Almost every patient who comes face to face with pancreatitis asks the question: is it possible to smoke with pancreatitis? After all, it’s hard to strictly review your diet in an instant, give up alcohol, and even cigarettes.
But experts are adamant - smoking with pancreatitis is strictly prohibited and this bad habit must be quit immediately.
The impact of tobacco on the course of the disease
Smoking increases the production of juice in the gland, exacerbating inflammation. Toxic resins act on acetylcholine receptors, increasing the amount of adrenaline in the blood. Glucose levels increase, the gland produces more insulin, leading to an inflammatory process. Pancreatitis accompanies almost every smoker. The more cigarettes a patient consumes, the faster the disease develops.
Tobacco tar contains a myriad of substances dangerous to the human body that enter the bloodstream along with smoke. Cigarette smoke has a destructive effect on the pancreas, pancreatitis and smoking are a voluntary deterioration of health. Each cigarette smoked provokes the work of the salivary glands, which trigger the digestion process. The stomach prepares for food intake, the gland produces enzymes. In the absence of food, the digestive fluid begins to affect its own tissues.
There is a decrease in the amount of enzymes released, making it difficult to digest food. Insulin production decreases, the structure of the pancreas changes, and the likelihood of cancer increases. Smoking affects the gastrointestinal tract in the following ways:
- blocks the feeling of hunger;
- imitates the feeling of satiety;
- affects the movement of food into the intestines;
- reduces bicarbonate production;
- promotes the deposition of calcium salts in the pancreas;
- inhibits endocrine function;
- inhibits trypsin inhibitor.
Human gastrointestinal tract
Mechanism of action of tobacco
The entire cascade of pathological and physiological reactions of the digestive system that occur after another puff can be represented as follows:
In addition, when a person smokes, nicotine has another effect on the hypothalamus and central nervous system. It activates the satiety center and blocks the hunger zone in the brain. The body thinks that after another cigarette it received some nutrients, but in reality it received only smoke and carcinogens.
An additional negative factor in the influence of tobacco is spasm of the nipple of Vater, which serves as an opening between the duct of the main digestive organ (in this case, the pancreas) and the duodenum. This makes it impossible for the full amount of proteolytic enzymes to pass into the cavity of the intestinal ampulla and leads to its stagnation. The result is a worsening of pancreatitis when the patient simultaneously smokes.
Complications of smoking
A cigarette contains 3,000 substances hazardous to human health. The first group of toxins consists of resins that produce an irritating effect on the lungs and bronchi, the gastrointestinal tract, the second is nicotine, which causes drug addiction, the third is toxic gases: carbon monoxide, nitrogen, hydrogen cyanide.
Cigarette use for pancreatitis provokes a number of other diseases:
- cardiovascular failure;
- pseudocyst formation;
- enlarged spleen;
- venous insufficiency;
- diabetes mellitus (when patients smoke more than 1 pack per day);
- stone formation;
- liver dysfunction;
- disruption of the gastrointestinal tract;
- stomach ulcer;
- lung disease (fluid accumulation in the membranes).
The risk of disease increases when consuming more than a pack of cigarettes per day. Smoking with pancreatitis negates the treatment of the pancreas, provokes salt deposition, and disrupts blood flow. Nicotine increases the likelihood of the disease returning again (relapse).
Consequences of smoking
The pathogenesis of cigarette use clearly shows the danger of a bad habit. Of course, 1 puff or cigarette is not capable of causing such severe inflammation of the pancreas. But what can we say about smokers who easily empty a whole pack a day for many years. And this is without remembering other diseases that they could potentially develop.
Ultimately, if a patient with pancreatitis smokes, they experience:
- burns of the oral mucosa and a symptom of hypersalivation - excessive secretion of saliva. You can often see a man or woman with a cigarette constantly spitting out excess liquid;
- exacerbation of all diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including gastritis and other problems;
- an imaginary feeling of satiety with progression to pathology of metabolic processes;
- the potential for the development of malignant neoplasms of different localizations;
- constipation or diarrhea;
- weight loss;
- pain due to illness.
Quitting cigarettes
The main target of the toxic effects of smoking is the human nervous system. After the formation of a mental and physical addiction, quitting smoking causes a dependence syndrome, preventing the patient from getting rid of the habit. It is difficult to cope with the task of refusal alone.
