had radicular or axial pain because of spinal disorder. Some had undergone surgical treatment, while others had received non-surgical treatment.
At the start of the treatment process, the patients who had no smoking history reported substantially less back pain than those who quit. The smokers experienced greater pain, assessed by the VAS (visual analog scale) ratings, which considered the current, worst and weekly pain people experienced. The key findings stated those who quit showed greater improvement in back pain than the people who carried on. VAS rating improvements were more significant in the non-smokers. Those who carried on showed no substantial improvement in back pain.
Medical professionals agree that nicotine and pain have a well documented relationship. Nicotine also impacts on the body’s ability to heal itself, so the findings have reiterated long held opinions. Despite ongoing research into the multiple dangers of smoking, and more explicit tactics by regulatory bodies to restrict the sale and exposure of tobacco products, millions of people still continue with the deadly habit. Cessation techniques all have similar success rates, and they are not very high because different approaches work for different people. Some people require a combination of therapies before they are successful, and some continue and develop chronic disease and shorten their lifespans.
If you are serious about giving it up for good, Las Vegas medical clinics offer a range of services tailored to help you quit successfully.