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Smoking and Your Spine
July 31, 2009 |
Smoking. It’s been linked to lung cancer, heart disease, and other health issues.
But did you know that lighting up could also break down your spine?
“We know its now been proven, for instance, that cigarette smoke certainly contributes
to degenerative spine disease,” explains Dr. Jeffery Henn, a neurosurgeon with Lee
Memorial Health System. Smoking can speed up degenerative changes in the intervertebral
discs, a process often linked with aging.
These types of changes can take place slowly for someone who is a non-smoker. “So,
anytime I see a patient that has spine disease, we talk about smoking cessation,
if they are a smoker,“adds Dr. Henn.
He encourages people to make sure to stay active in order to keep the spine strong,
but recommends people consult with their personal physician on what kind of fitness
plan works best. “Maintaining physical activity and that’s a tricky one because obviously, if you overdo it, or if you engage in certain physical exercise, you
can end up hurting yourself and maybe cause the very problem you are trying to avoid.”
Doctors say it’s just another reason to put out that butt and light up a healthier
lifestyle.
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