Is it possible to smoke with gastritis - effects on the stomach

How does smoking affect the human digestive system?

When you inhale tobacco smoke, harmful tars come into contact not only with the lungs, but also with the digestive tract.

The toxic substances contained in a cigarette burn the mucous membranes of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, then the stomach and intestines.

Smoking has a very negative effect on the digestive system.

Nicotine travels through the bloodstream into the liver and pancreas. All this provokes severe irritation of the mucous membrane and gradually leads to the development of various pathological processes.

Smoking leads to vasospasm, blood circulation worsens, the concentration of oxygen in the blood decreases - these processes significantly complicate the normal functioning of the digestive and other internal organs, the production of enzymes decreases and regeneration processes worsen.

In addition, toxic substances, penetrating into the blood system, have a negative effect on the central nervous system, in particular on the hypothalamic-pituitary system, which regulates functions such as the feeling of hunger and thirst.

This leads to a decrease in appetite, as a result of which a person begins to rapidly lose weight and becomes unhealthy thin.

Smoking has a particular effect on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which regulates the functioning of internal organs, endocrine and exocrine glands, and blood vessels.

As a result, the motor, secretory and absorption activities of the gastrointestinal tract deteriorate: insufficiency of gastric juice leads to disruption of normal digestion of food, resulting in stagnation in the stomach and intestines.

When smoking, salivation increases and the innervation of the digestive organs deteriorates, which leads to the development of peptic ulcers and gastritis, foul breath appears, pain and heaviness appear in the stomach, and after eating, nausea is felt, which often ends in vomiting.

Smoking for ulcers

What is the connection between smoking and stomach ulcers? In fact, nicotine has a direct effect on the course of the disease and treatment measures.

Smoking contributes to the development of gastric ulcers

The main reasons why you should give up a bad habit are:

• the effectiveness of medications decreases, their effect, in particular pain relief, is practically absent;
• together with saliva, toxic substances penetrate into the stomach, corrode the mucous membrane, as a result, the inflammatory process worsens and regeneration processes slow down significantly;
• gastric bleeding may develop.

There is only one conclusion - smoking with a stomach ulcer worsens the situation, increases painful symptoms and interferes with treatment.

A little physiology

Few people know that nicotine is similar to acetylcholine (ACh), a substance that is a natural signal transmitter in the nervous system. Released from the endings of nerve cells in autonomic ganglia (such as the solar plexus), ACh transmits nerve impulses from the central regions (hypothalamus) to peripheral nerve fibers. Through these signals the activity of all organs of the human body is regulated:

1. Heartbeat slows down.
2. The activity of the stomach and the entire digestive system increases.
3. Intestinal motility increases, which can cause stomach pain.
4. The muscles of the bladder, etc., relax.

In general, a state occurs that is observed in a person at rest and during relaxation.

In addition, it is ACh that is the intermediary in the transmission of impulses from nerve fibers to the muscles of the body. ACh is also involved in all processes of thinking and regulation of biochemical reactions in the brain.

Nicotine, coming from outside, replaces ACh in all these processes. As a result of acquiring the habit of smoking cigarettes, the production of ACh decreases. And when a smoker takes too long a break or tries to quit smoking, he experiences difficulties with those body functions that are not consciously regulated (vegetative):

• Activity of the stomach.
• Bowel activity.
• Production of digestive juices, etc.

That is, a long-term smoker notes that without smoking cigarettes, he develops problems with the intestines and digestive system: he cannot go to the toilet in the morning, cannot have a normal breakfast, his stomach may begin to ache, etc. Those who quit notice the same symptoms bad habit of a heavy smoker.

However, it is not only quitting smoking that leads to such consequences. And it’s not just those who quit smoking who have stomach pain. Over time, when quitting cigarettes, the production of ACh is restored, followed by the lost functions. But those who continue to smoke will experience even more unpleasant effects of smoking on the stomach and intestines.