Getting rid of addiction
Patients are contraindicated from using chewing gum, lozenges, and nicotine patches - aids that make it easier to quit smoking. It requires enormous willpower and an understanding of the inevitability of the situation. The patient needs moral support from relatives, friends, acquaintances, and the attending physician. Those who are afraid of gaining weight after giving up cigarettes should not worry: with a strict diet indicated for the treatment of the pancreas, it is problematic to gain extra pounds.
If you cannot give up cigarettes, it will be a good idea to make an appointment with a psychologist; a professional will help you solve the problem in a few sessions.
People with many years of smoking experience should remember that it is impossible to get rid of a bad habit suddenly; the body is already set to its usual mode of functioning. You will have to quit gradually, and prepare for a short-term weakening of the immune system, the appearance of ulcers or stomatitis in the mouth, acute respiratory infections (ARI), irritability, moral exhaustion, insomnia and loss of strength.
Motivation
The results of lifestyle changes can motivate: after several months of quitting smoking, the lungs are cleansed, blood is renewed, blood pressure normalizes, an incessant cough and constant headaches go away, and after six months, liver cells are completely renewed. Treatment of the inflamed gland in this case is much more productive, the number of exacerbations is reduced, and the likelihood of oncology caused by smoking during pancreatitis is reduced.
It is important to use health as a motive to get rid of a bad habit. It is necessary to formulate the reasons why you need to quit smoking. It is better to list them in writing; this method will show a complete understanding of the picture. Surely, there are many more reasons for quitting smoking, besides treating pancreatitis. It is useful to read information about the dangers of tobacco, look at photographs that clearly show the destructive effects of nicotine on internal organs, and find people who will share positive experiences and help with advice.
What should those who want to quit smoking remember?
An important point remains the correct disposal of harmful addiction. For patients with pancreatitis, regular chewing gum, nicotine patches, pills or lozenges are not suitable. All these drugs activate the secretion of enzymes by the damaged organ and aggravate the course of its inflammation.
The only adequate way out of the situation is the patient’s powerful willpower and psychological support from his relatives and friends. This is the only way to stop smoking once and for all without additional harm to the digestive system.
Today, statistics show that more than half of adults around the globe suffer from the harmful habit of smoking. This can be explained by the temporary antidepressant and calming effects of nicotine on the body. In addition, tobacco is not on the list of prohibited drugs. This destructive habit is the cause of the development of very serious diseases: destruction of the cardiovascular system, lung cancer, infertility, myocardial infarction, pneumonia, atherosclerosis, pancreatitis. That is, the conclusion suggests itself. Smoking during pancreatitis is strictly contraindicated. If the patient has been diagnosed with this disease, then it is necessary to immediately quit the addiction. The article talks about this in more detail.
For those who quit
To improve lung function and pancreas function after quitting cigarettes, a special set of exercises is used:
- raising your arms to the maximum height, alternating with exhalation;
- postural drainage - performed in a lying position, alternately - first on the right, then on the left sides in order to accumulate sputum and further get rid of it with the help of expectorants.
Effective treatment of pancreatitis depends on timely consultation with a doctor and correct diagnosis. But a lot depends on the patient: it is necessary to strive for a healthy lifestyle and get rid of bad habits. Pancreatitis and smoking are incompatible!
Some features
Medical scientists in the United Kingdom conducted a large-scale clinical study that specifically concerned smokers with pancreatitis. Several key facts were established:
- The duration of therapy and its complexity in patients who had a bad habit were 45% higher than the same indicators compared to other subjects.
- To relieve the main symptoms, it was necessary to use a wider range of medications.
- The rehabilitation period for tobacco smoke lovers was 2 times longer than the normal recovery period.
- 60% of smokers necessarily experienced early relapses.
Similar studies conducted in Italy demonstrated a relationship between smoking and pancreatic calcification. In addition, it was found that the destructive habit significantly increases the risk of diabetes.
Smoking and drinking alcohol
Non-compliance with nutritional rules in chronic pancreatitis is most often characteristic of people suffering from nicotine or alcohol addiction. If a person has a penchant for alcohol, then he will not deny himself the pleasure of smoking a cigarette. These two habits are the main complementary causes of malfunctions of the pancreas.
