Surely every person at least once in a lifetime has encountered a headache. The causes of this painful symptom may be different. Sometimes people don’t even think about the fact that this or that action can lead to migraines. They just drink painkillers. Sometimes constant headaches make you think. If you have bad habits, such as smoking, then most likely the matter is in them. Can a headache hurt from cigarettes? Let's try to figure this out.
How are smoking and headache related?
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Recent medical studies have shown that smoking can cause prolonged regular migraines. People who quit this bad habit note that their head ached became much less.
Nicotine is a stimulant and psychoactive substance. When it enters the body, all its functions begin to become more active. This is manifested in the stimulation of brain activity, a surge of strength, clarity of thinking. The stage of oppression can begin 30-40 minutes after a smoked cigarette. At this stage, weakness and weakness are felt. Therefore, it may seem that after cigarettes headache.
When the concentration of nicotine in the body drops, a person sharply feels its lack. How is a lack of nicotine?
Here are some symptoms:
- mental activity noticeably slows down;
- a person feels a breakdown;
- consciousness is clouding;
- there is a feeling of emptiness.
Headache causes
This issue should be given special attention. Why is cigarette headache? To understand this, it is necessary to clarify how nicotine affects the circulatory system. Smoking contributes to the active stimulation of blood flow. This leads to stimulation of blood supply. As a result, the vessels narrow, which is not good. Vessels of cellular brain structures undergo similar changes. As a result, a person feels a migraine. What is the danger of this symptom? Severe headaches can be quite dangerous to health. They lead to the death of neuronal cells and their death, adversely affect the flow of nutrients to the brain and impair the ability to transmit impulses in the brain.
Medical studies have shown that smokers have significantly weakened bioelectrical communication. As a result, mental activity is seriously reduced.
Migraine triggering factors
Headache attacks can occur for many reasons. Studies have shown that halving the usual dose of cigarettes leads to a significant decrease in the number of migraines.
Passive smokers - those who are in the same room with people with a bad habit, can suffer from headaches from cigarettes.
Pain while smoking
So what do you need to know about this? Why does a cigarette headache? Nicotine actively stimulates and at the same time narrows blood vessels. As a result, a spasm occurs, which leads to headaches when smoking. These symptoms provoke toxic carcinogens and toxins that are part of tobacco smoke.
The following causes can also cause serious pain:
- Smoking contributes to the activation of nerve endings located in the larynx. This leads to the development and intensification of pain.
- Regular smoking of cigarettes leads to a decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood. As a result, dizziness and pain appear.
- Due to the interaction of carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke and red blood cells, hypoxia, or, more simply, a lack of oxygen, can be observed. As a result, carboxyhemoglobin is formed instead of hemoglobin. It also affects oxygen deficiency and severe headaches.
- Using cigarettes can lead to serious problems with blood supply. The blood flow in the meninges seriously falls. This leads to a sharp increase in blood pressure and the slow development of migraine.
If a person constantly has a headache for a rather long period of time, then perhaps you should reconsider your habits and lifestyle. Migraines in this case are just a symptom that confirms that the structure of the brain has been disrupted. Ultimately, this can lead to terrible consequences.
Headaches and Quitting
Former smokers, like no other, know that it is very difficult to fight tobacco dependence. The most painful is the first few days. It is during this period of time that the so-called withdrawal syndrome occurs. When smoking, the body gradually gets used to the artificial intake of nicotine. Gradually, he ceases to independently produce natural compounds. The body needs some time to learn how to replenish supplies. In this connection, a completely logical question arises: why is the headache now? After smoking cigarettes, as we have already figured out, this is quite normal. But what's the matter now? A person who has decided to quit smoking faces some discomfort.
How is it expressed:
- The first couple of days he feels painful migraines. As doctors say, this is due to the fact that cleansing processes occur in the body. The body is freed from the poisons accumulated over many years. Due to such a rapid cleansing of the blood, the oxygen level increases, which leads to the occurrence of migraines.
