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Tobacco is used in our country in many forms, some unique to this part of the world. It could be one of the following:
Smoking - Cigarette, Beedi, Chillum, Hooka, Cigars, Cohutta & Revers Cohutta
Smokeless tobacco - Pan, Gutka, Khaini, Pan Masala, Snuff, Mishri, Mawa, Toothpaste with tobacco
Unfortunately, the trend of abusing tobacco is increasing in our country and nearly one-third of the population above 15 years is using some form of tobacco in India.
Tobacco causes 90% of lung & oral cancers and many more!!
Most of us are aware that smoking causes lung cancer and chewing tobacco causes oral cancer. However, the list of tobacco-related diseases is long and includes heart and blood vessel diseases, bronchitis, asthma, many other cancers, impotence, birth defects, and growth retardation in babies of pregnant and feeding mothers, depressed immune system, etc., etc. In addition, it leads to bad breath, stained teeth, poor healing of wounds, early tiredness. All these diseases can also affect the “innocent bystanders” – the loved ones around you who inhale the “second hand” smoke.
What are the symptoms of lung cancer?
Unfortunately, the symptoms of lung cancer don’t develop unless it has grown to become a sizeable mass when the cure rates drop further down. Get yourself checked if you have any of these
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Cough for more than 3 weeks
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Bloodstained sputum
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Difficulty in breathing/chest discomfort/wheezing
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Change in voice (typically hoarseness) for > 3 weeks
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Unexplained weight loss/tiredness
What are the symptoms of oral cancer and how to detect it early?
Oral cancer or its precursors are easy to detect at an early stage if one is vigilant enough.
White or reddish patches inside the lining of the mouth or tongue are considered precursors of cancer, latter being more sinister.
Non-healing ulcers – that do not heal for more than three weeks of treatment should be investigated further.
Sometimes, an underlying or adjacent cancer presents as a loose tooth. It is imperative to rule out cancer in patients with loose teeth that otherwise look healthy.
Lump in the neck may be an indicator of some disease inside the oral cavity or throat, cancer being one of the important diseases.
Regular, monthly self-examination of the oral cavity and neck can help in early detection. An annual check-up with cancer experts in Delhi is also recommended.
For the best mouth cancer treatment in Delhi consult the oral cancer specialist in Delhi at Manipal Hospitals.
How to quit? Can I ??
You can eat five portions of fruit or veg a day and exercise regularly – but healthy behaviour means little if you continue to smoke.
Stopping smoking / using tobacco is the single biggest thing you can do to improve your health, but it's a difficult task, not impossible though!
These steps may serve as a guide:
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Decide on a date and quit completely; simply reducing would just bounce back.
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Make a list of reasons why you want to quit and keep it with you
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Make it known to family and close friends to garner strength and support
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Keep a record of when, how much and why you smoke or use tobacco
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Seek medical help for nicotine cravings; do not self-medicate
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Lastly, be prepared for relapse. Four out of five times the quitting trial fails! Nonetheless, keep trying
Some startling (shocking) facts about tobacco/smoking
Each day 3,000 children smoke their first cigarette and a third of them will die prematurely due to smoking.
More than 90 per cent of adult smokers started when they were teens.
Nearly 30 per cent of Indians above 15 years use tobacco in some form.
Every eight seconds, human life is lost to tobacco use somewhere in the world. That translates to approximately 5 million deaths annually.
Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer.
Bidis deliver twice the amount of tar and seven times the amount of nicotine of regular cigarettes and thus are far more addictive.
The number of people under the age of 70 who die from smoking-related diseases exceeds the total figure for deaths caused by breast cancer, AIDS, traffic accidents and drug addiction. Visit the best cancer hospital in Delhi for treatment.
Each cigarette shortens a smoker's life by around 11 minutes!
For the best lung cancer treatment in Delhi consult the best cancer hospital near you.
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