| From: john schweinfurth To: VOCALIST <vocalist> Subject: Re: Quitting Smoking Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>
On Sat, 18 Dec 1999 05:18:05 EST, VOCALIST wrote:
> Dear All, > > I hate to say this, but i'm addicted to cigarettes. everytime I try to quit, I develop a serious cold. My throat and nasal passages will feel extremely weak and phlegmy. Returning back to cigarettes seems to help it. > When I don't smoke, I develop vocal problems. When I do smoke, they seem to > go away when I know for a fact that they really aren't. Has anyone had any > experience with this? > Andrew Lin, an admitted smoking addict
Andrew,
What you're describing is actually quite common. Most likely, you are an allergy sufferer, and don't even know it!
The lining of your upper respiratory tract is filled with immunogenic cells, kind of like security guards, and they stop anything coming in to keep it from getting to your lungs and causing a real problem. In your case, these security guards are even stopping the workers from getting in, and they cause an unnecessary inflammatory response wich results in, among other things, swelling of your nasal passages, production of thick phlegmy mucous, and slight thickening of your vocal cords.
Smoking is like wiping out all of these cells, or security guards. Everything, dust, pollen, molds, bacteria, viruses, get through without a fight. In the short term, this reduces your allergic responses, and keeps you from getting that 'cold.' In the long term, however, you're more likely to get serious infections and cancer.
The next time you go to stop smoking (hopefully today :-), you should immediately start on medication to suppress the allergic response (PLEASE SEE A DOCTOR about this) and you probably will not have these transitional problems. Also, make sure you drink enough water!!!
Hope this helps...
John M. Schweinfurth, MD Laryngology and Professional Voice Care Assistant Professor Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN (615) 322-6180
_______________________________________________________ Visit Excite Shopping at http://shopping.excite.com The fastest way to find your Holiday gift this season
| |