Why Do You Cough If You Are a Smoker?

Smoker's Cough

• While not all smokers cough, many do and it is usually a loud, hacking cough that often results in phlegm expiration. Smokers can develop this cough for a variety of reasons. Commonly referred to as "smoker's cough," it is primarily due to harmful chemicals contained in cigarette smoke, which damages the air passages and lungs. Although a smoker may enjoy inhaling these substances, the body tries to protect itself by coughing. There are tiny, hairlike filaments called cilia which line the airways and sweep out harmful particles. Cigarette smoke decreases the effectiveness of the cilia and can completely destroy their ability to function over time. This can leave the body vulnerable to airborne bacteria and viruses.
  
  

Warning

• The smoker's cough gives the individual an advanced warning of the dangerous buildup of toxins in the respiratory system. Smokers more commonly cough in the morning when waking up. The early morning cough can be a chesty, gagging experience that usually results in a brownish, green phlegm. The cilia which sweep out the bronchial passages, begin to regrow and recover while the smoker sleeps. The lungs are desperately trying to eliminate the poisons built up over the previous day. Most smokers accept their chronic cough as an unfortunate downside to their nicotine habit instead of a desperate warning from their body. Even after an individual quits smoking, they might experience more coughing than usual. The cilia begin to function normally as soon as three days after a smoker quits. With these tiny filters back to work, the body will work harder to push out foreign particles. This can result in an unexpected increase in the frequency of a smoker's cough. This simply means the body is once again defending against airborne toxins.
  
  

COPD

• Smoker's cough can sometimes be confused with a more serious condition called (COPD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are now grouped together with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. According to GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceuticals, (COPD) kills one person every ten seconds. This statistic rivals even cancer, heart attacks, AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Tobacco smoking is one of the main causes and risk factors for COPD. Because smoker's cough and (COPD) share some common symptoms like shortness of breath and coughing, proper diagnosis and treatment are often missed. Coughing is a symptom, especially for cigarette smokers. Chemicals in tobacco products can damage the entire respiratory system and lead to incurable diseases like (COPD). Even after a person quits smoking, their cilia must recover and chronic coughing can continue for a number of years.