The influence of a bad habit

Drinking alcohol and smoking if you have a stomach ulcer are strictly prohibited for the following reasons:

• substances contained in tobacco products weaken the effect of medications, so the duration of treatment increases significantly or does not give a positive effect;
• when smoking, the risk of exacerbation of the disease increases by 70%;
• under the influence of nicotine tars, the formation of ulcerative inflammation increases several times.

Nicotine addiction entails serious consequences that require urgent surgical intervention:

1. Bleeding. An increase in the acidity level of the stomach leads to erosion of its walls, which can lead to bleeding in the abdominal cavity. Symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding: scarlet vomit mixed with blood; blood in stool.
2. The poisons contained in cigarettes gradually destroy the walls of the stomach, which leads to gastric perforation.
3. Attacks of spasms and severe pain that lead to loss of consciousness or can cause painful shock.
4. The possibility of developing a cancerous tumor at the site of the ulcer increases by 50%.
5. It is possible for the ulcer to move to other organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which can have a catastrophic outcome.

Is it possible to lose weight?

Many women start smoking to lose weight.
Unfortunately, many women start smoking knowing that they may lose weight. It really works, but at what cost? A meal replacement cigarette supplies the body with toxic substances. Under their influence, changes occur at the hormonal level. Having received the initial dose of toxic effects, the body gets used to it and no longer reacts by losing weight to a systematic dose of poisons. To continue the process of losing weight, the number of cigarettes must be increased.

Constant poisoning has a negative effect on the body as a whole. Nicotine smoke mixes with saliva and, when it enters the stomach, binds the nerve endings. There is no feeling of hunger, appetite worsens. Constant irritation of the mucous membrane sooner or later ends in an inflammatory process, which leads to gastritis, peptic ulcers and even breast cancer. Let's add yellow teeth, a rough voice, a stale complexion and bad breath.

Possible consequences

Smoking with gastric and duodenal ulcers has multiple contraindications.

Among them:

• Weakening of the effectiveness of treatment and loss of benefit from the medicine and enzymes.
• Increased inflammatory processes, which occurs due to nicotine entering an existing ulcer.
• Decreased quality of treatment. It will take longer to recover after diagnosis.
• Opening bleeding is an extreme factor that occurs during smoking.

One of the main signs of bleeding is dark-colored stool in the form of a mush. Dependence on nicotine during the presence of a duodenal ulcer does not cause severe complications when compared with gastric ulcer disease. As complications, bleeding occurs, causing pain with loss of consciousness.

Nicotine resin, deposited on the ulcer walls, destroys them, causing developing perforation in nearby organs or through intestinal openings. Such pathologies progress through developing peritonitis and pain. Smoking and stomach ulcers may indicate the imminent manifestation of malignant neoplasms. The peculiarity of this terrible diagnosis is its asymptomatic course.

During surgery to eliminate damage to the gastrointestinal tract and duodenum, there is no 100% certainty that a relapse will not occur. Smoking is, if not the main factor, then a side factor. An ulcer and smoking cannot be combined: after surgical treatment, every smoker should understand the possible complications.

How does smoking affect gastritis of the stomach with high acidity?

Smokers are prone to gastritis with high acidity.

The type of disease is characterized by symptoms:

• Pain in the upper abdomen (possibly on the right side);
• Burning or esophagitis;
• Belching with a sour taste;
• Nausea in the morning, on an empty stomach;
• Vomiting caused by overeating, sour foods;
• Abdominal bloating and constipation;
• Lack of desire to eat (caused by a complication of the disease) or constant severe hunger caused by a decrease in the level of acid in the stomach, provoked by fullness;
• Pain at night and when abstaining from food.

Nicotine affects the gastrointestinal tract: a lot of gastric juice begins to be released, which has a detrimental effect on the mucous membrane.

Smoking with gastritis with high acidity helps because it increases the likelihood of existing erosions and ulcers appearing or growing, and inevitably causes additional pain.

