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So this seems like a stupid question, the answer seems so obvious, but I'm wondering, how much of a health risk is it to spend time in a car or household that smells like smoke even if no one is actually smoking?

I don't have too much of a knowledge on the smoking thing but I would imagine the reason an area smells like smoke is that particles are being left behind, probably carcinogens... I don't know how hazardous these left behind particles can be to someone with MS....

The reason I ask is a really close friend of mine is struggling to quit smoking in a household where two other people (mom and stepdad) smoke and drink despite the fact that she is trying to quit.... She would never smoke around me but I'm skeptical about driving in her car or chilling at her house because it smells like smoke, is this something I should worry about or am I overreacting?

And is there a difference in safety depending on whether I'm currently fighting an exacerbation or not?

thank you so much!

-Matt

http://mattsms.blogspot.com/

I don't know what the research on this says, but I do know that I always feel much worse while and after being in an environment where there is smoking, or where there is the aftersmell of smoking.

Hi Matt!

I quit a year ago and I've had ms for about 7 years. So I smoked the first 6 years with ms. Smoking did not worsen my ms. Other peoples' experience may of course be totally different, and there are many other reasons to quit/not be around cigarette smoke.

Hope it works out for you and your friend!

Thomas

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well, it definitely seems that based on everyone's personal experience, that smoking does not seem to hazardous to multiple sclerosis as far as symptoms/ exacerbations are concerned. I appreciate everyone's input! I'm less worried about the after smell of smoking now however I think I will still avoid it just to promote healthy living, couldn't hurt I suppose... thanks again!

mattalleng wrote:well, it definitely seems that based on everyone's personal experience, that smoking does not seem to hazardous to multiple sclerosis as far as symptoms/ exacerbations are concerned.

I beg to differ with that generalization. Cigarettes are highly addictive poison. Moreover, the National MS Society has reviewed several published studies which link smoking to a heightened progression of MS.

New Studies on Smoking and MS: Surprising Results?

Harvard researchers report results of a new study comparing 1465 smokers, ex-smokers and never-smokers, all of whom had MS. After tracking the group for an average of over three years, the investigators found that MS disability progressed more quickly in smokers, and this difference was also noted in MRI measures of disease activity. For several measures, ex-smokers did not differ substantially from never-smokers, suggesting that quitting may delay MS progression.

A team in Buffalo, New York administered a questionnaire on smoking history and current smoking habits to 368 consecutive people with MS during the course of routine clinical follow-up visits, which showed that 240 had never smoked, and 128 were current or former smokers. The investigators compared participants’ imaging scans that measured disease activity and brain tissue atrophy (shrinkage), and the results were correlated with smoking history/habits and clinical characteristics of their disease. Smokers had greater amounts of tissue damage observed on imaging, a greater volume of tissue damage; and more brain atrophy.

NHE

NHE wrote:

mattalleng wrote:well, it definitely seems that based on everyone's personal experience, that smoking does not seem to hazardous to multiple sclerosis as far as symptoms/ exacerbations are concerned.

I beg to differ with that generalization. Cigarettes are highly addictive poison. Moreover, the National MS Society has reviewed several published studies which link smoking to a heightened progression of MS.

New Studies on Smoking and MS: Surprising Results?

Harvard researchers report results of a new study comparing 1465 smokers, ex-smokers and never-smokers, all of whom had MS. After tracking the group for an average of over three years, the investigators found that MS disability progressed more quickly in smokers, and this difference was also noted in MRI measures of disease activity. For several measures, ex-smokers did not differ substantially from never-smokers, suggesting that quitting may delay MS progression.

A team in Buffalo, New York administered a questionnaire on smoking history and current smoking habits to 368 consecutive people with MS during the course of routine clinical follow-up visits, which showed that 240 had never smoked, and 128 were current or former smokers. The investigators compared participants’ imaging scans that measured disease activity and brain tissue atrophy (shrinkage), and the results were correlated with smoking history/habits and clinical characteristics of their disease. Smokers had greater amounts of tissue damage observed on imaging, a greater volume of tissue damage; and more brain atrophy.

NHE

Interesting, I should've done a more in-depth research on the matter, I will review these articles carefully, makes more sense to me anyways, thanks!

Firstly, nicotine is the world's most powerful natural insecticide.

Imagine living next door to a farm that sprayed insecticide daily and that although you did not inhale the stuff directly, you breathed in quite a bit of the residue all day long. It may not kill you but I doubt it would do you or your family much good.

There is a myth that most smoking damage is caused by the carcinogenic tar in the lungs, whereas in fact, most of the damage is caused by nicotine and carbon monoxide traveling to the heart, the brain and organs all around the body. For example, five cigarettes a day doubles the chances of breast cancer.

Secondly, remember that MS is an inflammatory disease of the nerves of the CNS. Inflamed nerves need oxygen just like healthy nerves do - possibly a lot more - which would explain why so many MS sufferers find that treatments like hypberbaric oxygen therapy helps so often - even why repairing venous blood flow helps. Nicotine always causes blood vessels to narrow - so less oxygen.

Remember, just one cigarette smoking reduces oxygen flow to the brain for 8 hours.

Happy smoking!


gainsbourg

gainsbourg wrote:Firstly, nicotine is the world's most powerful natural insecticide.

Imagine living next door to a farm that sprayed insecticide daily and that although you did not inhale the stuff directly, you breathed in quite a bit of the residue all day long. It may not kill you but I doubt it would do you or your family much good.

There is a myth that most smoking damage is caused by the carcinogenic tar in the lungs, whereas in fact, most of the damage is caused by nicotine and carbon monoxide traveling to the heart, the brain and organs all around the body. For example, five cigarettes a day doubles the chances of breast cancer.

Secondly, remember that MS is an inflammatory disease of the nerves of the CNS. Inflamed nerves need oxygen just like healthy nerves do - possibly a lot more - which would explain why so many MS sufferers find that treatments like hypberbaric oxygen therapy helps so often - even why repairing venous blood flow helps. Nicotine always causes blood vessels to narrow - so less oxygen.

Remember, just one cigarette smoking reduces oxygen flow to the brain for 8 hours.

Happy smoking!


gainsbourg

lol this is the exact answer I was looking for, perfect! Thanks