Breathing Troubles: Common Causes and Triggers

Prolonged exposure to firsthand or secondhand smoke can seriously damage the lungs in two major ways. First, tobacco smoke harms the microscopic hairs known as cilia that line the airways. Too much damage to the cilia interferes with the lungs’ ability to remove contaminants like dirt, pollution and harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Second, smoking tobacco damages the air sacs in the lungs, making it more difficult to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide. The breathlessness often experienced by chronic smokers is largely due to the reduced ability of the lungs to transfer oxygen to the bloodstream. Beyond increasing the risk of asthma, COPD, secondary pulmonary hypertension and lung cancer, smoking can also lead to chronic cough (smoker’s cough) and make prolonged physical activity more difficult.