Electronic cigarettes for ulcers

Recently, many devices have appeared, the purpose of which is to help heavy smokers say goodbye to the addiction. One of these modern developments is the electronic cigarette. This device has a number of advantages:

• does not contain nicotine;
• does not emit toxic resins;
• does not provoke the development of a peptic ulcer.

E-cigarette vapor does not have any negative effects. One thing to remember is that the vapor content has not been fully studied. Therefore, it is impossible to say that such products are completely safe.

If a smoker nevertheless decides to switch to electronic cigarettes, in this case it is worth considering the following points:

• When purchasing refills for such products, you need to pay attention to the nicotine content;
• in case of ulcerative pathology, it is better to give preference to gas stations without a toxic substance;
• If it is difficult to give up nicotine immediately, it is recommended to gradually reduce its amount.

It is recommended to follow these rules when using a hookah. In this way, it will be possible to completely eliminate the influence of the most dangerous provocateur.

Is it allowed to smoke with gastritis?

Smoking is harmful in general, especially if you have gastritis. When the disease occurs, dangerous compounds from cigarettes penetrate the stomach, causing exacerbation of gastritis and transformation into complex types.

Many people ask whether it is permissible to smoke electronic cigarettes or hookahs instead of standard cigarettes if you have gastritis? It is forbidden. There is nicotine in hookahs and electronic cigarettes, the result will not change. Remember, it is stupid to consider hookah and electronic cigarettes harmless to health. Let's take a closer look at why hookah and electronic cigarettes will not become harmless substitutes.

E-Sigs

Manufacturers of electronic cigarettes say that such cigarettes cause much less harm than paper ones. The opinion is wrong.

The operating principle of electronic cigarettes is based on the use of a special liquid with the addition of nicotine. The amount of poison entering the body is no less than when smoking conventional cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes add menthol, capsaicin and alcohol, which have a similar effect on the stomach as nicotine. The substances increase the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which leads to gastritis.

Hookah

Smoking a hookah has become a popular pastime, especially among young people. Teenagers and even adults think that smoking hookah is safe. In reality, you can't say that. The smoke that enters the lungs when smoking a hookah poisons the body. Scientists have proven that the smoke emanating from a hookah is hazardous to health, just like cigarette smoke.

If after smoking a hookah you feel pain in the stomach or belching occurs, it is time to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist.

Contraindications

Smoking for stomach ulcers and other peptic ulcers is strictly prohibited. This is due to the following reasons:

• drugs in combination with tobacco tars lose their medicinal properties and do not have an effect, so the course of treatment lasts longer;
• nicotine increases inflammation of the ulcer;
• possible bleeding, its signs: black stool with a mushy consistency, sharp pain, loss of consciousness;
• frequent relapses.

If a person finds out about his illness and does not quit smoking, this leads to negative consequences:

1. Nicotine resins corrode the intestinal walls, which leads to the formation of penetrating holes on it.
2. Over time, the ulcer penetrates the pancreas and stomach.
3. A cancerous tumor develops at the site of the ulcer.
4. Vivid flashes of pain accompany inflammatory processes in the duodenum.

Timely surgery to remove ulcerative inflammation does not guarantee that the disease will not occur again. Abuse of nicotine and alcoholic beverages causes relapse.

Despite the negative consequences, heavy smokers ask the question: “Is it possible to smoke with a duodenal ulcer?” The answer is categorical. Cigarettes are incompatible with this disease.

After surgery, patients are warned: smoking is prohibited. But this does not stop addicted people.

What consequences should be expected from smoking in different forms of gastritis?

Smoking for gastritis is not recommended due to the inevitable weakening of the immune system. A bad habit causes complications:

Exacerbation of the disease in a patient

Combustion products and nicotine penetrate the stomach and irritate the mucous membrane. Irritation causes heartburn, belching and aching pain. The stomach produces a lot of hydrochloric acid. In combination with vasoconstriction, gastric activity decreases, normal functioning is disrupted, which causes more serious diseases:

• Atrophic gastritis (precancerous form);
• Erosion;
• Duodenitis;
• Stomach ulcers.