The effect of alcohol during pancreatitis is on all organs of the gastrointestinal tract, reducing their protective ability. In addition, there is a colossal negative traumatic effect on the pancreas. Alcohol acts on a similar principle as smoking, promoting excessive secretion of digestive juices and the occurrence of spasms in the ducts of the inflamed organ.
This problem, for the most part, is psychological in nature, so treating pancreatitis by giving up alcohol and smoking should be approached comprehensively.
Motivation to fight the disease
If a person is exposed to a bad habit for a long time, the body is rebuilt, so a sudden refusal sometimes does not lead to unexpected consequences:
- weakens the immune system;
- irritability and insomnia appear;
- performance decreases;
- excess weight appears.
After several months without smoking, the lungs become cleaner, the blood is renewed, blood pressure returns to normal levels, constant coughing and headaches become a thing of the past. After six months, liver cells are completely renewed. Therapy for the inflamed gland is much more effective, the number of exacerbations decreases, and the risk of cancer is minimized.
Fighting tobacco addiction is not easy, since addiction occurs not only at the physical, but also at the psychological level.
When the gland is severely inflamed, it is strictly forbidden to use electronic cigarettes, nicotine patches, special chewing gum and lozenges. Those who are afraid of gaining excess weight by giving up tobacco products need not worry: strict dietary restrictions prescribed for pancreatitis will not give the extra pounds a chance.
Why do people chew chewing gum?
And today we use chewing gum, first of all, to eliminate bad breath. For this purpose, smokers and people with diseases of teeth and gums resort to it, although it helps the latter little.
In addition, chewing gum is good at cleaning teeth from food debris after eating. Someone tries to suppress the feeling of hunger with chewing gum, although there are many other means for this. Some people think that this way you can lose weight. Well, gum massage is not the least important among other positive characteristics.
Others believe that chewing gum helps eliminate anxiety and cope with stress. In general, there is a rational grain in this, since chewing, according to scientists, inhibits the production of the stress hormone, cortisol, in the brain. Some even in this regard recall the calmness of cows constantly chewing cud.
Use the rubber band no more than three to four times a day. Do not chew on an empty stomach (this primarily applies to patients with gastritis). Chewing gum does not replace regular toothbrush use. After eating, you can chew gum for about fifteen minutes, no more. Do not give gum to children under three years of age. Do not forget about the people around you who will be unpleasant to see a person chewing.
Please, do not try to appear worse than you really are - do not slurp when chewing, try to chew silently, without attracting the attention of others, do not blow bubbles, do not throw used chewing gum on the floor, especially do not stick it to a chair or garden bench.
You can die by chewing
As funny as it may sound, when chewing gum, think about safety measures. Do not chew during exercise or heavy physical work.
Be careful during a stormy showdown or displaying unbridled delight with a rubber band in your mouth. Chewing gum that gets into the respiratory tract during inhalation can stick to the vocal cords and then there will be minutes left for your salvation.
If the rubber band flies into the bronchi, death will occur instantly.
How to motivate yourself?
A long history of smoking will undoubtedly have a shocking effect on the human body when quitting smoking. Natural recovery will take time, but eventually, after a few months, a person’s blood will be cleansed, the blood vessels will become toned and the blood pressure will normalize. The structure of internal organs, such as the liver and pancreas, will gradually be restored. Treatment of the disease will bring a more noticeable positive effect and reduce the likelihood of diabetes or cancer.
For effectiveness and additional progress during rehabilitation therapy, you can go in for sports by performing a set of light exercises daily. In addition, jogging is recommended for chronic pancreatitis. The main thing is to rule out problems with the heart and other vital organs.
There is no need to worry about weight gain after quitting smoking, since the special 5p diet excludes the consumption of high-calorie foods. Therefore, until you get rid of nicotine addiction, the body’s absorption of nutrients will be completely restored.
Smoking with pancreatitis has a negative effect on the pancreas. It is important to remember that if you do not stop smoking in time, the disease can worsen through organ calcification, the development of exocrine insufficiency and the formation of cancer cells. Therefore, wanting to lead a full life even with chronic pancreatitis, the patient must take decisive action by giving up smoking and alcohol.