- At first, life without nicotine restores the cardiovascular system. With regular smoking, the vessels are constantly in the narrowing stage. Gradually they begin to expand. This leads to a change in the level of intracranial pressure and provokes migraine.
- Smoking cessation headache can occur due to psychological factors. Lack of habitual activity causes stress and anxiety. In severe cases, a person may even become depressed.
- Psychosomatics also plays a large role in the appearance of headaches during smoking cessation. If at times of stress you are used to smoking a cigarette, then its absence at first will cause anxiety and increased nervousness.
Status Features
Why does a headache after cigarettes? As we have already figured out, there are various reasons. Headache due to smoking may vary in location and degree. By the nature of the course, the following types of headache are distinguished : pulling, aching, cutting, throbbing, paroxysmal. It can occur completely suddenly. Sometimes this condition can cause movement. Pain can occur while walking or after bending. Most people with migraines benefit from the use of analgesics. However, in some cases, the pain completely exhausts the person and cannot be stopped.
How to relieve discomfort?
Many people have a headache after cigarettes. What to do in this situation? Not everyone is ready to give up smoking right away. However, this radical step will not only relieve constant headaches, but will also help restore proper breathing, get rid of shortness of breath, and improve skin color. When the withdrawal syndrome disappears, the condition will improve significantly, because the body will no longer be poisoned daily with carcinogens and toxins.
But what about those who continue to smoke? You can get rid of headaches not only with medications. There is an option to try other ways.
Walks in the open air
Why does a smoker have a headache from cigarettes? The most common cause is chronic hypoxia. Clean and cool air is simply necessary to maintain the normal functioning of our body. Walking in the coniferous forest will be most useful. There in the air contains a large amount of volatile. These substances have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system.
Proper diet
Why does a headache hurt after a smoked cigarette? Few people know, but, once in the body, nicotine starts the processes of adrenaline generation. This hormone is responsible for the feeling of vigor, and also gives activity and vitality. Another important consequence of cigarette smoking is to relieve hunger. The considered bad habit on an empty stomach will not bring anything good. Despite the fact that the body will receive the required charge of vigor, it will feel a lack of nutrients. This causes symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, and headache. Never smoke on an empty stomach. Otherwise, migraines or more serious symptoms await you.
Doing sports
Many smokers complain that a cigarette headache. What to do in this case? How can you help the body if a person does not have enough endurance to give up addiction? It is possible to cope with chronic hypoxia by performing physical exercises. Doctors also recommend studying the principles of breathing exercises. Such exercises will help to improve the functioning of the respiratory system. You can also choose one of the following sports: running, walking, swimming, cycling or rollerblading.
All of the above activities will help to cope with hypoxia. In addition, regular exercise will help to establish the functioning of the lungs. But do not forget about the rest. Try to get less nervous and get enough sleep.
Special diet
What is she like? If you have a headache after cigarettes, you can try to change the diet. There are a number of products whose use helps to cleanse the body of toxins. These include horseradish, garlic, kiwi, viburnum, mountain ash, wild leek, apples, sea buckthorn, wild rose, tomatoes, honeysuckle, wild strawberries, citrus fruits, currants, onions, cabbage, bell peppers, green vegetables, baked potatoes. It is also good to eat ingredients that are high in vitamin A. These include mango, melon, pumpkin, apricots, carrots, yellow and red vegetables and fruits. For normal functioning, the smoker's body requires vitamin E. It is found in leafy greens, prunes, dried apricots, eggs, seafood, fish, cereals, nuts. All of these products can be consumed both fresh and cooked. But the intake of vitamin complexes is not particularly carried away. Before taking such supplements, you should clear the liver of harmful substances. Otherwise, the body simply cannot absorb the nutrients and vitamins.
Conclusion
In this review, we looked at what to do if your head hurts from cigarettes. Of course, the easiest and most effective way is to give up addiction. However, if you can’t quit smoking immediately, you can try to deal with headaches in other ways. Long walks in the fresh air help well. It is also worth trying to add physical exercise to the daily daily routine, you can start playing sports. Review your diet, it may be lacking in vital substances, vitamins and minerals.