Quit Smoking Now for Improved Foot Health

May 31 is World No Tobacco Day. You know about some of the ways in which tobacco use is linked to disease – smoking or using other forms of tobacco increases your risk of lung and other cancers, heart disease, and high blood pressure – but do you know smoking also puts your feet, ankles, and lower legs at risk? Podiatrists can spot smokers just by looking at their feet. The skin on the feet of smokers is often thinner, redder, and shiner than non-smokers.

Your feet are the part of your body furthest from your heart. That means, even under optimal conditions, your body must work very hard to send oxygenated blood from the heart to the feet and return it from the feet back to the heart again. That’s why your feet are often cold. They need more blood. Smoking puts additional stress on your vascular systems and makes it even harder for the blood to circulate to your feet. Smoking can also contribute to Raynaud’s disease, a condition in which the blood vessels in the feet spasm and cause pain and uncomfortable feelings of cold, tingling, and numbness.

Smokers often develop Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). This condition occurs when plaque builds up the arteries, causing them to narrow and become stiff. Circulation is compromised. People with PAD often notice that, without enough blood, sores or small injuries on their feet heal slowly or poorly, or don’t heal at all. Anyone can get PAD, but those with diabetes are at increased risk. The combination of diabetes and smoking can easily create dangerous diabetic ulcers, leading to hospitalization, amputation, or even death.

Your medical team knows it can be daunting to imagine quitting after a lifetime of tobacco use. Nicotine addiction is real and it’s powerful. More support is available today than ever before. Talk to your doctor about new medications and other treatments that can help you live a life free from dependency on cigarettes and other forms of tobacco. Your health and wellness will benefit.

Are you worried about the effects of smoking on your feet, or do you have another concern about the health and wellness of your feet, ankles, or lower legs? Call the friendly Advanced Feet and Ankle Care staff at (732) 679-4330 or click here to schedule a convenient appointment with Middlesex County podiatrists  Jason Grossman, DPM and Paul A. Osemene, DPM in our modern, comfortable offices in Old Bridge and Sayreville today.