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Inadequate nutrition while smoking

Smoking affects appetite. Smokers notice that after a cigarette they want to eat much less or don’t want to eat at all.

Patients eat less often than they should or reduce their portion sizes. This is contraindicated; gastritis is incompatible with malnutrition.

When smoking more than 10 cigarettes per day, the functioning of the stomach and the contraction of the intestinal walls are disrupted.

A smoker feels pain in the abdominal cavity due to the following functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract:

• Contractions of the intestinal walls accelerate;
• Beneficial substances do not have time to be absorbed, and harmful substances are eliminated from the body;
• Smooth muscle spasms occur.

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Infectious diseases in the mouth

Mouth infections are common among smokers. Saliva carries the infection to the stomach. Small wounds and cracks appear, which over time transform into ulcers.

The occurrence of spasms in humans

Nicotine causes spasms of the gastric inlet and outlet . The stomach cannot cope with digesting food.

Food lingers for a long time, causing a feeling of excess satiety, nausea, vomiting, belching and rotten breath.

Delays the entire healing process

In addition to a general decrease in immunity, which has a bad effect on the healing process, medications used to treat gastritis cannot be combined with tobacco. Nicotine removes drugs from the body before they have a chance to take effect.

The main task of a smoker

When trouble comes in the form of a rather serious illness, people try to save their health and life. If a person has a desire to change his lifestyle, then he is on the right path. Even a heavy smoker has the right to consult a doctor for advice and help.

Often people suffering from peptic ulcers turn out to be long-term smokers. A person is not always able to cope with addiction on his own. Your doctor can help. As an option, prescribe a drug that initially reduces nicotine dependence. In the future, such a technique will serve as an impetus for a person to give up a bad habit.

If addiction manifests itself on a psychological level, the help of a psychologist is necessary. A specialist of the mentioned profile will, in a few steps, help overcome the barrier and free a person from the desire to smoke. The main thing is to focus on the results of the smoker himself.

Consequences of smoking

Doctors do not encourage smoking with gastritis. After all, for a person who is addicted to smoking, there is a high probability that gastritis or an ulcer will go into an exacerbation phase. Even a healthy person may have problems with the gastrointestinal tract due to active smoking. This results in the following violations:

• stomach ache;
• spasms;
• heartburn;
• nausea;
• indigestion, constipation;
• decreased appetite;
• belching.

A smoker with 4-5 years of experience develops these problems, and over time, all the functions of the stomach become impaired. This is further enhanced by the fact that a person smokes more than half a pack of cigarettes a day. In the presence of severe gastritis, deterioration is possible within 6-12 months.

A disease such as reflux esophagitis, which often accompanies people with gastrointestinal diseases, can arise or worsen precisely because of smoking.

According to medical statistics, smokers who have an ulcer undergo successful treatment in only 32%. For a non-smoker, this figure is 2 times higher - 69%. In addition, the mortality rate among smokers due to stomach cancer is 3-5 times higher.

The more often a person smokes during the day, the higher the likelihood of metabolic disorders. Inflammatory processes in the stomach affect the functioning of the brain, and memory begins to change.

Complications

Smoking is one of the most dangerous habits that steals health and shortens life. Moreover, such a habit contributes to the development of a number of dangerous complications in ulcerative pathology:

