Indiana Spine Group

We are all aware of the dangers of smoking. Cancer, increased risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, are only a few of the risks. 

This spine wellness blog entry – will focus on smoking and your spine.

When you think of smoking and your overall spine health:
 

• Smoking contributes to early and more severe degenerative disc disease as a result of the nicotine blocking the transportation of oxygen and other important nutrients to the spinal discs. (This is true for nicotine in any form). When spinal discs are deprived of oxygen, the discs are less able to repair themselves which leads to earlier collapse than what is seen in non-smokers.

• Smoking results in slower healing times for individuals that undergo spine surgery (back surgery).

• Female smokers who are postmenopausal, have lower bone density than women who have never smoked. This lower bone density can increase the risk for osteoporosis and fractures (e.g. hip fractures).

The good news is when you stop smoking, this helps to reduce your health risks. Additionally, there are many resources to help individuals stop smoking and the American Lung Association provides a lot of programs for both adults and teens. For more information about how to stop smoking, visit this link and talk to your physician.