Can still lungs

Smoking has a very wide range of adverse effects on the body, especially on the lungs and respiratory tract. Once a person inhales the chemicals found in cigarette smoke, the soft lining of the lungs becomes irritated and inflamed.

A smoker's lungs also experience an increase in mucus production and thickness. Because cilia are slower to clear mucus than their production, mucus accumulates in the airways, clogging them and can trigger a cough. This mucus buildup can also lead to pulmonary infections such as chronic bronchitis.

Now, if you have been a heavy smoker for a long time, is it still possible for your lungs to recover after quitting smoking?

15 days after quitting smoking, lung mucus production begins to return to normal

Research published in "European Respiratory Journal"In 2004 stated that former smokers have the number of mucus-producing cells less than active smokers. This suggests that quitting smoking can decrease the number of these cells, and thus reduce the amount of phlegm produced.

Although often underestimated, mucus plays an important role in maintaining healthy lungs. A thin layer of mucus lines the airways, which filters out harmful germs and substances. Under this mucus layer are cells that have fine hairs called cilia, which function to expel mucus from the lungs to the throat.

Smoking can cause these cilia to become damaged and blocked, weakening these natural protective mechanisms and increasing the chance of lung infection.

In a study published in 2011, it was stated that this mucus clearance mechanism can return to normal approximately 15 days after quitting smoking. This repair process may explain why some people cough more phlegm in the first few days after they quit smoking.

Shortness of breath and wheezing will improve 1-2 months after quitting smoking

Another consequence of smoking is that it reduces the flow of air into and out of your lungs. This can be seen using the FEV1 pulmonary function test, which is the amount of air that can be exhaled in the first second by force.

Smokers usually have an abnormal FEV1 value, which indicates obstruction of airflow. This occurs due to narrowing of the airways due to mucus buildup or swelling due to inflammation.

According to a study in the journal respiration from 2000 to 2006, quitting smoking can improve FEV1 values ​​within 1 week. Then wheezing and shortness of breath will begin to improve within one to two months of quitting smoking.

What about the risk of lung cancer

National Cancer Institute in America reported that cigarette smoke contains at least 69 cancer-causing substances. Therefore, smokers have a much higher chance of developing lung cancer than nonsmokers. The risk of lung cancer also increases the longer you smoke in your life, and the number of cigarettes you smoke per day.

Quitting smoking can reduce the risk of lung cancer, but the risk of lung cancer decreases more slowly than the reduction in the risk of other lung diseases caused by smoking.

A study published in Journal of Medical Meeting in 2015, noted that the risk of lung cancer after quitting smoking for 10 to 15 years, which is about half as compared to the risk of lung cancer in people who are still actively smoking. However, this risk is still about 15 times higher than that of people who have never smoked.

Although the risk of lung cancer slowly decreases with the length of time you quit smoking, it will never be the same as for people who have never smoked at all. However, the sooner you quit smoking, the lower your risk of developing lung cancer.

It's never too late

Now that you have realized how quitting smoking can improve and even counter the many harmful effects on the lungs, you may be more confident about quitting smoking than ever before.

If your attempts to quit smoking are unsuccessful the first time, it's never too late to try again. Lung problems that have been damaged cannot be replaced, but you can prevent further damage by quitting smoking.