Review Article

Year : 2015

Volume : Volume 5

Issue : Issue 3

Smoking and Chronic Pain: Compound Interactions

Dr. Ridam Jain

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Ridam Jain
drpiyushpujara@gmail.com

Abstract


Background:  Smoking is a major public health problem. Cigarette smoking acts as a nicotine delivery in humans, has found to produce profound changes in physiological architecture. Smoking’s as well as chronic pain are one of the major challenging health concerns faced in day to day life. During smoking nicotine is quickly absorbed into the blood stream within a time gap of 30 seconds it reaches the brain. It stimulates the brain to release various chemicals namely epinephrine which will give a pleasurable euphoric effect. It is a proven fact that smoking of tobacco will cause the production of Rheumatoid factors or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies which is a risk factor for the development of Rheumatoid arthritis. There is a positive relation between smoking and depression and it has been seen smokers use more number of cigarettes when depressed and smoking also caused the individual who is depressed more prone to pain than a normal smoker. Quitting of smoking is quite difficult because of unpleasant withdrawal syndrome that consists of frustration, depression, anxiety, reduced heart rate, increased weight, depressed mood, difficulty in concentration. Because of all these withdrawal symptoms individuals who try to quit start up again very soon. Smoking is a health hazard, this is a well-known fact and the noxious effects are multiple so in management of pain in theseindividual’s, necessary steps has to be put forward in order to quit the habit. Cognitive behavioural therapy or antidepressant therapy in the management of pain of depressed patients who are smokers has shown good results in a rehabilitation centre on the course of the management of pain.

Keywords: Chronic pain, Cigarette, Rheumatoid arthritis, Smoking.