Title: Smoking And Surgery Don't Mix
Article:
Are you a smoker who is scheduled to have surgery? No matter what kind of surgery you are having, your health will suffer if you decide to smoke for several weeks before and after your surgery. As difficult as it is, if you are going to have surgery, you should seriously consider quitting for your health.
Smoking and Surgery: What Can Go Wrong?
There are a number of complications, risks, and potential infections that can develop as a result of smoking pre- or post-surgery. What exactly can go wrong?
Here's a run-down on the most common and serious complications that can arise as a result of smoking pre- or post-surgery:
Wound Infection. One of the most common complications that can occur if you smoke is wound infection. Smoking, in effect, steals oxygen from cells that are in the process of healing. Smoking is a risk factor for wound infection in almost any kind of surgery. Researchers have found that smokers continue smoking before surgery are at a much higher risk of developing wounds that do not heal properly.
Cardiopulmonary complications. Tobacco smoke is very hard on the heart, lungs, and the entire immune system. If you are scheduled for any type of heart surgery, it is imperative that you quit smoking for at least six weeks before your surgery.
Vasoconstriction. Vasoconstriction refers to the shrinking of the small blood vessels. Many heavy smokers are apt to experience vasoconstriction because smoking steals available oxygen from cells. When this happens, the small blood vessels shrink and the amount of hemoglobin that is needed to move oxygen from one part of the body to another. Smoking also interferes with other chemicals that let the body release enough oxygen to the cells.
Post-surgery complications are greater for smokers. Scientists at Bispebjerg University Hospital in Denmark found that patients who quit smoking before surgery were significantly less likely to develop complications post-surgery. The researchers found that, on average, patients who quit smoking pre-surgery were kept in the hospital two days less than those who kept smoking before their surgery.
Remember, you should strive to come to surgery with a body that is at its healthiest. The trauma of surgery is hard on your body. Smoking will only make it harder for your body to heal. In some cases, surgeons may even elect not to treat a patient ifthey are smokers.
Smoking Cessation for Surgery.
If you're a smoker, the best thing you can do for your body prepare for surgery is to quit altogether, or at least reduce dramatically the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. Research centre suggests that smokers stop smoking at least six to eight weeks prior to surgery. Unfortunately, many of the smoking cessation products that would normally be available to smokers are not recommended for those heading into surgery. Nicotine gum and nicotine patches are not advised for surgery patients.
The nicotine in the gum acts similarly as cigarette nicotine, interfering with the healing process in much the same manner. Nicotine patches are also dangerous because the flow of nicotine can interfere with the flow of blood.
Many hospitals and clinics offer smoking cessation clinics that help surgery patients stop smoking before their scheduled surgery. Here are a few general guidelines on smoking cessation for surgery:
Stop immediately. If you are scheduled for upcoming surgery, you don't have time to wean yourself off cigarettes. Most doctors advise that you stop smoking as soon as you are told about your surgery. For many people, the health scare is enough to throw the cigarettes out!
Read up on your surgery. Take the time to learn about your surgery. This will help you stay focused on your health, and the importance of keeping your body in good shape for the surgery. While you don't have to go into detail, become familiar with the procedure.
Speak to your physician about smoking cessation aids you can use. Many times, surgery patients are unable to use such smoking cessation aids as nicotine gum and the nicotine patch. Find out what options are available for your specific case.
Quit together. Find someone to quit with you. Making the commitment to quit with someone else will help keep you focused on staying cigarette-free. Also, you should strive to maintain a smoke-free household during your recovery. Some doctor's recommend that all household smokers quit or dramatically reduce smoking during the patient's recovery period.
About the author:
Max Taylor's website, http://quit-smoking.mega-advice.com/ specializes in Stop Smoking tips, products, and articles.
For more information visit his site: Stop Smoking
posted by Quit Smoking Support at 3:30 PM
Comments on "Title: Smoking And Surgery Don't Mix"
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Anonymous said ... (5:19 PM) :
post a commentNeurolinguistic Programming
In the early 1970s in America Richard Bandler, then a young college student studied the work of Fritz Perls and later Virginia Satir and found that he could reproduce their high-level therapy skills to a degree that even surprised him. Bandler seemed to have a natural ability to mimic (model) the language patterns by Virginia and Fritz.
At the University of California at Santa Cruz, Bandler who was well versed in the teachings of patterns in mathematics and computers teamed up with a college professor, John Grinder to help him understand the processes that were at work. Soon Bandler and Grinder, who used what he knew about patterns in linguistics, created a new model for personal growth called NeuroLinguistic Programming.
Bandler and Grinder had set out to model the hypnotic skills of Milton Erickson. They had astounding results. They built a communication model about human "thinking" and "processing" and used that model of how we see images, hear sounds, reproduces smells and tactile experiences in our mind to track and model the structure of subjective experiences.
Sounds very complicated but really it works very simply. Here is an example as used by Paul McKenna - probably the best & most successful hypnotist in the world.
Close your eyes and think of a negative memory. Become involved in the situation as best as you can. Feel the emotions that you felt, see the things you saw and hear the things you heard.
Now take that memory and project it onto a mental screen seeing yourself in the picture. Put a frame around the picture and view it as if it is an old photograph. Next drain all the colour from the picture and shrink the screen to the size of a matchbox.
Have the feelings associated with the picture decreased in any way?
Another good example of NLP involves Anchors. Have you ever smelt a certain perfume or aftershave and had it remind you of a certain person or situation? Gone to a certain place that brings feelings long forgotten flooding back? Or been in any situation that creates emotional responses that would not normally be associated with it? Well if you can answer yes to any of these then you have experienced anchors. Some anchors are associated with positive feelings and some with negative emotions. However, you should be aware that anchors can be consciously installed or already existing ones altered. Here is an example:
Think of a time when you were really happy. If you can't think of one then imagine something that would make you feel really happy. See what you would see, hear what you would hear and feel what you would feel. Really get into the picture and try to experience it as though it were happening now.
Now brighten the colours and make them richer. Increase the volume. Make the picture bigger, brighter, louder. That's it and more and more....
Now press your first finger against your thumb and fully experience your happy feelings. Do this everyday for 2 weeks and you will create an anchor that will instantly recreate these feelings. Whenever you want to feel like that again just press your thumb and first finger together and wham the feelings will come flooding back! Don't believe me? Just try it and see!!! Hypnosis Articles