Fatal Fact: The Effects of Smoking Leads to Death and Disease
Smoking is a very hard habit to quit. When smoking, it makes the person feel relaxed, and in some way makes one feel less stressed. Especially during work breaks, or going out with friends for a drink, smoking always comes as some sort of “necessity.” It can calm down the throbbing nerves of a drunk person, or it may take away the stress and adrenaline from all the stressful situations in a person’s everyday life. Either way, smoking can temporarily relieve the stress of one person, but that one stick of cigarette can actually lead to a dreaded disease or even a fatal illness.
Quitting smoking can be easy to say and a frequently heard advice given to smokers. But in reality, quitting is complicated, hard, and not very amusing to smokers. This could mean the end of the world to others (a little exaggeration won’t hurt), or having a drastic change in their lifestyle. Moreover, quitting is all about the self, and if the person is wholeheartedly open to quitting smoking, then they will become successful. Otherwise, it could be a waste of time for them, since they are not open to the possibility of a healthier life after quitting smoking.
The effects of smoking can vary from physical appearance to risky health conditions. Tar in cigarettes can coat the lungs and eventually lead to lung and throat cancer. Nicotine is also responsible for the yellow brown stains on the smoker’s fingers and teeth. The carbon monoxide in cigarettes robs the muscles, brain, and blood of oxygen, thus making the body (especially the heart) work much harder. Over time, this can cause the airways to narrow, and the blood pressure to rise, leading to heart attacks and strokes. High levels of carbon momoxide and nicotine can also increase the risk of heart disease, hardening of the arteries, and other circulatory problems.
Moreover, research has shown that there is a small difference between the amount of chemicals inhaled by those people who smoke ‘light’ or ‘low tar’ cigarettes and those who smoke regular cigarettes. People who smoke ‘light’ cigarettes have the same risk of developing smoking-related diseases as people who smoke regular cigarettes. so either way, whatever brand of cigarette one smokes, the effects of smoking would still be the same.
The effects of smoking can be seen immediately, and can be experienced as soon as one puffs that cigarette. First, there is an initial stimulation, followed by a reduction in the brain and nervous system activity. Enhanced alertness and concentration is also felt, together with a feeling of mild euphoria, feelings of relaxation, increase in blood pressure and heart rate. However, the negative effects of smoking will be immediately experienced. The smoker will suffer from a decrease in blood flow to body extremities like the fingers and toes, dizziness, nausea, watery eyes, and high acidity in the stomach, and a decrease in appetite, taste, and smell.
Long term effects of smoking leads to more than 140,000 hospital episodes and 19,000 deaths, with principal diagnoses such as cancer, heart diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Passive smoking can also cause a number of health problems including heart disease, lung cancer, and irritation of the eyes and nose. When one sees this from a bird’s eye view, everyone is at risk for smoking cigarettes, be it a smoker or a nonsmoker.
My Melanoma turned to lung cancer, turned to brain cancer and two brain tumors. The metastasis has been fast and will be deadly. My life can no longer be cla…
A lot of different birth control devices have been created over the centuries and are now being marketed to the public. All of them supposedly have been tested by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) if it is safe to be marketed to and used by the public. However there is an ongoing controversy regarding the birth control patch.
In the United States, a number of women in the San Francisco area have filed complaints about the adverse effects they experienced since they started using birth control patches. A lot of these women have developed blood clots on different parts of their bodies, and a few women have died from complications brought about by this contraceptive patch.
The Birth Control Patch
The contraceptive patch is a transdermal patch attached to the skin that is used to release synthetic estrogen and progesterone hormones into the body to prevent pregnancy. This means of contraception can only be acquired through a prescription and is acclaimed to be just as effective as the combined oral contraceptive pill. At the moment, the only available brand of birth control patch is Ortho Evra. It is informally referred to as “the Patch”.
Birth control patches work by releasing hormones into your system through your skin. It prevents eggs from being released from the ovaries, it thickens the cervical mucus lining to prevent sperm from reaching the egg, and it changes the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation. It is worn for one week at a time and it is placed directly on the skin of your abdomen, upper arm, upper torso, or buttocks. It is replaced once a week on the same day each week for a three-week period. The birth control patch is not worn during the fourth week to allow for the menstrual flow to occur.
Side Effects
Just like any other medication, it has side effects to go along with the benefits it provides its users. Here are some of the noted side effects from using the birth control patch:
l Skin irritation at the site of application
l Headaches
l Breast tenderness, swelling, pain
l Irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting
l Moderate weight gain
l Nausea and vomiting
l Bloating
l Yeast infections
l Depression
The scariest side effect of using a birth control patch is its thromboembolic risks. All combined hormonal birth control products poses a really small increased risk of severe or fatal clot formation and migration (thromboembolism). It has recently been documented that birth control patch users may double the increased risk of developing a non-fatal venous thromboembolism as compared to women who use oral contraceptive pills. At present there have been a few reported cases of fatalities directly pointing to the birth control patches as primary cause of death.
A Cry For The User’s Safety
On November of 2006, a group of 40 women filed a lawsuit against the only that manufactures birth control patches, Ortho-McNeil. They wanted the product to be pulled out from the market to protect other women who are not aware of the severity of its side effects. The FDA said that any hormonal contraceptive may cause blood clot as estrogen is also responsible for blood coagulation, however too much blood clot may indeed lead to other medical complications which may end in fatality. Because of the piling complaints against Ortho-McNeil, they re-tested the product and re-hashed the product label, indicating that it may cause blood clotting.
