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Smoking has long been linked to various health risks such as lung disease, but its harmful effects on the spinal cord are less known. Degenerative spine diseases (DSDs), particularly diseases affecting the intervertebral discs, cervical and lumbar regions, are commonly associated with smoking. Research indicates that smoking may contribute to conditions such as spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease, which have a higher risk of problems in the lumbar spine.
If you have back pain, smoking can make it worse and even aggravate spondylosis. Because nicotine restricts blood flow to the spinal cord, it makes it difficult for nutrients and oxygen to reach vital areas, which can result in inflammation and tissue damage. In fact, if a patient is recovering from spine surgery, this can make progress more challenging. Smoking can potentially put someone at risk for fractures because nicotine signals the brain to eat less, leading to weight gain and the body not getting the nutrition it needs.
According to experts, smoking can directly affect the spinal cord as it lacks nutrients, especially where the bone meets the spinal disc, which also affects the regeneration of cells. Doctors usually recommend that patients quit smoking 4-6 weeks before spine surgery and continue the practice for at least a month after surgery to improve outcomes.
Because nicotine interferes with the body’s ability to form new blood vessels and hinders tissue repair and fusion, which is important for healing fractured vertebrae, recovery may be much slower for smokers. This may delay healing and increase the risk of complications after surgery, in addition to reducing the success rate in spinal fusion procedures. It is worth noting that apart from nicotine, cigarettes also contain other poisonous substances, like cadmium, lead, nickel and chromium, carbon monoxide etc.
Meanwhile, a study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases reported that after adjusting for job stress and other factors that cause back pain, smoking on its own increased the risk of back pain by nearly 30 percent. . For the study, British researchers surveyed 13,000 people based on their lifestyle, including their smoking habits, jobs, activity levels and pain history. Researchers found that smoking made people more likely to have pain in other parts of the body, such as the neck, shoulders, elbows, hands, hips and knees.
Scientists also noted that nicotine from cigarettes “may affect the way the brain processes sensory stimuli and the central perception of pain”, or rather, it has an effect on how the brain sends pain signals. . Thus, it is believed that smoking increases the sensation of pain. This means that back pain, which may be manageable for a non-smoker, may be more intense for a smoker.
According to research, smokers are about 50 percent more likely to need spine surgery than non-smokers. Smoking also increases the risk of spinal fracture by 32 percent in men and 13 percent in women. Studies have also shown that women who smoke are more prone to back pain than men. Not smoking, quitting smoking and reducing the habit can reduce the risk by 18%. Other studies have pointed to a connection between back pain and sciatica. Smokers are 50% more likely to need spine surgery than nonsmokers. In a Swedish study, smokers (up to 14 cigarettes a day) were 46% more likely to have spine surgery than people who never smoked. However, former smokers were 13 percent more likely to undergo surgery.
These are some of the ways smoking affects spinal cord health:
⦁ This increases the risk of osteoporosis because smokers are prone to low bone density. Due to this the spinal muscles also become weak.
⦁ It negatively impacts the levels of nutrients like Vitamin D and C, reducing immunity.
⦁ People who smoke are less physically active and thus have to exercise less.
The connection between smoking and spinal cord health is often overlooked, but it is clear that smoking accelerates spinal degeneration, impairs recovery, and increases the risk of chronic back pain and osteoporosis. Increases. The good news is that many of these issues may improve after quitting. This is especially important for older adults who are already at higher risk of bone-related injuries. By quitting smoking, blood flow improves, giving the tissues and spinal discs a better chance to heal themselves. This may reduce back pain and reduce the risk of further degeneration.
Inputs from Dr. Harnarayan Singh, Director and HOD, Department of Neurosurgery, Shalby Sanar International Hospital, Gurugram
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