Hemorrhoids and smoking

Smoking can make hemorrhoids worse and create digestive problems that interfere with hemorrhoid treatment. So why is smoking so bad for hemorrhoids and why does this habit make digestive tract problems worse?

[ 1 ], [ 2 ]

Gastrointestinal Stimulation and Hemorrhoids

Smoking tobacco stimulates all body systems, including the gastrointestinal tract – which is why hemorrhoids keep smokers in their grip on a regular basis. Due to this constant stimulation, the gastrointestinal tract contracts even when it is not needed, and bowel movements become a problem.

[ 3 ], [ 4 ], [ 5 ], [ 6 ]

Coffee Drinking and Hemorrhoids

Few smokers will leave with a cup of coffee without a cigarette in hand. This is a double blow to the body. Experts from the University of Michigan recommend avoiding caffeine if you have hemorrhoids. Just like caffeine, nicotine stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, which can cause unpleasant bowel movements that do not allow you to cure hemorrhoids. Avoid caffeine, instead try to treat yourself to delicious foods with high fiber content to soften the stool and make it easier to pass, this is a good help for the body so that hemorrhoids heal faster.

[ 7 ], [ 8 ]

Sedentary lifestyle and hemorrhoids

It is logical that all the systems of your body, including the digestive system, want to work actively, and for this they constantly need a blood flow to function normally. And smoking and a sedentary lifestyle, on the contrary, cause narrowing of the veins, provokes their difficulty of passage. This may explain why office workers are so familiar with the condition of hemorrhoids. Try to do exercises for about twenty minutes a day, and you will heal much faster.

Stress and Hemorrhoids Stress can contribute to hemorrhoids. Have you ever heard the term "hard-sitting feces"? By eliminating stress, you can relieve tension throughout your body, including activating your digestive system by relaxing your bowels, and you will be less likely to overeat junk food, which also contributes to hemorrhoid growth. Try yoga or simply learn to relax for a while to avoid recurring stress that worsens your hemorrhoids.

[ 9 ]

Healing Timeframe

Remember that hemorrhoids may stop bothering you in about two weeks with a corrected diet and an active lifestyle. If your hemorrhoids continue to bother you for longer, consult your doctor for alternative treatment.

[ 10 ], [ 11 ]

Upper gastrointestinal tract

In order to better understand how and why smoking affects the digestive system, it is necessary to understand the basic mechanics of how this section works. The mouth not only serves as the main entry point for food, but also as the starting point for inhaling air. The mouth is a vital part of the respiratory and digestive system. The digestive tract begins with the oral cavity and ends with the anus.

The mouth and throat are two parts of the digestive and respiratory system. Both systems are connected to each other by these parts. The epiglottis serves as a checkpoint to regulate the flow of food or air. But this structure is not completely sealed, air also passes into the stomach every time with food.

The mouth, tongue, and throat are parts of the digestive system, especially the upper digestive tract. The first stage of digestion occurs in the oral cavity, where food is physically broken down by the chewing action of the mouth. Food is also chemically broken down by saliva, and then passes into the stomach through the esophagus.

Smoking and our digestive system

Tar is a chemical product of smoking, it enters the lungs when smoke is inhaled, but also remains as a residue in the mouth. Together with the smoke that enters the digestive system, tar enters the digestive system, and this is the cause of many serious diseases.

Smoking causes many life-threatening diseases, including lung cancer, colon cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. Each year, more than 400,000 people in the United States alone die from cigarette smoking. One in every five deaths in the United States is related to smoking. Estimates show that about one-third of the world's adult population smokes. Adult men seem to smoke less, but women and teenagers of both sexes smoke more. Smoking affects the entire body, including the digestive system.

What are the harmful effects of smoking on the digestive system?

Smoking can damage all parts of the digestive system, contributing to common conditions such as heartburn and peptic ulcers, as well as hemorrhoids. Smoking increases the risk of developing Crohn's disease and gallstones, which form when fluid stored in the gallbladder hardens into lumps. Smoking also damages the liver. When it doesn't work properly, it can cause the veins to become overloaded with blood, causing blood to pool in the veins and put pressure on their walls. This can lead to hemorrhoids.

Ulcer disease

A peptic ulcer is a pain in the lining of the stomach or duodenum, which is the beginning of the small intestine. Peptic ulcers are very common: one in ten people will develop one at some point in their lives. One cause of peptic ulcers is a bacterial infection, but some ulcers are caused by long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil).

In some cases, stomach or pancreatic cancer can lead to ulcers. Ulcers that are not caused by stress or spicy food can also bother a person. And then he can torture himself with a poor menu, eat a minimum of products, which contributes to the development of hemorrhoids. In addition, stress from pain with an ulcer provokes its appearance due to excessive tension and uncoordinated work of the digestive organs.

Studies have shown that people who smoke cigarettes are more likely to develop the disease. If people with ulcers continue to smoke, their ulcers do not heal, or they may take longer than usual to heal. People have a better chance of healing their ulcers if they quit smoking, compared to treating the ulcer with medication. Smoking also increases the risk of developing infections - one of the most common is a bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori, which increases the risk of ulcers and hemorrhoids as well as alcohol and over-the-counter painkillers.

[ 12 ], [ 13 ], [ 14 ]

Cancer of the digestive system (mouth, stomach, rectum)

Smoking is one of the main causative factors of cancer. Tar as a by-product of smoking is a by-product of inhaling smoke and when it affects body tissues, it can cause abnormal cell growth. Rectal cancers contribute to the development of hemorrhoids because the walls of the veins become thinner and cannot withstand the blood flow that passes through them.

[ 15 ], [ 16 ]

Details on the effects of smoking on hemorrhoids

Remember that hemorrhoids are a disease of a certain type of vein, not all of them. They are varicose veins around the anus, which can become overly irritated as a result of smoking. So how does smoking affect the condition of the anal veins?

Smoking increases blood pressure by constricting the veins. This applies to all veins, not just those in the anus. Tobacco does not obey your will and constricts the veins the way it wants, not the way you want it to.

When your anal veins are compressed and their blood pressure increases, they can become irritated very quickly and easily. The walls of the veins become thinner and the pressure on them increases. More cigarettes and the blood flow can be disrupted.

The really bad thing is that once you find yourself bleeding from hemorrhoids, due to the strain on the veins causing the walls to burst, it causes even more irritation to the veins, making it even more likely that your hemorrhoid symptoms will get worse in the future. It becomes a vicious cycle, with overly sensitive anal veins and smoking making them even more sensitive and painful.

[ 17 ]

Conclusions

Smoking can seriously disrupt the digestive system. Smoking can lead to many serious digestive diseases such as Crohn's disease, liver disease, gallstones, and peptic ulcers.

Smoking weakens the lower esophageal sphincter, which is responsible for preventing acid from entering the esophagus.

Afterwards, stomach acid begins to accumulate in the esophagus, the inner lining of the stomach, and can lead to damage and constipation.

Hemorrhoids are usually caused by sitting on the toilet for long periods of time and constipation. Any interruption to the digestive system can potentially lead to hemorrhoids or worsening the symptoms of existing hemorrhoids.

So, what can you do? Of course, you know that you should quit smoking. Cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke per day, buy a special nicotine patch, buy anti-smoking gum. Do everything you can to quit smoking and get rid of hemorrhoids from your body.

[ 18 ], [ 19 ]