Medical Questions » Smoking Questions » Question No. 937
| Question: | My husband complains of aching legs and sore feet especially after walking. His feet are sometimes very white. He is a heavy smoker, and often quite short of breath. What does the future hold for him? He is 42 years old. |
| Answer: | His future is not good! He is showing the early signs of two very serious, and potentially fatal diseases, associated with heavy smoking.
Buerger' s disease is a condition in which the arteries in the arms and legs go into prolonged spasm in response to nicotine. The fingers, toes, hands and feet are initially cold and white, then the circulation problem becomes so severe that gangrene sets in, and first the fingers and toes, and then parts of the arm and leg have to be amputated. If you think I' m kidding you about the seriousness of this condition, talk to any doctor, or look up Buerger' s disease in the library. Thete is no cure for this condition other than stopping smoking.
The other condition your husband may be developing is chronic bronchitis. This is a constant inflammation of the lungs caused by the irritation of smoke. It becomes steadily harder to breathe as more and more lung tissue is damaged, and the victim becomes far more susceptible to pneumonia and other lung infections, as well as lung cancer. Your husband MUST stop smoking NOW, and see a doctor to determine just how much damage has been caused already.
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