Intent Give up smoking More effective smoking cessation at the doctor

Good intent: At least one precaution should be
"Smoking is deadly" phrases and shocks on cigarette packs illustrate the smoker more than he likes, how harmful is the regular grip on the stink. Most people try to ignore these hints just because they find it hard to keep their hands off. Anyone who resolves to finally stop in the new year will find support from the doctor.

Many health problems are directly related to tobacco use and often lead to deadly diseases. Besides addictive nicotine, tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 substances. Including many pollutants such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and various heavy metals. They weaken the body's immune system and cause damage especially to organs that come into direct contact with them. Particularly affected are the upper and lower respiratory tract such as oral cavity, tongue, throat, larynx, esophagus, trachea, bronchi and lungs. "Inhaling the smoke irritates the tissues. In the long term, this leads to its damage ", explains Dr. med. Uso Walter, chairman of the medical network HNOnet NRW. "It comes to taste and smell reduction, chronic cough due to" left-behind "mucus and cancer of the tongue, throat and larynx." Also, the mucous membranes, for example, can no longer fulfill their defense function against pathogens. Bacteria and viruses get stuck, there are more infections.

(Image: Knut Wiarda / fotolia.com)

There are plenty of good reasons to quit smoking. Those who can not do it alone can seek help from ENT doctors. On the way to a non-smoker you often accompany with special smoking cessation programs. They are based on current research results and support patients with tailor-made therapy plans during the difficult process. For example, there are carbon monoxide tests that show the degree of dependence of patients. This knowledge is used as a basis for individual measures. In order to minimize the desire for smoking, the range of medical support to acupuncture ranges.

Anyone who does not get rid of the vice, the ENT doctors suggest that the oral cavity, larynx and cervical soft tissues regularly examined to exclude cancers in the mouth and throat or the larynx. "In order to be able to recognize and treat any changes at an early stage, endoscopic screening is recommended about every two years," explains Dr. med. Walter. The ENT screening examinations do not belong to the service catalog of the legal health insurance companies. However, if you invest 60 euros and spend about 20 minutes every 2 years, you can often avert serious consequences of smoking. Malignant changes often show up very late due to discomfort. (Pm)