More Cigarettes More Health Problems
Published on July 3, 2009 4:33 AM
Statistics show that in Spain, this disease affects five million people and 2% of the population suffers attacks for more than 15 days a month. According to anti-smoking researchers, more than 20% have never consulted a specialist. And 90% of migraine sufferers self-medicate, without being conscious of the risk that this entails.
Anyone who suffers from migraines and abuses drugs ends up suffering negative effects and a worsening of the illness due to a "rebound effect", according to specialists.
Chronic headaches are a separate illness and one of the most frequent chronic diseases. Although the causes are still not clear, in some migraine cases it is already demonstrated that there is a genetic basis. In fact, most patients with migraines have a history of it in their family.
Like cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, nicotine increases levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which affects the brain pathways that control reward and pleasure. For many tobacco users, long-term brain changes induced by continued nicotine exposure, result in addiction—a condition of forced drug seeking and use, even in the face of negative consequences.
Studies suggest that additional compounds in tobacco smoke, such as acetaldehyde, may enhance nicotine’s effects on the brain. A number of studies indicate also that adolescents are especially exposed to these effects and may be more likely than adults to develop an addiction to tobacco.
When an addicted user tries to quit, he or she experiences withdrawal symptoms including powerful cravings for tobacco, irritability, difficulty paying attention, sleep disturbances, and increased appetite. Treatments can help smokers control these symptoms and ameliorate the probability of successfully quitting.
