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Quitting smoking can be challenging on your own, as less than one in 10 people have success quitting in a given year. But smoking increases the risk of lung diseases and numerous other chronic conditions. At Southwest Pulmonary Associates in Dallas and Plano, Texas, the outstanding team offers smoking cessation to help you quit for good and experience health improvements. Schedule an evaluation by calling the nearest office or requesting an appointment online today.
Smoking Cessation Q & A
What is smoking cessation?
Smoking cessation at Southwest Pulmonary Associates is a treatment that makes it easier to stop smoking. The expert pulmonologists provide the tools necessary to help you reduce cravings and achieve the healthier lifestyle habits you desire. They are highly skilled in contributing to smoking cessation success and evaluating you for smoking-related complications.
What are the benefits of smoking cessation?
Stopping smoking can dramatically reduce your risk of developing the following conditions or worsening complications:
- Cancer
- Asthma
- Chronic coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Tuberculosis
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Eye diseases and blindness
- Low birth weight or birth defects in babies
- Miscarriages in pregnant women
- Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases
- Type 2 diabetes
- Premature aging
- Fertility problems
- Erectile dysfunction (ED) in men
Smoking yourself or breathing in secondhand smoke can both contribute to lung damage and chronic diseases.
Which smoking cessation treatments are available?
Ways to help quit smoking include:
Medications
Taking medications prescribed by your provider can lessen the chance of cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Nicotine replacement therapy
Gums, patches, lozenges, inhalers, nasal sprays, and other forms of nicotine replacement therapy can help you gradually eliminate nicotine using controlled doses, which makes quitting easier.
Lifestyle changes
Things you can do at home to help quit smoking include eating nutritious foods, minimizing stress, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT is a form of therapy that teaches behavior changes that help create new healthy habits you can stick with for a lifetime and overcome barriers to smoking cessation.
Can the lungs be repaired after heavy smoking?
The lungs often start healing after you quit smoking. But you might still have long-term negative effects after being a heavy smoker for a long period of time. After several years of not smoking, your risk of cancer and numerous other chronic conditions decreases.
The experts at Southwest Pulmonary Associates screen you for lung cancer and other lung diseases and provide treatments that restore lung health or reduce the risk of complications. They follow up to ensure your smoking cessation program is effective and your lung disease management plan works as designed.
Schedule a smoking cessation evaluation at Southwest Pulmonary Associates by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.