Useful recommendations on how to quickly cure pancreatitis.
The most harmful products
The following foods are not only harmful to eat, but even dangerous to health, because their frequent consumption can provoke the development of inflammation of the pancreas.
- Sweet carbonated drinks with dyes. Despite the fact that such sodas usually tingle pleasantly in the throat and look bright, they cause enormous damage to the entire digestive system, including the pancreas.
The fact is that these liquids irritate the mucous membranes of organs and provoke the development of chronic gastrointestinal diseases, especially ulcers, gastritis and pancreatitis.
It is important to know! Most brightly colored drinks contain artificial colors, which are often very harmful. They can even cause pancreatic and stomach cancer. Drinking them is contraindicated not only for children, but also for adults.
- Fast food. This subgroup includes not only French fries and hamburgers, but also all processed foods, ice cream and fatty foods. These products contain a huge amount of harmful concentrated fats, which make the work of this organ more difficult.
Moreover, with their frequent consumption, a person may develop cholelithiasis, which will have to be treated surgically.
- Chocolate and all confectionery products. It is good to eat real dark chocolate in small quantities, but its excessive consumption can cause the development of serious disorders in this organ.
The harm of confectionery products is explained by the fact that they contain large quantities of glucose, which is very quickly absorbed into the blood and requires the release of large doses of insulin (it helps to break it down). Consequently, the pancreas must work several times more intensely to cope with its task. This leads to disruption of its functions and provokes the development of diabetes.
- Margarine is another dangerous ingredient found in store-bought sweets. Today it is added to almost all baked goods. Margarine is an artificial analogue of butter, but it contains synthetic preservatives and fats, which are very harmful to humans. For this reason, it is better to avoid eating sweets.
- Coffee. This drink has recently become mega popular, but not everyone knows what harm it causes to the pancreas.
The fact is that coffee contains special substances that increase appetite and stimulate intestinal function. Because of this, enzymes begin to be rapidly produced in the body, namely in the stomach, the gland under it and the duodenum, but if a person does not eat, then these same enzymes independently begin to destroy the mucous membrane of the organs, which leads to their inflammation (more about inflammation of the gastric mucosa - gastritis - read here). For this reason, it is very harmful to drink coffee on an empty stomach, and even not have breakfast after that.
- Alcohol is the real “enemy” of this organ, which literally destroys it. With regular consumption of such drinks, very harmful substances enter the human bloodstream, which cause spasms in the ducts of this organ. This mechanism, in turn, leads to the accumulation of toxins in its tissues, which provokes the development of ulcers.
In general, the negative impact of alcohol on this organ is difficult to overestimate, since this particular drink, no matter whether it is wine or strong cognac, will gradually lead to a disease such as pancreatitis. Moreover, if this disease is not treated, it can mutate and lead to cancer.
- Garlic. This product by its nature is an irritant to the mucous membranes of internal organs. It is quite difficult to digest and often causes heaviness in the stomach. For this reason, garlic is strictly contraindicated for absolutely all diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Mayonnaise is a sauce loved by many, which is also the “king” of harmful fats, vinegar and chemical additives. This product deals a real blow to the pancreas and cardiovascular system, causing the latter to deposit cholesterol in the vessels. For this reason, you should not eat mayonnaise in any quantities or additives.
- Sausages and sausages. Today it is no longer possible to find truly natural sausages, since most of them contain a lot of dangerous fats, dyes, food additives and salt.
Moreover, sausages are not even dangerous for this reason, but for others: some of them contain carcinogens that are truly dangerous to health (they cause various diseases of internal organs). The largest amount of such substances is in smoked sausages.
- Fatty fish (trout) and meat (pork, duck). In addition, these products also include rich broths, jellied meat, aspic, fried meat or fish dishes. All this is a terrible “punishment” for the pancreas, which finds it very difficult to tolerate such food.
- Mushrooms. These products can be eaten occasionally, but only in minimal quantities and boiled. Fried mushrooms are difficult for the pancreas, since they are very difficult and take a long time to digest.
In addition, by their nature, mushrooms are sponges that absorb all the good and bad from the environment, so if they were collected in a non-ecological zone, then a person can easily be poisoned even by an edible type of mushroom. Children are not recommended to eat mushrooms in any form.