1. Stomach bleeding. A similar phenomenon develops due to the transfer of erosion to the vessel. Gradually, the vascular wall becomes thinner and begins to bleed. This condition is expressed in sudden weakness, hypotension, nausea and vomiting, in which the vomit is brown in color;
2. Melena. The patient's stool becomes black and contains blood. In addition, the patient experiences dizziness, frequent fainting may occur, and the skin becomes pale;
3. Perforation. With this complication, a hole is formed in the organ, as a result of which gastric secretions and food debris fall out into the abdominal cavity. This causes inflammation of the peritoneum. At the same time, the person feels severe pain, stabbing in nature, in the lumbar and stomach areas. If such symptoms occur, you must urgently call for emergency help or death;
4. Penetration. A hole is formed in the organ, leading to a neighboring organ. The symptoms in this case directly depend on which organ was affected by the penetration. In this case, the patient will be bothered by pain in the abdominal area, which goes away after using Antacids. With this type of complication, the pathology is eliminated exclusively by surgery;
5. Pyloric stenosis. With this type of pathology, deformation of the sphincter occurs, located between the intestines and the stomach. As a result, food does not pass further. More often, deformation of the sphincter is formed due to scarring of the ulcerative defect in this section. Pyloric stenosis can be suspected by the severity that appears after eating. As a rule, after a couple of hours the patient begins to vomit, which alleviates the condition.

It is important to understand that curing an ulcer without giving up a destructive habit is quite difficult. The pathology will regularly make itself felt, with periods of exacerbation. Therefore, it is worth giving up smoking tobacco forever. The person who quit smoking will feel relief within a day, and such an act will speed up the recovery process.

Exacerbation after quitting the habit

Complaints like “I quit smoking, but gastritis worsened” are rather an exception to the rule. Usually a person immediately feels significant relief, and if he follows proper nutrition, he can even go into long-term remission from gastritis, forgetting about its exacerbations. And yet, some smokers experience symptoms of the disease immediately after quitting the bad habit.

The reasons may be:

• Masking various stomach problems by extinguishing some of the pain with nicotine. That is, the problem existed before, but the smoker simply did not pay attention to it.
• Gastritis is triggered by stress experienced by the body, and also by the person himself. The disease in this case develops in a similar way to how it happens with stress for another reason.
• Vascular tone has changed. If the regular intake of nicotine kept the vessels in a state of spasm, then later they sharply and suddenly expanded, which provoked an exacerbation of the disease.
• Withdrawal syndrome is observed. As a result of this syndrome, the amount of gastric juice increases, as does the production of saliva, and all this causes the development of the acute phase of gastritis.
• The rhythm of nutrition is disrupted. After quitting smoking, a person can “eat up” unpleasant sensations, practice snacking, poor nutrition, consume chips, crackers, drink a lot of tea and coffee. All this leads to acute gastritis.

You can stabilize your condition if, in addition to quitting smoking, you start a healthy diet, do not eat foods that irritate your stomach, eat only healthy foods, and also be sure to visit a gastroenterologist. The health of the gastrointestinal tract most often quickly returns to normal after quitting smoking, the main thing is to quit this habit for good!

Is it possible to smoke if you have a stomach ulcer after surgery?

You should not smoke with an ulcer at all, regardless of the patient’s condition. Smoking in any case provokes hypoxia of the stomach tissues and stimulates the production of gastric juice. Postoperative condition is an absolute contraindication.

During this period, the patient’s body adjusts to a new mode of functioning: the liver is busy processing drugs, the kidneys remove toxic substances, the heart delivers blood to the affected organs. Smoking means putting even more strain on the organs: the risk of relapse increases and the rehabilitation time is extended.

Recommendations for smokers

If a person cannot yet quit a bad habit, doctors give recommendations to reduce the risks:

• You should not smoke in the morning on an empty stomach, because the production of gastric juice increases and the gastric mucosa is also irritated.
• There is no need to wash down just a smoked cigarette with coffee or strong tea; under their influence, the secretion of acids and other active substances of the gastrointestinal tract increases.
• Do not smoke immediately after eating (within 30-60 minutes), as this impairs digestion.
• Limit your consumption of spicy and fatty foods.
• Try not to smoke during an exacerbation of gastritis or peptic ulcer.
• Don't smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day.

