There are many side effects that come along with quitting smoking. One of the side effects is having chest pain for a period of time after you have your last cigarette. The body goes through a wide range of changes when quitting smoking. These are known as nicotine withdrawals.

When quitting smoking, your body will try to get back to the normal state it was in before it had to process the chemicals and carcinogens that the body absorbs when smoking. This means that the body will be trying to expel the toxins that have been building up inside it. One of these withdrawal symptoms comes in the form of chest pain.

This article will discuss some of the symptoms related to quitting smoking such as chest pain. It will also discuss the potential severity of this pain and what you should do to treat it. Sometimes chest pain from quitting smoking can be very mild, but other times it could be quite severe, possibly indicating angina or even cancer.

What is Causing the Chest Pain After Quitting Smoking

When someone quits smoking, their body and mind sometimes go through very serious withdrawals. These withdrawals can include chest pain, coughing, and soreness of the lungs. Sometimes when people have been coughing a lot, their bodies are sore throughout the chest and back region.

Some people can feel that their lungs are hurting. Depending on how long you have smoked cigarettes for, this pain could go on for months. However, this pain will most likely subside as long as you keep being smoke free.

This pain is a result of your body trying to get rid of unnatural chemicals in it that were put there by smoking cigarettes. The lungs and heart have to work harder when you smoke cigarettes. They are now working even harder to clean themselves. This can be very distressing to the body and can cause chest pain.

The lungs are also trying to get rid of mucus and other harmful bacteria that have been building up in the lungs, which is most likely a cause of any chest pain being felt. The body has a natural healing process but it does take time. Most smokers who quit abruptly will experience coughing, lung and chest discomfort, and other nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Once the lungs clean themselves of the toxins, the chest pain should subside.

Another reason for chest pain immediately after quitting smoking can be attributed to the fact that your blood vessels are still constricted. This could certainly trigger chest pain because your heart is not pumping blood to all your organs properly. This is another withdrawal symptom that will clear itself over a short period of time being nicotine free. If you do have constant chest pain, see a doctor immediately because the pain could indicate a more severe health concern.

Angina Pectoris

Angina pectoris is most commonly known as angina. It means that there is an obstruction or spasm of the coronary arteries, causing the heart to not get enough oxygen to function properly. These episodes of angina do not normally last more than five minutes but they are still very serious, and can be scary.

Smoking can cause the arteries in the chest and heart to constrict and limit blood and oxygen flow to the rest of the body. Smoking is the number two cause of angina. The first is age, and currently there is nothing we can do about that!

There are many symptoms that can precede angina, and they can develop very quickly. If you feel you have chronic chest pain or exhibit any of the following symptoms consult a doctor right away. These symptoms include:

• Chest discomfort – described as heaviness, pressure, tightness, squeezing, or a choking sensation in the chest
• Back pain
• Jaw pain
• Shoulder pain
• Neck pain

Angina pectoris is a very serious condition and if you feel any of these symptoms you should go a doctor immediately. Quitting smoking will decrease your odds of getting angina pectoris dramatically.

Cancer

Cancer comes in as the most dangerous diagnosis for chest pain after quitting smoking. There are many forms of cancer that are caused by smoking cigarettes but the most common is lung cancer.

Of diagnosed cases in the United States, 8 in 10 are people over the age of 60 and most of them are smokers. This means if you are older, have been smoking for a long time, and are having chest pain, you should speak to your doctor right away. The sooner the cancer is detected, the better chance it can be slowed or removed altogether.

An early warning sign of lung cancer is lung, chest, or back pain. If the pain is persistent, and you are still coughing after 3 months, make sure to have your chest looked at by a doctor to rule out cancer.

Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

There are many, many negative effects of smoking, with heart problems and cancer right at the top. If you are having any chest pain due to the fact you have quit smoking you should see your doctor immediately. Most of the time it is the body trying to clean itself from the toxins of smoking cigarettes, but it is always a good idea to make sure!

Joseph R. Giove has over 30 years of experience helping people quit smoking using Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy. He uses no chemicals or carcinogens as some other quitting aids do, only the natural power of the mind. As a certified Clinical Hypnotist, he can help you cope with any temporary chest pains and relax your mind about any other withdrawal symptoms you may be experiencing.

Quitting smoking will give you a longer and healthier life. There might be some discomfort as you go through the nicotine withdrawals but it will definitely be worth it in the end!