Smoking effects the flow of blood throughout our bodies.
There are only two structures in the adult human body which, under normal circumstances, lack a blood supply in adult life.
One, the cornea of the eye which gets its nutrition from tears.
Secondly, the intervertebral disc, which obtains its nutrition from the convection and diffusion of nutrients from the end plates of adjacent vertebral bodies.
By smoking cigarettes, nicotine and carbon monoxide infuse into the blood stream and then into body tissues.
These poisons have a particularly destructive effect on intervertebral discs (and corneas) because of their precarious nutritional status.
Read the rest of the Burton Report here > Smoking Cigarettes Effects on the Human Spine
I am 50 and have degenerative disc disease, although I have never smoked, I had a chain smoking mother from conception to 6 years old. Otherwise in great health (due to lots of effort, exercise, and healthy living) this is the most devastating thing that has happened to me. I believe it is not a coincidence that just about everyone I encounter in the doctors offices for the same condition, seem to have had mothers that smoked.
I have read that the majority of the disc deterioration happens between birth and 10 years of age.
Curious……
Hi David,
I believe that there are differing degrees of correlation between smoking and intervertebral disc disease. We need more research in this particular area.
Unfortunately secondhand smoke is now in the infancy of research. I am sorry that this has happed to you but there could also be genetic connections – your diet and your genes.
I think that we are going to be seeing many more diseases related to the offspring of mothers who smoked as the research becomes available.
I am very happy for you that you choose to lead a healthy lifestyle but it is unfortunate that we can’t pick our genes 🙂
Hugs,
robbster