Smoking: Does It Cause Ear Infections?

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Smoking is a constant assault on the physical body. Cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals and toxins that poison all of the body’ systems, from the cardiovascular to the respiratory. This is why it is so important to quit smoking as soon as possible—smoking cessation increases health and wellness tenfold.

There are many health hazards associated with smoking, some more serious than others. One health problem exacerbated by tobacco smoke is an ear infection. In fact, smoking can lead to chronic ear infections.

Ear infections are most commonly seen in children, but the middle ear of adults can also become inflamed and infected. Ear infections can be both viral and bacterial and are often a symptom of a larger problem—a bad cold virus or bacterial infection. Ear infections lead to pain and blockage in the ears and while not fatal, they are extremely uncomfortable and the remnants of an ear infection can last for weeks. Sometimes the ear becomes so damaged from infection that it must be drained, but again this is in no way fatal.

Smoking contributes to ear infections primarily because it thickens the mucus in the nasal passages. The thickened mucus then becomes a fertile breeding ground for viruses or bacteria that can travel all the way to the ear canal. Since smoking dramatically decreases the immune system, the body is unable to fight off the bacteria and viruses and thus they have a much easier time morphing into a full-blown infection.

Smoking increases the occurrence of ear infections and this problem extends beyond the smoker—second-hand smoke is just as harmful. This means that people who are surrounding by cigarette smoke also have more ear infections and this is particularly problematic with regard to children. Children are more susceptible to ear infections anyway, and their delicate little bodies have an even harder time fighting them off when they are chronically exposed to cigarette smoke. Thus, parents or relatives who smoke are exposing children in the family to an unnecessary health hazard.

There are a myriad of reasons to give up smoking, each one just as compelling as the next. The good news is that people can engage in quit smoking hypnosis; that is, they can utilize the services of a hypnotherapist to help break the psychosocial habit. Quit smoking hypnosis is a harmless method and all it requires on the end of the smoker is patience, perseverance and trust. Quit smoking hypnosis will help smoker’s re-shape their thought processes so they can install new behaviors and belief systems in their brains that keep them away from cigarettes. With a little mind over matter, smokers can conquer smoking-induced ear infections and the tobacco habit all together.

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