Headache after smoking? this turned out to be the cause! & bull; hello healthy

Smoking actually causes headaches. The proof, it is not uncommon for people to feel headaches or migraines after smoking. In fact, this is not only felt by people who have just smoked, but people who just inhale cigarette smoke can feel it. But, what causes headaches after smoking?

High nicotine causes headaches after smoking

When you smoke, you will automatically inhale nicotine, the main active ingredient found in various tobacco products, including cigarettes.

Well, when nicotine enters the body, it causes blood vessels to narrow. This condition ultimately makes blood flow not smooth, including blood to the brain.

Nicotine also works as a stimulant and this can cause headaches after smoking. These substances can stimulate the brain's addiction to cigarettes, so that the head will hurt after you stop smoking.

On the other hand, as a stimulant, nicotine can also increase body functions faster. Therefore, when nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream, it only takes approximately 10 seconds to reach the brain.

Furthermore, the nicotine in the brain causes a chemical reaction that releases the hormone adrenaline. This hormone increases the work of the liver, makes blood vessels constrict, and increases blood pressure.

After quitting smoking, nicotine will not trigger the hormone adrenaline to narrow blood vessels. This change in condition is thought to be one of the causes of headaches.

This is exacerbated by the ability of nicotine to affect how the liver works in breaking down the drugs you take. So, when you take pain relievers to get rid of the headache, the drugs don't work optimally.

Another cause of smoking is causing headaches

It's not only nicotine that can cause headaches after smoking. The smoke produced from cigarettes, namely carbon monoxide, can also cause headaches. The reason is, when inhaling cigarette smoke, the volume of oxygen in the blood decreases.

As carbon monoxide "intake" increases and oxygen decreases, blood flow to the brain, which carries oxygen, decreases. But after you finish smoking, you also stop inhaling carbon monoxide, and the oxygen level in the blood increases.

This is touted to be another cause of headaches after smoking. In addition, in certain cases, allergies to smoke or the smell of cigarettes can also trigger headaches.

Overcoming headaches after smoking

One of the best things to avoid having a headache after smoking is to quit smoking.

Quitting smoking is not an easy thing to do both physically and mentally. In fact, there are many ways you can do if you really have the intention to quit. One of them is nicotine replacement therapy or commonly referred to as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

NRT is usually done by replacing cigarettes with something that has less nicotine, such as chewing gum, inhalers, tablets, or mouth or nose spray.

It is not certain whether these efforts will be effective in overcoming the desire to quit smoking. However, a study published in the Cochrane Library states that this therapy can increase 50-60 percent of people's chances of quitting smoking.

By quitting smoking, you will also stop having headaches after smoking.