The main recommendation of doctors to a smoker is to get rid of the addiction as soon as possible. After quitting smoking, the process of stomach regeneration will go much faster, and the treatment will be much more effective.

Treatment of exacerbation of the gastrointestinal tract due to smoking

If you notice all the symptoms of a peptic ulcer, you should immediately consult a doctor. If the patient feels very bad, it is better to call an ambulance. While the team is on the way, you can take painkillers and try to reduce acidity. However, baking soda cannot be used for these purposes. The substance will cause even greater irritation of the mucous membrane. It is also prohibited to apply a heating pad or a hot water bottle. Heat in this case will only worsen the patient's condition.

Drug treatment includes:

• antibacterial drugs;
• agents that reduce acidity;
• sedative;
• medications that will help restore the mucous membrane.

Consequences of stomach pain after smoking

Violation of the process of chewing food and secretion of gastric juice can cause hunger pain, nausea, and cramps. Most often, unpleasant sensations appear all together. An experienced doctor can only determine the smoking history based on troubling symptoms. For young smokers, heartburn, pain, and bowel movements are common companions. After 5 years of daily smoking, stomach pain ceases to bother you, but the severity and risk of the following pathologies remains:

• the likelihood of developing a peptic ulcer;
• decreased perception of taste;
• high risk of developing neoplasms, including malignant ones;
• oxygen starvation of tissues;
• constant irritation of the mucous membrane leads to a state of acute gastritis;
• destruction of the protective layer of the mucous membrane;
• damage to the center responsible for satiety and hunger in the diencephalon.

Smoking for duodenal ulcers

As numerous studies show, duodenal ulcers are much more likely to form in smokers. The reason for this is the harmful resins contained in smoke. These toxic substances enter the gastrointestinal tract along with saliva. As a result, the following negative process occurs:

• to neutralize toxic components, the liver activates the production of enzymes;
• along with bile, enzymes are sent to the intestines to neutralize toxic substances;
• Some of the enzymes secreted by the liver remain in the intestines, continuing to irritate and subsequently destroy the mucous membrane.

Due to such an atypical process, adequate blood supply is disrupted, which causes severe aggravation. Moreover, if the patient continues to smoke, the therapy will not bring a positive result or alleviate negative symptoms.

Continuing to smoke with a duodenal ulcer, the consequences for the patient will be as follows:

• increasing pain;
• loss of consciousness and bleeding;
• high probability of the formation of through holes in the walls of the organ;
• transformation of an ulcer into a malignant tumor;
• Often the duodenum becomes inflamed, which causes painful discomfort.

Important: Tobacco smoking with the pathology in question can provoke penetration of the pathology into the pancreas. In this condition, the likelihood of death increases several times. And these are not all the negative consequences of an addiction.

Of course, the choice is always up to the smoker: to give up the deadly habit or continue to poison your own body. But it is important to understand that cigarettes subjugate a person’s will, destroy his health and life. Moreover, for all these terrible consequences, people daily shell out money earned by their own labor. So is this dangerous habit worth such sacrifices?

How to quit smoking when treating gastritis

When treating gastritis, complete cessation of smoking is necessary for a speedy recovery.

The main task of prevention is to restore the mucous membrane and avoid irritating factors in every possible way, so refrain from the following methods:

How does medication coding work?

The method uses medications that cause discomfort when smoking.

The patient does not quit smoking immediately, so a deterioration in health is inevitable, the appearance of migraines, nausea and a bad taste in the mouth, which will provoke complications in the treatment of gastritis and cause even greater irritation of the mucous membrane.

Folk remedies for fighting

1. Smoking mixtures that replace tobacco are not suitable; smoke irritates the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. In the presence of oral infections, ulcers and erosion may develop.
2. Drugs that cause discomfort when smoking. Similar to medication coding.
3. Tobacco replacement products. Seeds, candies and dried fruits irritate the gastrointestinal tract and are prohibited by the diet for gastritis.