Choosing the right contraceptive product is not as simple as going for the most convenient or the cheapest one your money can afford. The first and most important factor that you should consider is your own health. Using a birth control patch may be convenient for you, but in the long run, will you still find it convenient after you’ve experienced all its adverse effects?
Most people who compare science with religion are forgetting one key aspect of science that does not exist within any religious system and is excluded from religion by nature. Science, unlike religion, is a self-correcting system. This is exemplified by people discovering that the world was round and not flat, and that smoking could cause lung cancer. What could be scientific heresy now could become the scientific fact of the next decade. Some researchers, following in the footsteps of the smoking-cancer connection, believe that the next medical heresy to be accepted as fact involves the perilous graveyard shift, known to some as the night shift.
There are now studies being conducted to see whether or not night shift work increases the risk for cancer. Other known carcinogens include ultraviolet radiation, anabolic steroids, and engine exhaust fumes. Apparently, the study was prompted due to the results of various studies indicating that night work had a link with the increased number of cases of breast cancer. There is also the obvious link between night shift workers and smoking, which can lead to a number of respiratory disorders even for those who don’t actually smoke. Apparently, this was prompted by one study that found a seemingly trivial correlation between an increase in night shift workers and the increase in people who get diagnosed for breast cancer. This connection, which was initially mocked by the medical community, was later substantiated with statistics. Today, more and more researchers are focusing their work on establishing clear, scientific proof of the night shift – cancer connection in response to the proliferation of call centers and other business process outsourcing operations.
More recent studies have indicated that women who work in the night shift are more prone to suffer from or develop breast cancer. Cancerous cells also appeared to develop and spread faster for animals that had switched their day-night sleep cycle, with data supporting the possibility that the same could occur in humans. Prostate cancer may also be a concern for night shift workers who are male, with statistics showing that an alarmingly large number of men on the graveyard shift developing the condition. This, combined with the prevalence of smoking as a habit among night workers, is starting to make the graveyard shift seem like a genuine health risk.
However, these studies focused primarily on airline employees and medical professionals, such as nurses and doctors. As such, the data may be incomplete when one considers the number of jobs and companies that require night work to be put in. It also does not count the various types of jobs in overseas territories that are operated only at night because the clients targeted reside in opposite time zones. Still, the American Cancer Society has announced that it does have plans on adding night shift work to the list of known and probable carcinogens, which may generate some sort of reaction or backlash from companies that have graveyard shift employees. Still, the organization believes there is enough evidence to support it being labeled as “probable,” but are willing to wait for further data before pronouncing it as “known.”
May 6 (Bloomberg) — Among the millions of men tested for prostate cancer around the world each year, doctors are detecting an increasing number of cases in which patients become sick from potentially lethal, drug-resistant infections. The trend is forcing doctors to rethink their approach to screening for the most common malignancy in men. Bloomberg’s Shannon Pettypiece reports on Bloomberg Television’s “InBusiness With Margaret Brennan.” (Source: Bloomberg) Video Rating: 0 / 5
Cancer Is Not A Death Sentence, How You Can Keep Living
Dietary factors have an impact on the risk of cancer. Areas of the world that have a high consumption of fat in the diet, also have an increased incidence of colon cancer. Women who are obese have an increased risk for endometrial, breast and colon cancer. Certain food additives have also been linked to an increase in cancer. Learn other useful information and tips for dealing with cancer in this article.
Beware that acne is a common side effect of chemotherapy. Many people do not realize this and chalk their acne up to hormones. There are many over-the-counter acne treatments that are effective for you skin. If your acne is very bad, your doctor may be able to prescribe a stronger medication.
When other people learn that you have cancer, you may find that people become nervous around you. You may also find that people who you thought were your friends will no longer be there for you. Don’t take this personal, it is an issue that they have to deal with, not you.
To reduce your risk for various types of cancers, not smoking or using tobacco in any way is one of the best and easiest methods. Smoking has been linked not only to lunch cancer but also to lung, bladder, cervix and kidney cancer. Don’t take the risk, and quit now, or don’t start!
Maintain an honest approach when dealing with someone who has cancer. Your friend or family member may have to make difficult decisions about their future needs, and they need to know what to expect. It is also important to share as much information as possible with other family members, so they can begin dealing with their own emotions.
Older adults are at higher risk for developing certain types of cancer. Approximately 75% of cancers are diagnosed in people aged 55 and older. As the risk rises, so does the importance of staying healthy and physically fit. Regular doctor visits, normal body weight, a healthy diet, self-exams and cancer screening tests can all help to reduce the risk.
You should read books about cancer survivors when you are coping with cancer because it may help to give you inspiration. Reading inspirational books about survivors is a great way to give yourself the mental boost that is needed when you are feeling worried, stressed or depressed about your cancer.
Develop a coping strategy that will work for you. Everyone copes a little differently, and instead of going along with how others believe that you should act, you need to do what is right for you. Some tips may be to learn relaxation techniques, talking to a counselor, or keeping a journal.
As stated in the beginning of this article, what you eat has a lot to do with your risk for cancer. Although no direct correlation has been found yet, consumers of high amounts of nitrates have an increased risk for gastric cancer. Saccharin consumption is considered to be a factor in the development of bladder cancer. Dietary factors work over many years to increase certain types of cancer so it can be difficult to identify specific dietary carcinogens.
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