World Lung Day: How Smoking Affects Your Lungs

Smoking is injurious to overall health, but it is one of the most harmful habits for your lungs. Know the various ways in which it severely impacts lung health and leads to long-term side effects.

Smoking causes direct damage to the delicate lung tissues, making it difficult for lungs to function efficiently.

Damage of Lung Tissue

Tobacco smoke irritates the airways and causes inflammation, leading to chronic bronchitis and breathing difficulties.

Inflammation

Smoking narrows the air passages, reducing airflow and making it harder for your lungs to get enough oxygen.

Affects Airways

Excessive smoking may destroy cilia, the tiny hair-like structures in the lungs that clear out toxins. Overtime, this may lead to toxin build-up.

Causes Toxin Build-up

Smoking triggers excess mucus production, clogging airways and increasing the risk of infections like pneumonia.

Increases Mucus Production

Long-term smoking often leads to COPD, a group of lung diseases that cause irreversible damage and breathing problems.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of all cases, as per the World Health Organization.

Increases Cancer Risk

With every cigarette, your lung capacity decreases, making physical activities and even daily tasks more difficult. Smoking also weakens the lungs' immune defenses, making them more susceptible to infections and respiratory illnesses.

Reduces Lung Capacity

Smokers with asthma experience more frequent and severe asthma attacks, as smoking irritates the airways further.

Triggers Asthma Attacks

Lungs age faster due to smoking, losing their elasticity and functioning much earlier than normal.

Early Ageing

These are reasons enough to quit smoking before it is too late and a life-threatening disease strikes.