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Nicotine-containing drugs to help

The use of nicotine in any form is contraindicated due to spasms of the gastric openings and a bad effect on the patient's autonomic nervous system.

You will experience stomach pain regularly despite taking medications to treat gastritis. Medicines may not work enough or at all.

Is it possible to smoke if you have a stomach ulcer?

The question of whether or not to smoke if you have a stomach ulcer after surgery comes up quite often. Experts clearly state that smoking should be stopped not only after surgical treatment of a peptic ulcer, but also after its diagnosis. If you cannot do this on your own, then it is recommended to seek help from a narcologist or psychologist.

In smokers with experience, cellular immunity is impaired, as a result, the body loses the ability to resist the development of the disease. Because of this, treatment measures are ineffective. Dangerous symptoms that should force a person to quit smoking are:

• Heartburn that occurs immediately after smoking a cigarette.
• Abdominal pain that occurs periodically and indicates dysfunction of the digestive system.

Cigarettes

Smoking cigarettes with a stomach ulcer can cause an exacerbation of the disease. Against this background, serious complications can arise, including internal bleeding, which very often leads to death.

As a result of the action of tobacco smoke, inflammation of the gastric mucosa occurs. Because of this, the healing process of ulcerative lesions slows down. Smoking cigarettes stimulates the production of gastric juice, but nicotine blocks the transmission of the hunger signal.

As a result, a large amount of hydrochloric acid in the stomach provokes cramps. They are a factor that can trigger the development of stomach ulcers.

Advice! Smoking on an empty stomach is especially dangerous; it increases the risk of complications.

Effect of nicotine on the stomach

Is it possible to smoke if you have gastritis? Everyone who has a combination of a bad habit and a disease is interested. This issue will have to be resolved individually, but it is still worth finding out exactly how nicotine acts on the body. Everyone knows that tar and nicotine are very harmful to the entire body, but the first “gate” to smoke is the lungs and stomach. Due to the penetration of smoke into the gastric mucosa, it becomes irritated and inflamed.

For normal functioning of the stomach and intestines, it is important to have sufficient intake of vitamins B, C and other useful substances. A bad habit deprives the body of essential vitamins involved in the regeneration of the gastric mucosa. And since gastritis is an inflammatory disease that changes the secretory abilities of the stomach and impairs the restoration of healthy cells, it is not difficult to understand how smoking affects a person’s general condition.

A cigarette smoked on an empty stomach is especially harmful. A habit practiced daily can lead to stomach or intestinal ulcers in a short time.

Nicotine from cigarettes enters the stomach in other ways:

1. First, nicotine is absorbed into the blood.
2. With the bloodstream, it spreads throughout the body and enters the gastrointestinal tract tissues.
3. The substance leads to vasospasm, disrupting blood circulation in the tissues of the stomach.
4. Nicotine, through its effects on the central and peripheral nervous system, contributes to disruption of gastrointestinal motility and nervous regulation of gastric juice secretion.

Among other things, harmful substances from cigarette smoke settle in abundance in the oral cavity, after which they also enter the stomach with saliva. The result of these processes is the same: inflammation of the mucous membrane, irritated by the poison from cigarettes, intensifies, the secretion of hydrochloric acid increases, all functions of the stomach decrease due to vasospasm and changes in motility.

Taking into account the decrease in local immunity and the rate of tissue regeneration, the consequences of smoking can be:

1. The development of gastritis of the stomach in a previously healthy person without the presence of other risk factors.
2. Exacerbation of gastritis in those who had a chronic form of the pathology.
3. The transition of superficial gastritis to atrophic, recognized as precancerous, or to deeper, more extensive forms of the disease.
4. Transformation of gastritis into erosion or ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract, including perforated one.

Those who replace breakfast or another meal with a smoke break are especially at risk, and also like to wash down cigarette smoke with another stimulant of hydrochloric acid formation - coffee. Usually, smokers, even with the strongest digestive tract, develop gastritis and a host of other gastrointestinal problems.